Tiny black spots on leaves aren’t that big a deal if you’re talking about something like kale. But for your pepper plants, they might as well be signs that death is near.
One of the easiest ways to grow your pepper plants without too much effort is to let them live and breathe in the sunlight. When pepper plants are under stress, their leaves have a tendency to become very pale and dry and black spots on pepper leaves, which is a condition called black spot. This is a natural phenomenon of the plant. Black spots do not harm the plant, but they do affect the taste of the fruit.
The problem that pepper plants face is that they have lots of leaves. These leaves shade the plants and prevent light from reaching the fruit, which means it doesn’t grow properly. Pepper growers know that they can easily remove the old leaves, but there’s a problem: the new leaves have a tendency to get covered up, and in the process, they often lose their natural color.
Here are some reasons why peeper leaves black spot and what you can do to fix the problem.
Reasons Behind Tiny Black Spots On Pepper Leaves
The spots on pepper leaves are not holes caused by a virus. They are tiny black spots caused by an insect called the melon fly. The insect feeds on the juice of the pepper fruit and is attracted to its sweet flavor. To survive, the insect needs to eat a lot. Unfortunately, this feeding also causes the pepper leaves to darken. The insect doesn’t need to eat very often. It simply sits on the leaves and waits for them to wither and die. Here are the other common reasons behind the pepper leaves black spot and some tips to solve it:
- Black Sooty Mold
“Black Sooty Mold” on pepper leaves are caused by two different molds, Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora capsici, and are usually found together on the leaves and stems of pepper plants. B. cinerea tends to affect peppers in the hot weather while P. capsici prefers to grow during cooler weather. These molds appear on all parts of the plant but especially on the stems and leaves.
Black Sooty Mold is usually found on pepper leaves and fruits, but can also cause leaf spots and blights on peppers. The best way to control this fungus is to remove all leaves and fruit from the plant and treat the plant with Bordeaux Mixture, a sulfur-based fungicide.
- Fusarium
Fusarium, a fungus that causes Fusarium wilt, a disease that attacks pepper plants, is one of the major diseases of pepper. Since peppers are usually eaten raw or minimally processed, the disease can cause serious damage to crops. Fusarium can kill up to 90% of pepper plants. Fusarium is a common disease affecting peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, eggplant, tobacco, and a wide variety of other crops. Fusarium infections can also affect many types of soil including soil and water. It makes black spots on pepper leaves
- Bacterial Leaf Spot
Bacterial Leaf Spot (BLS) is one such disease. It infects both bell peppers and chiles. In fact, the only way to tell whether a pepper has been infected is by examining the leaves. Unfortunately, many growers are not looking for this disease or its symptoms because they don’t understand the importance of knowing what they are seeing.
- Tobacco Mosaic Virus
The Tobacco mosaic virus causes severe diseases in tobacco, peppers, and tomatoes. Researchers have found that the virus survives in water and soil and is capable of infecting new plant species, such as kiwifruit and cucumber. Tomato greenhouses, which were planted with transgenic tobacco plants, were infected. This is the first report of infection of non-tobacco crops by a virus engineered for use in tobacco. It makes black spots on pepper leaves.
The mosaic virus, which causes mosaic disease, is a plant pathogen of many crops. Symptoms include chlorotic mottling, spots of necrotic tissue, distortion of plant growth, and leaf drop. The virus can cause leaf yellowing, stem galls, and premature fruit abscission. Transmission is usually through wind-dispersed seed but can also be spread through infected vegetative material.
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How to get rid Black Spots And Manage Leaves
There are two methods that will help you remove black spots and manage your leaves. The first is to mix an equal amount of white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the area and allow it to sit for a minute. Then rinse off the mixture with water. The second method is to rub the area with a lemon slice. Allow the area to sit for about five minutes and then wash off.
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Conclusion
To remove black spots on leaves you can use baking soda mixed with vinegar or lemon juice. Mix the two ingredients and apply it on the spots. Then let the mixture dry for a while and it will get rid of the black spots completely. Another method of removing the spots is to make a paste of baking soda with water and apply it on the spot. Let it dry and then wash off with a sponge.
The best way to control black spot on leaves is by spraying a strong solution of Bordeaux mixture (an acid) on the affected area. The acid helps dissolve the fungus, and it can be reapplied as often as necessary. Do not use other fungicides to control the disease of pepper leaves black spot, as they may damage the plant.