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Need Help with Pepper disease outbreak in CNMI

SlaveofJESUS

SlaveofJESUS

Hello folks,

We have a problem that has been brought to my attention on all of the Islands in this chain. They say that this year is the first for this to happen all of the local grown peppers are getting sick after the first harvest. After the first harvest the leaves seem to wither and turn to a yellow and black fungus and the same is for the peppers as shown in the photo below. The farmers are scared to death that this may last into the future. The rain was heavy this year and the humidity was also very high above 91% + this summer. The Island is Rota next door to Guam and the same disease is reported in Tinane and Siapan. Any help would be appreciated so I can pass a word to them from this knowledgeable form.

I found this on NMSU site and seems to match symptoms http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-106.html


Slave
Pepper1.jpg

Pepper2.jpg

Pepper3.jpg
 
I think you've got a myriad of things going on with your plants. The pods look like they have severe blossom end rot (BER). Not sure what your soil is like but you may want to consider having it tested, particularly your Calcium levels and pH. I would suggest treating with Cal-Mag to help with the Ca deficiency, epsom salt for the potential Magnesium deficiency and maybe even some fish emulsion or other mild fertilizer to give those guys some more nutrients.

***NORMAL DISCLAIMER: I'm not a horticultural expert and am basing my suggestions on my own experience and personal observations.
 
If it's effecting the plants on all of the islands in the chain I doubt very much if it's a calcium issue.

If it's that big maybe the pepper growers should get in touch with someone from a state run agricultural organization.

Best of luck to you and the rest of the growers.
 
The Florida Department of Agriculture may be of some help to you, Fl climate is tropical 6 months out of the year, especially the lower peninsula.

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/pathology/pathcirc/pp129rev.pdf

http://search.freshfromflorida.com/search?site=default_collection&client=default_frontend&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&proxycustom=%3CHOME/%3E

Good Luck
 
Prehensile said:
The Florida Department of Agriculture may be of some help to you, Fl climate is tropical 6 months out of the year, especially the lower peninsula.

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/pathology/pathcirc/pp129rev.pdf

http://search.freshfromflorida.com/search?site=default_collection&client=default_frontend&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&proxycustom=%3CHOME/%3E

Good Luck
Click to expand...


Thanks for info, it looks like that's what killing the field here. One farmer lost 7,000 plants in one week and the people are ready to roll over. For one we need some to type of forum to express our concerns and to communicate with one another.
 
If it is in fact BLS, I've had good results with both Daconil and copper spray. The way either one works is basically the same: The chemical does not so much kill the bacteria as it slows down its spreading, giving the plants time to grow new, healthy leaves. I like to use the fungicide in conjunction with a program of high nitrogen fertilizer, which seems to greatly increase the plants' resistance to the disease. In a large garden with widespread BLS, however, be prepared to spend a lot of time and money before the disease goes into "remission." (It's never really eradicated.)

Earlier this season I sprayed around $30 worth of copper spray every 4 days for around 6 weeks. Probably if you are doing commercial farming you would have access to larger quantities at cheaper bulk prices.
 
That is not fun, and the time spent fighting the disease takes away from time spent weeding, cultivating, etc.

The best way around BLS is a program of prevention. Give them as much nitrogen as they can stand from the time the first true leaves show, and on through the season. I know popular wisdom says that is wrong, but those growers have never lost an entire garden to BLS...
 
windchicken said:
That is not fun, and the time spent fighting the disease takes away from time spent weeding, cultivating, etc.

The best way around BLS is a program of prevention. Give them as much nitrogen as they can stand from the time the first true leaves show, and on through the season. I know popular wisdom says that is wrong, but those growers have never lost an entire garden to BLS...
Click to expand...


Thanks for insight and we are working on developing a council to educate farmers here.
 
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