Black Leaf Spot or Mould? HELP!!

[Leo_Rossini27]

Hi all! This is my second year growing peppers and everyday seems to be a learning opportunity, however todays lesson doesn't feel like a good one! I noticed whilst watering my Aji Limon (the chilli I was most excited to grow) that there were some leaved some big and some just past baby leaves had some black speckling spots on them! I didn't notice any on the plant a few days earlier when they were last watered so it was a bit of a shock. I've "quarantined" it away from the other plants in the hopes it hasn't spread to the other plants, and so hoping someone with more knowledge the me may have a diagnosis and hopefully a cure in the hopes that its not a terminal problem! I had also noticed on a few plants some crystal looking coating that I may have thought was a build up of salt but I don't do Espom foliar sprays. I dont know if it could be related so I'll attach some photos of that incase it helps!
- Leo.

 

[Bhob Zolokia]

The bottom pics are edema. It can happen easily indoors (temp/humidity balance). If they were just moved outside they may have had it before the move. Overwatering can be a cause as well as other condition issues.

 

[CaneDog]

My take is first pic, bad/leaf spot; next 2 inconclusive, but probably not anything bad; and the last 2 benign intumescence/edema.

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

My take is first pic, bad/leaf spot;

I'll second  that.... fungal leaf spot pix
 

 

 

[Leo_Rossini27]

My take is first pic, bad/leaf spot; next 2 inconclusive, but probably not anything bad; and the last 2 benign intumescence/edema.

Thanks for the reply! Is there anything I can do to fix the leaf spot? I've picked all the leaves off that had the spots but there are a few that have popped up with more.Is there a foliar spray that will take care of it?

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

Thanks for the reply! Is there anything I can do to fix the leaf spot?

 
_Various treatments can be found here> fungal leaf spot disease

 

[CaneDog]

To my understanding there's not much you can do to cure it, though reducing humidity/improving air circulation, removing leaves, and various fungicides, commonly copper-based in the case of fungal leaf spot, would be used to control it. Lots of options will pop up in a search like NECM posted.  I've heard of people using baking soda or H2O2 mixed with water as a spray for control too.
 
Of course, if you're handing the plant or using cutting tools on it then the risk of spreading contamination is high, so I don't mess with it myself.  I usually isolate if unsure and destroy the plant unless I become confident it isn't leaf spot.  Once that's done, the container, soil, and and removed leaves/plant debris are all likely infected. Plus, while the plants are alive, bugs like aphids can become vectors for the pathogen and can spread it very effectively to your other plants.  It's just not worth the headache to me if I have other plants or a (soil) growing area at risk as I don't want to allow it to get established and become a bigger problem.
 
Hope whatever you have happening turns out to be minimal and your grow otherwise stays healthy.

 

[Leo_Rossini27]

To my understanding there's not much you can do to cure it, though reducing humidity/improving air circulation, removing leaves, and various fungicides, commonly copper-based in the case of fungal leaf spot, would be used to control it. Lots of options will pop up in a search like NECM posted.  I've heard of people using baking soda or H2O2 mixed with water as a spray for control too.
 
Of course, if you're handing the plant or using cutting tools on it then the risk of spreading contamination is high, so I don't mess with it myself.  I usually isolate if unsure and destroy the plant unless I become confident it isn't leaf spot.  Once that's done, the container, soil, and and removed leaves/plant debris are all likely infected. Plus, while the plants are alive, bugs like aphids can become vectors for the pathogen and can spread it very effectively to your other plants.  It's just not worth the headache to me if I have other plants or a (soil) growing area at risk as I don't want to allow it to get established and become a bigger problem.
 
Hope whatever you have happening turns out to be minimal and your grow otherwise stays healthy.

Thanks again for the info! I made a rookie mistake today for leaving the plants out too long and the are a bit sun scorched, Should I remove the burnt leaves so the plant can focus it energy on replacing the damaged leaves? The leaves look white and almost transparent. Thanks again!

 

[Kramer]

I probably wouldn't just yet as the damage is done and those burnt leaves will give the others some protection while hardening up. I'd clip em once you're all done and they're out in the sun for good.