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seeds What causes black seeds? (not pubes lol)

austin87

austin87

I've had some pods with black seeds (annum and chinense) and am wondering if anything causes it or can help prevent it.
 
Granted, some sat on the counter for a few days, but I've also see some in fresh picked pods. Thanks!
 
I wondered why some seeds are darker than others too. My habanero and naga jalokia seeds are nice pale white color, but my Thai seeds I bought are all darker, but they've all germinated for me, actually beating out the germination rate of the have only getting 6 out of 8.
 
SavinaRed said:
pepper has turned rotten......................
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AJ Drew said:
Fairly sure you have some mold growing in them.
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I just scraped out anything that looked questionable (I saw nothing that resembled fuzzy mold, just darker colored seeds) and put them in the oven on low overnight to dehydrate... I'll test vigorously myself before adding it to food cooked for others.
 
Mix is mostly aleppo, piment d'esplette, and piquillo de lodosa - plan is to have flakes or add to a roux when making a sauce to go on something else.
 
I believe it's just mold. As long as it's only on the seeds the pepper itself is still good to eat. If it has spread to the flesh I'd toss it to be safe. Even if you ate it the worst that might happen is a stomach ache though. I get it a lot with superhots even when they're fresh picked. I'd say like 1/50 has the black seed mold when fresh picked. 
 
Don't really know what causes the seeds to go black but I do know those black seeds make my powder or sauce taste like crap.
That's why I always cut my pods in half before doing anything with them and toss anything that's questionable.
 
I followed Austins advice and found an article about minor pepper diseases. Interesting.

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to post a link on android, unless I don't have enough posts yet.
 
midwestchilehead said:
Google "alternaria alternata in chile plants" and you will find your answer.
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Thanks I found this article
 
 
Alternaria Leaf Spot and Fruit Rot. Alternaria solani causes early blight of tomato and potato, which are very destructive diseases; however, pepper is not an important host. Alternaria solani occasionally causes a minor leaf spot on pepper foliage. Alternaria alternata may cause fruit rot, particularly following sun scald or blossom end rot. Sun scald on pepper fruit usually occurs when the foliage is sparse and the peppers are exposed to sunlight. The injury becomes tan and shrunken and may appear water-soaked. When Alternaria colonizes these lesions they become chocolate brown to black and the fungus may be evident by a felty, dark brown to black growth. Alternaria fruit rot may also occur post-harvest.
To prevent Alternaria rot, choose cultivars that shade fruit well. Control diseases such as bacterial spot that may defoliate the plant. Provide adequate moisture and calcium to prevent blossom end rot. Application of fungicides are not warranted for this disease.
 
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