pepper INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT INNOVATION LAB pepper package forknplate.com 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 insects, diseases, and human health hazards. Lab (IPM IL) Management Innovation Pest Integrated 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 FOR HEALTH CROP IPM PACKAGES 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 whitefly Pepper gallfly (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) (Scirtothrips dorsalis) Thysanoptera: (Bemisia tabaci) Hemiptera: (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, whiteflies 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 (Aleurodicus dispersus) 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,