pepper

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT INNOVATION LAB pepper package

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he chili pepper, (Capsicum sp.), originated in Mesoamerica WHAT IS IPM? and is now widely cultivated throughout the tropics and sub tropics. Peppers grow well in warm climates and have Integrated pest management Ta relatively long growing season. China, Bangladesh, India, (IPM), an environmentally-sound Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Thailand are the world’s leading and economical approach to pest producers of pepper. In 2014, over 400,000 tons of pepper was control, was developed in response grown globally. In recent years, there has been an increase in to pesticide misuse in the 1960s. pepper production worldwide, possibly due to the high nutritional Pesticide misuse has led to pesticide value of pepper. Pepper contains significant amounts of vitamins resistance among prevailing pests, a A, C, and B, calcium and iron. Peppers belong to the Solanaceae resurgence of non-target pests, loss family, which includes eggplant, potato, tobacco, and tomato. of biodiversity, and environmental

Pepper production in the tropics is challenged by , diseases, and human health hazards. Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab (IPM IL) nematodes, mites and weeds, leading to heavy yield losses. This brochure details successful IPM Innovation Lab (IPM IL) approaches that have been tested by scientists, extension agents, and farmers to manage pepper pests. Pictures, descriptions of key WHAT ARE pests, and recommendations for management are provided. IPM PACKAGES?

The IPM Innovation Lab has developed and tested robust IPM IPM PACKAGES CROP HEALTH FOR packages, holistic suites of IPM recommendations and practices for the production of vegetables and other crops. Farmers who use IPM packages in planting and produc- tion see enhanced profitability in their crops. The recommended practices in IPM packages cover economically significant pest spe- cies over a wide range of cropping systems across the tropical world, with resulting benefits to human health and the environment.

This brochure was created and distributed by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Integrated Pest Management (IPM IL, formerly the IPM CRSP). It was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American people through USAID Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L-15-00001 pepper pests and diseases identification, descriptions, and images

University of Florida

Photos (Clockwise from left): • Bellpepper fruitworm • Chili thrips • Aphids on a pepper plant University of California - Davis • Spider mites (bottom) Bugguide.net Insects Broad mite Chili thrips Silver leaf Pepper gallfly (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) (Scirtothrips dorsalis) Thysanoptera: (Bemisia tabaci) : (Asphondylia capsici) Diptera: Acarina: Tarsonemidae | Worldwide Thripidae | Worldwide Aleyrodidae | Worldwide Cecidomyidae | Worldwide Larvae feed inside the fruits A serious pest of pepper, Thrips feeding leads to curling Responsible for heavy crop eggplant, tomato, etc. It affects and dropping of leaves, and losses worldwide, and young fruits become small tender leaves in the growing buds drop if fed upon. Feeding damage peppers by sucking and deformed. When older shoots. The affected shoots also scars the fruit. Thrips can and secreting sticky honeydew, fruits are attacked, the fruits become elongated, and the also damage peppers by trans- which grows black sooty mold. become twisted and deformed. leaves become curled and mitting viruses such as the Extensive feeding may result in distorted. Fruits are malformed Tomato spotted wilt virus. stunting, poor growth, defoli- Aphids and scarified. ation, and reduced yields. (Aphis gossypii) Hemiptera: Tomato fruit worm/Corn Aphididae | Worldwide Spider mites Spiraling whitefly (Tetranychus spp.) Acarina: earworm () Hemiptera: A cosmopolitan and polyph- Tetranychidae | Worldwide (Helicoverpa armigera) Lepidoptera: Aleyrodidae | Worldwide agous pest that feeds on Noctuidae | Worldwide various crop hosts like Feeding by large populations Spider mites are cosmopolitan cucurbits, peppers, eggplant, This major pest of food and can cause desiccation of and polyphagous pests that okra, cotton, and others. fiber crops has a wide host plants. Honeydew secreted by feed on various vegetable Aphids suck the sap from range, including pepper, whiteflies also promotes growth crops and cause yield loss. plants, which results in tomato, corn, eggplant, of sooty mold and thus affects They cause yellow specks on yellowing, curling, and defor- crucifers, melons, beans, and the normal growth of plants. leaves and produce webs on others. Most of the damage mation of leaves. Honeydew the leaf surface. They use web is caused by fruitworm larvae secretion leads to development strands to disperse from one feeding on flowers, buds, and of sooty mold. Aphids also act plant to another. fruits. as vectors for several important viruses on pepper including the Cucumber mosaic virus, Potato virus Y, and Pepper veinal mottle virus.

CABI Bugwood.org Diseases Photos • Tomato spotted wilt virus (left) • Powdery mildew

University of Florida www.gd.eppo.int mfarm.co.ke

Bacterial Cucumber Mosaic Virus Powdery Mildew Choanephora Blight (Leveillula taurica (Imperfect stage = (Choanephora cucurbitarum) A very common and devas- Oidiopsis taurica)) Bacterial Leaf Spot tating viral disease trans- Pepper plants are susceptible (Xanthomonas campestris pv. mitted by aphids. Symptoms This fungus usually occurs on from seedling to early flowering Vesicatoria) are variable and may range older leaves just before fruit stage, but extensive damage Water soaked lesions are from no symptoms to severe sets. A patchy white growth occurs in the rainy season. occurs on leaves, which later observed on the leaves, fruits, stunting, mottling, and necrosis Infected tissue turns brown Bugguide.net on covers the entire lower leaf and stem. These lesions of foliage. Fruits are distorted or black and infected young and may break down on distal surface. The upper surface gradually become necrotic and fruits drop off. Other symptoms end. of leaves may show yellowish brown in the center. These or brownish patches. Infected include wilting of leaves, and necrotic spots can coalesce Pepper Veinal Mottle Virus leaves roll upward and later stems that appear wet and and cause chlorosis. drop off. green, with bark that peels off Infected leaves show chlorotic and shreds easily. Bacterial Wilt vein banding, mottling, mosaic, Damping Off and Root Rot (Ralstonia solanacearum) and puckering. Plants may be (Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, Verticillium Wilt Fusarium spp.) This economically devastating stunted with a reduced and (Verticillium albo-atrum, V. dahlia) disease of tomato is often distorted fruit set. It is trans- It can occur before or after In the beginning, the leaves lethal to pepper and other mitted by aphids. plant emergence and can roll inwards with some crops like eggplant, potato, and damage seedlings after trans- foliar wilting. As the disease Potato Virus Y tobacco. Symptoms first appear planting. In pre-emergence progresses, yellowing of leaves, as flaccidity on young leaves It is common worldwide, damping off, seedlings fail to premature leaf fall, wilting and and, when conditions are especially under warm climatic emerge. While in post-emer- stunting of plants occur. Dark favorable, quickly develop into conditions. Symptoms appear gence, seedlings are stunted, brown discoloration is seen complete wilt. Other symptoms as vein clearing and progresses wilted, and topple over. in the vascular tissue that include brown discoloration of into a mosaic, dark green extends from the soil line to the vascular system, especially veinbanding of leaves. Stem Cercospora Leaf Spot lower branches of the plant. (Cercospora capsici) near the soil line, and adventi- necrosis and defoliation also tious roots on the lower stems. occurs in some cases. Infection Small, round to oblong lesions Root Knot Nematode Infected plants often die, at an early stage of plant devel- with grey centers occur on (Meloidogyne spp.) resulting in a severe reduction opment could lead to a 100% leaves, stalks, and leaf stems. Nematodes have a wide host in yield. yield loss. Infected leaves often drop off. range and are most severe in warm areas with long growing Viral Fungal Anthracnose seasons. Plants infected by (Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gleosporioides) root-knot nematodes are Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Gray Mold generally less vigorous and (Botrytis cinerea) This virus, transmitted by Primarily the fruits are affected. healthy. Symptoms of nutrient thrips, can affect pepper at The fungus can affect young Lesions are round and sunken. deficiency and diurnal wilting any stage of development. seedlings, flower petals, injured The center of lesion is covered are visible on leaves due to It causes stunting, rosette fruit, or senescing leaves. by pink colored sporulation. reduced efficiency of the root leaves, ringspots, mottling, Initially, the symptoms appear system. Presence of bead-like mosaic, bronzing, and necrosis as a dark, water-soaked, slimy Phytophthora rot galls on roots is a characteristic on infected plants. Fruits are (Phytophthora capsici) lesion. The affected areas of nematode presence. distorted with small black the turn brownish-gray and This is a very common fungal specks. powdery-looking as sporulation disease, which causes dead develops. Young seedlings may show damping off near the soil and wilted plants, especially in line. poorly drained soils. The crown region near the base is usually dark, sunken, and necrotic. Sometimes, vascular discolor- ation is observed. CABI pepper ipm techniques

Soil Preparation Crop Rotation Microbial Biological Control Light, well-drained, and well-prepared fertile Crop rotation with non-host crops also helps Agents soil results in healthy plants with minimal pest in reducing incidence of soil-borne diseases. Formulations of the fungi Verticillium, problems. Soil solarization and fertilization, Paecilomyces, Metarhizium, and Beauveria combined with compost inoculated with Grafting species and beneficial nematodes such as Trichoderma spp., neem cake, and vesicular Grafting is expensive but grafted plants Heterorhabditis sp. and Steinernema sp. arbuscular mycorrhiza (VaM) fungus, improve are very beneficial when there is a risk may be used for the control of whiteflies the nutrients available to the crop, priming of flooding or soil-borne diseases such and thrips. Using Bacillus thuringiensis is the plant’s own defenses and reducing the as bacterial wilt and Phytophthora blight. also effective against lepidopteran pests. incidence of nematodes and other plant AVRDC (The World Vegetable Center) recom- Microbial control agents have little or no mends PP0237-7502, 0242-62 and Lee B diseases. impact on parasitoids and predators of chili accessions for grafting. pests. For this reason, natural enemies will Seed Selection continue to serve as effective regulators of Fertilization a variety of pests. By using these biopesti- Select a high-yielding, locally preferred cides, one may reduce/eliminate the use of pepper variety that is resistant or moder- Neem cake or mustard oil cake alone, or synthetic pesticides. ately resistant to diseases such as bacterial in combination with compost inoculated wilt and Phytophthora blight. Grow trans- with Trichoderma spp., is effective against plants in covered seedbeds to prevent soil-borne diseases. Using neem and aphids, whiteflies, and transmission of viral mustard oil cake reduces the incidence of diseases. Discard diseased seedlings or nematodes. Additionally, they contribute to infected plants. the build-up of beneficial soil microbes that assist in nutrient absorption by the plants. Seed Treatment Mulching Treating seeds with the Trichoderma viride Mulching conserves moisture, harbors or T. harzianum fungi, Pseudomonas Prepared by Dr. Jaspreet Sidhu, natural enemies, and reduces pest, fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis bacteria IPM Innovation Lab protects seedlings from fungal, bacterial, mite, and disease incidence. Use reflective and nematode attacks, increases seedling mulches or straw mulch to reduce the aphid, vigor, and induces plant defense against whitefly, and thrip populations. FOR MORE INFORMATION pests.

Sticky Traps The Integrated Pest Management Seedling Nursery Setting up large, yellow sticky sheets in Innovation Lab (IPM IL, formerly the Good seedbed preparation is fundamental fields helps to reduce populations of pests IPM CRSP) develops sustainable and to the production of healthy plants. The use such as aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. Use of economical pest control methods of seedling trays reduces contamination. water troughs may be effective in reducing to improve livelihoods for farmers Irrigation should be monitored to prevent aphid populations. worldwide. Our eight projects in excess moisture, which increases the seven countries work with scientists, incidence of fungal diseases. Avoid planting Biological Control extension agents, students, and near cucurbits and cotton field if thrips, farmers in the tropical and subtropical whiteflies, and aphids are a problem in the Inundative release of ladybird beetles world. area. helps to reduce aphid populations. Use of neem-based biopesticides helps We are funded by USAID and housed at in managing aphids, whiteflies, and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Sanitation mites. Sprinkler irrigation reduces mite Before sowing, remove and destroy plant populations. Contact us: debris or infested plant material from the Office of International Research field to avoid fungal diseases. Remove Education and Development (OIRED) weeds, which may serve as a reservoir for Virginia Tech disease. 526 Prices Fork Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-3516 | [email protected] www.oired.vt.edu/IPMIL