Peppers Turning Brown

Ezzer · Jul 30, 2011

Can any one help? I've been waiting for my peppers to ripen and to my horror, while checking them this morning i noticed that they are turning brownish and filling with liquid. . my plants are in containers, one is a run to waste hydro and the rest are in a soil mix. The problem seems to be showing up on all the plants at the same time including the one in hydro.

It doesn't look like "classic" BER, but I'm far from an expert. Could it be Sun scald?

Here's a pic, when you squeeze the fruit it seems mushy inside and you can see liquid moving about.
EDIT: It's only showing up a few fruits on each plant, at the moment.

naganumbness · Jul 30, 2011

Those look kinda normal! not sure what to think!

Ezzer · Jul 30, 2011

naganumbness said:
Those look kinda normal! not sure what to think!

Must be my lack of photography skills. The bottom half of the middle pepper is paper thin and filled with liquid and mushy. Where the other two don't have the liquid but are browning and paper thin.

Chile · Jul 31, 2011

Does the mushy pod have a foul odor?

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

Chile said:
Does the mushy pod have a foul odor?

No bad smells that I noticed. but I do have a cold.

Chile · Jul 31, 2011

It may be bacterial soft rot

Avon Barksdale · Jul 31, 2011

Doesn't look like sun scald, sun scald damage is white.

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

Chile said:
It may be bacterial soft rot

I must say I have perfect conditions here in Thailand for bacterial soft rot, it's always hot and humid plus it's been raining on and off for the last week but none of the affected peppers show any sign of wounds or injuries.

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

Avon Barksdale said:
Doesn't look like sun scald, sun scald damage is white.

That's a downer, I was hoping that it was because it's an easy fix.

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

Here's an overview of one of the plants, there's a slight yellowing on the leafs.

manicat · Jul 31, 2011

it looks like botrytis cinerea (grey mould ) remove all infected pods or plants. increase air flow and reduce humidity or find a fungal spray good luck here is a use full link http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=165

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

manicat said:
it looks like botrytis cinerea (grey mould ) remove all infected pods or plants. increase air flow and reduce humidity or find a fungal spray good luck here is a use full link http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=165

Cheers for the link, out of the six symptoms listed my plants are only showing one. There's no fuzzy mould and it's very humid here. The flowers and buds don't shrivel and die. Apart from the few pods that turned brown the plants and other pods look healthy.

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

manicat said:
it looks like botrytis cinerea (grey mould ) remove all infected pods or plants. increase air flow and reduce humidity or find a fungal spray good luck here is a use full link http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=165

Ok now i've thought about it and read your link over again I think you might be on the right track.

"It is also able to cause latent infections where the plant is infected but symptoms of the disease may not be produced for a considerable time. In some fruit crops the fungus enters flowers and colonises the developing fruit, but does not break out and cause a rot until the fruit begins to ripen and sugar content rises. This is very noticeable with strawberries. It can also cause latent infections in primulas, where recent research has shown the fungus is seed-borne and develops with the plant, only breaking out after considerable growth has occurred."

This is maybe what's going on, there's no sign of a problem until the peppers are about to ripen. Are my plants doomed? Should I kill them off for the greater good of the other plants?

AjarnV · Jul 31, 2011

Cut open the pepper and I think you'll find a worm, aka, larva.

Ezzer · Jul 31, 2011

AjarnV said:
Cut open the pepper and I think you'll find a worm, aka, larva.

I can't see anything on the inside, except a brown rot

AjarnV · Aug 1, 2011

Hmm, okay, that's good. I'd then have to go with BER (blossom end rot), but it doesn't look typical as you said. Calcium is the cure for that. Also, magnesium is deficient in most Thai soil; Epsom salts are available from Chinese chemistry shops here.
In any event, calcium and magnesium can't hurt, because the soil here is devoid of both. Good luck.

kiddc · Aug 1, 2011

i'd agree with Verne. Its BER and the leaves also shows early signs of calcium deficiency. Hit it with CalMag.

Ezzer · Aug 1, 2011

AjarnV said:
Hmm, okay, that's good. I'd then have to go with BER (blossom end rot), but it doesn't look typical as you said. Calcium is the cure for that. Also, magnesium is deficient in most Thai soil; Epsom salts are available from Chinese chemistry shops here.
In any event, calcium and magnesium can't hurt, because the soil here is devoid of both. Good luck.

I have an organic fert for the micro nutrients, the guy in the shop said to add a small handful to each pot every two weeks. I've only been adding a tablespoon, maybe I'll try upping it a bit.

Here's the stuff, 400 baht ($13.50) for 50 kilos!

Ezzer · Aug 1, 2011

kiddc said:
i'd agree with Verne. Its BER and the leaves also shows early signs of calcium deficiency. Hit it with CalMag.

How quickly does BER spread. I inspected my plants this morning around 10am. I had look again around 3pm and I noticed a pod that is 50% brown, it was 100% green 5 hours earlier. Also it's happening to a plant in a run to waste hydro pot, with shop bought nutrients as well as a plant in potting mix.

I'm starting to think it might be grey mould Manicat mentioned.