Good guy, Bad guy, culprit?

scotchnaga85

scotchnaga85

Hi, :)
 
I noticed a few days ago that the ripening pods on my yellow 7 where going soft, and as they continued to ripen a clear soft 'V' shaped unripe pattern would appear. These soft spots seem contained to the outer tissue of the pods as the inside is healthy... Due to the very inclement weather i can safely exclude sun scald. One of those pods pictured below...
 


 
Today however, i spotted this bug crawling on a mangled leaf on my yellow 7...
 


 
I'm not sure what it is, but it does look a little like a Hoverfly Larvae which would be a good thing, but i can't be sure though.
 
I'm not sure what the bug is, ATM, but it doesn't look like the hoverfly larvae that I've found. Here's a link to a site with hoverfly images.
 
Regardless, I don't think that guy is causing the pod issues you are having. Could be an early sign of BER (blossom end rot), which would call for higher calcium supplies. You indicated you've had inclement weather - if it's lasted a number of days, the plants could be having calcium lock-out (assuming you are giving them calcium.) Up the calcium, reduce nitrogen and new pods should start to develop normally.
 
Based on the V shape:
 
 
 
scotchnaga85 said:
 
Click to expand...
 
I believe I know the culprit.
 
9uc46d.jpg

 
JIMMY DID IT.

Glad I could help.
 
:P  ;) 
 
geeme said:
I'm not sure what the bug is, ATM, but it doesn't look like the hoverfly larvae that I've found. Here's a link to a site with hoverfly images.
 
Regardless, I don't think that guy is causing the pod issues you are having. Could be an early sign of BER (blossom end rot), which would call for higher calcium supplies. You indicated you've had inclement weather - if it's lasted a number of days, the plants could be having calcium lock-out (assuming you are giving them calcium.) Up the calcium, reduce nitrogen and new pods should start to develop normally.
Click to expand...
 
Perhaps not, so some kind of Ladybird larvae maybe? I have also uploaded it to a UK based wildlife forum in the hops somebody might recognize it.
 
I did think BER yes, but it seemed to happen so sudden and only on those pods ripening. 
 
The plant is kept in a grow house though it has suffered in its early life with poor shoot growth. I treated it with Calcium Nitrate & regular fertilizing, the plant responded with good healthy growth. It was the the only plant that was like this for some reason, perhaps it has a genetic issue that effects its calcium uptake?? 
 
Any how i gave it a dose of Calcium Nitrate last night :)
Tick said:
Lacewing larva - good guy!
Click to expand...
 
Could be yes :) I know i have lacewings about because they keep leaving shit on my leafs. :D
 
Laceweaver larvae it is then, Thanks guys. :-)

Going on the assumption that BER is not the cause, could thrips be possible culprits in soft spots?
 
Are the bad spots always forming on the outward portions of the pods?  I'm wondering if diseased leaves are transferring bacteria because it's odd to have a long thin rot like that unless there is/was a worm burrowing through it.
 
Dave2000 said:
Are the bad spots always forming on the outward portions of the pods?  I'm wondering if diseased leaves are transferring bacteria because it's odd to have a long thin rot like that unless there is/was a worm burrowing through it.
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The whole part will go soft, however the only visable markings are on the outside, this marking appears as a V, it seems only to effect pods that are ripening. This actual marking is just the unripe pod, it's the why? What is causing it to be soft and ripen slower then the rest of the pod.

I've had 4 pods now effected, that's out of 5 ripened. All where first wave setters, and located lower down the plant.

My first pod ripened about a week before the other 4 started, the first was fine.

One of the other 4 did have some markings on it.. looked like leaf spot, however the part that had the markings was not soft. The soft spot so far always forms on the upper half of the pods.

I have a picture of that other pod, I can upload it later if you like.

Could a mould/ fungus be involved?
I just dissected another effected pod... The green appears to extend about halfway through the pod tissue, the inside is stinky sticky and very oily (all good), so whatever it is it attacks from the outside inwards.
 
That it turns dark suggests to me that it is bacterial rot rather than unripeness making it darker.  Either calcium uptake was poor during pod formation and it just took a while to rot or something damaged the pod.
 
You noted that it doesn't happen till it ripens but with some species of peppers, rotting will speed up ripening to the point where it almost immediately ripens, beginning around the rotten area.
 
Dave2000 said:
That it turns dark suggests to me that it is bacterial rot rather than unripeness making it darker.  Either calcium uptake was poor during pod formation and it just took a while to rot or something damaged the pod.
 
You noted that it doesn't happen till it ripens but with some species of peppers, rotting will speed up ripening to the point where it almost immediately ripens, beginning around the rotten area.
Click to expand...
I think it could be either of those, some of my plants do have bacterial/ fungal issues. But also the plant in question was suffering from what I think was a calcium uptake issue in it's early days.. when it was producing the soft pods. Some of the larger later pods are now going dark green (a sign of maturing) and one even has a yellow appearing - I'm watching with fingers crossed.
 
This one was fine up until yesterday, then a pattern yet again appeared. 
 

 
I plucked this probably a day too early however the pod has yet to go soft like the others. 
 
This must be a frustrating problem but it is very interesting.  Have you inspected the insides of a pod?  Could you post up phones?  I wonder if some weird larve are getting in there, it seems likely they would leave an least some indication they were there, I would inspect the pods with a fine tooth comb.
 
Also is the 'V' appearing on the yellow fruit or is the rest of the pod turning from yellow to green excluding the v?  It the greener V area the only soft bit?
 
Robisburning said:
This must be a frustrating problem but it is very interesting.  Have you inspected the insides of a pod?  Could you post up phones?  I wonder if some weird larve are getting in there, it seems likely they would leave an least some indication they were there, I would inspect the pods with a fine tooth comb.
 
Also is the 'V' appearing on the yellow fruit or is the rest of the pod turning from yellow to green excluding the v?  It the greener V area the only soft bit?
Click to expand...
Very frustrating yes :-(

I mentioned early (see above) what I found when I dissected a pod. However I can add further to it though...
The green stuff looks like patchy algae

I left one on the plant and the soft spot eventually began to turn brown & rot, yet it sti didn't damage the inside of the pod.

I'm thinking that the green stuff was on the pods for a long time before it ripened, as the pods are green before ripening it would be near impossible to see.

Could it be that a change in the natural sugars within the pod during ripening allows pathogen to become active? The soft spot is the result of this?
 
Plucked my first 2 Barrackpore's this evening only to find one had a soft mushy spot not unlike the yellow 7's, no v pattern though. I sliced the other non mushy one open only to see its seed's had rotted. 
 
The barrackpores have been separated from the others since a very early age, neither plant has much issue with leaf spots either. I'm thinking calcium uptake could be an issue here with the barrackpores.
 
Mushy Pod
 

 
Rotted seed pod..
 

 
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