Diseases of sweet pepper seedlings and the fight against them: photos of leaves, treatment

Pepper seedlings, like seedlings of other vegetables, can be subject to diseases of various natures and attacks by pests, both at an early stage - immediately after seed germination, and with the appearance of the first young shoots. To identify and effectively eliminate diseases of pepper seedlings, the gardener must have information regarding the types of diseases and the most effective ways to combat them. After reviewing the photographs depicting different stages of the disease, the gardener will be able to identify the disease in the initial stage and save his seedlings from global damage.

Classification of diseases

Diseases of pepper seedlings are classified depending on the source of the disease:

Infectious	Non-infectious
Fungus	Untimely watering
Bacterium	Temperature violation
Virus	Excess or lack of fertilizers
Physical damage to the stem

Non-infectious diseases of sweet pepper seedlings are not transmitted to neighboring plants and are easily eliminated by returning to the agrotechnical requirements for growing seedlings. Infectious diseases spread quite quickly and can completely destroy a plant without taking appropriate measures.

Non-infectious

Among non-infectious diseases, the most common are pimples on pepper seedlings, the appearance of which can be caused by:

Increased soil moisture and lack of sunlight cause swelling of the leaves. To correct the situation, it is enough to change the growing conditions and all symptoms disappear on their own.

Pimples

Spider mite damage: first, single pimples appear, which quickly spread to the entire leaf cover, after which cobwebs form that can completely destroy the plant.

If pimples from spider mites appear on pepper seedlings, you can:

treat the leaves on both sides with specially developed chemicals (Akarin, Fitoverm, etc.);
Water the seedlings well and wrap them in plastic for 3 days, after which the mite will die.

Spider mite

Common reasons

Pepper leaves turn white when infected with bacterial and fungal microflora, after an attack by insects and parasites, as well as when agricultural cultivation techniques are not followed. Examination of the young plant will help determine the exact cause of this change.

In fact, it makes no sense to remove modified seedlings. It can be placed in a separate box and appropriate treatment can be carried out. In some varieties of pepper seedlings, leaf blades may change due to insufficient nutrients. Vegetable crops react negatively to root feeding at the beginning of the growing season. Such manipulations are recommended to be carried out at the stage of sowing seeds.

For normal existence, young plants will need an average of 13 to 18 hours of intense lighting. Not all regions can boast of long daylight hours.

Young seedlings may be attacked by pathogenic microflora, which leads to pathological changes. The following diseases pose a particular danger to young peppers:

Wilting associated with Fusarium type;
Late blight;
Chlorosis.

Bacterial diseases

Bacterial infections can affect the stems and leaves of pepper at any time from the emergence of seedlings to the ripening of the crop, provided that the humidity rises above 80% against the background of a decrease in air temperature.

The main signs of a bacterial infection on pepper seedlings are:

the formation of spots of different shades on the lower leaves;
changing the color of the underside of the leaves from green to purple.

Black bacterial spot

The formation of small black spots on the leaves and stems of pepper seedlings indicates infection with black bacterial spot. At the next stage, the black spots become single, after which the pepper dies. A favorable environment for the development of the disease is created by high humidity, both soil and air.

Black bacterial spot

To prevent damage to seedlings, it is necessary to take measures even before sowing by treating the seeds (disinfection). If the disease manifests itself immediately after germination, the affected stems are removed and the soil underneath is disinfected.

To avoid contamination of the soil on which it is planned to grow sweet peppers, it is necessary to carry out disinfection work systematically (at least once a year).

Fulminant bacterial wilt

If pathogenic bacteria enter the plant’s vascular system, toxic products are released and the access of nutrients to different parts of the seedling is blocked. If you cut the stem, a white liquid will begin to appear from it.

Lightning Wither

Effective means of preventing the disease are:

treatment of planting material with garlic solution (recipe given above);
soil disinfection;
spraying seedlings with preparations containing copper;
timely elimination of disease-affected stems.

Soft bacterial rot

The disease can quickly attack pepper seedlings and affect the entire plant, destabilizing the functioning of the vascular system. In the event of a lack of nutrients, the following processes occur:

leaves begin to wither and die;
the color of the stem changes;
the stem becomes empty inside.

Soft bacterial rot

In a humid climate against the backdrop of high air temperatures, the processes of destruction of the plant structure are accelerated several times.

Preventative work to prevent soft bacterial rot should include:

processing of planting material and soil disinfection;
regular ventilation of the room;
watering plants in moderation;
timely removal of the remains of dead plants - a potential breeding ground
pathogenic microorganisms.

Bacterial cancer

The development of the disease can be triggered by excess temperature conditions against the background of high air humidity and excessive density of seedlings. Under such conditions, the bacterium, which can enter the seedlings through gardening tools or be introduced by insects, multiplies very actively and manifests itself with the following symptoms:

the appearance of brown spots with a light center;
merging of small spots into a single whole and covering with a crust.

Bacterial cancer

After detecting the first symptoms of bacterial pepper cancer, you must:

treat the seedlings with copper sulfate, oxychloride or any other preparation that contains copper;
eliminate all plants, regardless of the degree of their damage;
After detecting a disease on plants, treat the soil with methyl bromide 2 times a year.

Pests of pepper seedlings

The main pests of pepper seedlings include:

aphids;
wireworm;
whitefly;
mole cricket;
slugs;
spider mite;
thrips.

Many drugs are toxic; when processing, follow the instructions for use and use personal protective equipment. These pest control products cannot be used for a long time, as they change the internal structure of fruit plants.

Aphids

The most common pests are aphids. These tiny insects feed on the entire plant, damaging leaves, stems, buds and ovaries. A distinctive feature is high fertility - more than twenty generations of aphids appear and fully develop per year. Insects are most active in hot and humid summers.

Methods for killing aphids:

For preventive purposes, you can plant aromatic plants next to young pepper seedlings. Aphids will be repelled by: marigolds, lavender, onions, garlic, parsley, mint, mustard and basil.
Soap solution. Dilute crushed soap in water (5 - 10 g of soap per 1 liter of water) and thoroughly spray the seedlings. If there are not many plants, it is better to manually wipe the affected leaves and stems. Carry out the procedure for 3-4 days in a row.
If the seedlings are located outside the living space, treatment with an insecticidal preparation (Karbofos, Tanrek, Keltan) will be effective. Dissolve the drug in water (1 tbsp per 10 l) and treat the plant with the solution.
The use of ladybugs is effective. These predators are released into greenhouses, where they quickly reduce the number of aphids.

It is unacceptable to use chemicals to kill aphids during the flowering and fruiting period of peppers.

Wireworm

These larvae of click beetles, covered with a hard chitinous covering, damage the roots and climb inside the stems, causing the seedlings to dry out. Wireworms are able to cause mischief in greenhouses and garden beds for three to four years.

Ways to control insects:

Autumn digging of the earth shortly before frost. The wireworm, once on the surface, dies from the cold. This method gives good results, but when digging the soil, carefully select wheatgrass roots, even very small ones. So, you will deprive the wireworm of food.
You can sow mustard near the pepper, which repels the pest.
Before planting seedlings, treat the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate: 5 g per 10 liters of water.
When planting, gardeners pour mustard powder and ground hot pepper into the holes. The mixture will not cause any harm to the plants; the wireworm will not get close to the roots of the pepper seedlings.
Adding ash and lime will make life difficult for the wireworm, as it loves acidic soils.
Soil treatment with the following preparations is effective against insects: “Bazudin”, “Prestige”, “Provotox”, “Metarizin”.

Whitefly

An adult whitefly is a light yellow insect, up to 5 mm in length. The pest has 4 snow-white wings. The whitefly is considered a hidden insect because it spends a lot of time on the inside of leaves. During the feeding process, the whitefly secretes sticky enzymes, which provide a favorable environment for the development of fungus. The surface of the leaves of pepper seedlings turns first white and then black. These are signs of fungal infection of seedlings.

Pest control methods:

For whiteflies, you can hang ready-made sticky fly strips or make your own traps. Mechanical control methods are good at the initial stage, when the whitefly has just taken a fancy to the seedlings.
You should also disinfect the greenhouse with lit sulfur bombs for 6-8 hours. After this procedure, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil, because this is where the larvae are located. If the whiteflies are large and clearly visible, then you need to remove them manually.
For severe lesions, it is recommended to use a chemical solution of confidor (0.1 ml per 1 liter of water - once a season), mospilan (0.05-0.06 g per 1 liter of water - once a season) or fufanon (1.2-1 .5 ml per 1 liter of water - once a season). Phosbecid is considered the most effective against whiteflies. The beds are treated with a solution of the drug (10%) twice a season.

Medvedka

This is a malicious pest of any vegetable seedlings, not disdaining onions, potatoes and root vegetables, very active from the beginning of spring until late autumn. Adults are highly fertile.

An insect nest can contain up to 600 eggs. The emerging larvae, along with their parents, make horizontal tunnels in the soil in search of food. Plant rhizomes and plant residues preserved in the soil from last year are used as food. Moving through underground passages, the insect gnaws the roots and causes the pepper seedlings to wither.

Methods for exterminating insects:

Digging the ground in spring and late autumn leads to the destruction of passages and egg-laying.
Next to the pepper seedlings you can plant marigolds, garlic, and onions. Or add crushed plant parts, onion peels or egg shells when planting in the holes. The pungent smell scares away the mole cricket.
The dug-out passages of the mole cricket should be treated with a soap solution. For 1 sq. m consumption should be up to 8 liters so that water gets into the ground as deep as possible.
Use of chemical means to protect pepper seedlings. Preparations in the form of poisoned granules that the mole cricket eats: “Medvetox”, “Medvegon”, “Grizzly”, “Bankol”. Place the granules near holes in the soil and cover them with soil to prevent them from being pecked by birds or eaten by pets.
Treatment with biological preparations. When mole crickets enter the body, they destroy it and the insect dies. Other insects and plants are not endangered, "Nemabakt", "Boverin".

Slugs

This pest looks like a snail without its shell. The elongated body is covered with sticky mucus, and the head has short, fleshy antennae. The insect has no limbs. It moves around the plant on its abdomen, sticking to the foliage with the help of mucus. Slugs are especially active at night. They live in the soil at a depth not exceeding eight centimeters. The most favorable conditions for the life and reproduction of slugs are warmth and moisture. Getting out at night to look at the seedlings, the pests eat the leaves, and later the young ovary.

Fighting methods:

To fight slugs, use a solution of lime or lime and tobacco. They generously water the ditches around the pepper beds.
When loosening, ground hot pepper and mustard powder are poured into the ground. It is also important to regularly ventilate the greenhouse and prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged.
If the problem has become widespread, then move on to serious means of pest control. The most effective chemicals are “Ulitsid”, “Groza”, “Meta”, “Metaldehyde”.

Spider mite

The spider mite has an oval body with 4 pairs of limbs. Unlike other insects, mites of this type do not have wings or antennae, but they have strong jaws with which they pierce succulent leaves and suck out nutritious juices from there.

Mites settle on the underside of plant leaves. They multiply quickly and move higher, affecting the entire bush. During their life, mites envelop parts of the plant with a thin web. It prevents sunlight and oxygen from reaching the leaves. Thus, photosynthesis slows down and seedlings cannot grow and develop normally. If measures are not taken in time, the testis may die.

The main manifestations of the life activity of a spider mite:

uneven color, yellowing of leaves, appearance of areas without color;
thin cobweb on stems, petals;
slowdown in development and growth of seedlings.

Ways to combat spider mites:

Promptly remove old plants and growing weeds, as overwintering mites remain on them.
Digging up the soil in the fall, along with this, you can carry out protective measures in the form of fumigating the soil with sulfur or spraying with lime mortar.
Alternate seedlings - plant cucumbers next to tomatoes or cabbage; planting cereal crops along deciduous beds also helps.
Periodically inspect the seedlings for mites and remove damaged leaves mechanically. They must be burned or buried deep into the ground.
In case of significant spread of ticks, it is necessary to use biological insecticides, for example, Fitoverm, Bitoxibacillin, as well as colloidal sulfur.
If biological methods do not produce results, complex acaricides should be used: “Aktellik”, “Apollo”, “Antiklesch”, “Neoron”, “Fufanon”.

Thrips

Thrips are another dangerous pest of seedlings. These are small insects with an elongated body and wings that suck sap from young plants. The abdomen of thrips has a characteristic striped color. Yellow or colorless spots, stripes or streaks appear on the surface of leaves where thrips have been. The leaves fall and the seedlings are left with bare shoots.

Insects are very resistant to all means of control. Spraying pepper seedlings with soapy water will have a temporary effect.

To destroy a large colony of pests, at least two applications per season are often required.

Seedlings can be treated with the following preparations:

Karbofos;
Karate;
Fitoverm;
Actellicom;
Intavir;
Confidor;
Agravertine;
Aktellik and others.

Viral diseases

Most often, the carriers of viral diseases that affect pepper seedlings are insects (aphids, ants, mites, etc.). The most common symptoms of viral infection are:

stopping the growth of pepper;
deformation of the stem or leaves;
the appearance of spots of light and dark shades against a background of pronounced green lines (the pattern resembles a mosaic);
wilting of leaves at the top of the stem and change in their shape.

Affected stems must be destroyed, since it is impossible to get rid of the disease in any other way.

Tobacco mosaic

The virus attacks peppers, causing overheating of the transpiration system, and appears in the form of a mosaic pattern of all shades of green and yellow. The main symptoms of tobacco mosaic are:

necrosis of spots (through holes appear);
leaf deformation;
change of leaf color from green to black with their gradual falling off.

If you start taking measures as soon as the first symptoms appear, you can really stop the disease without losing a significant part of the seedlings.

Tobacco mosaic

In practice, the following means of preventing tobacco mosaic have been proven to be highly effective:

treatment of seedlings with a solution of boric acid (should be carried out 6-7 days before planting);
treatment of gatherings with a milk solution (1 liter of water and 100 ml of milk) at intervals of 1-2 times for 7 days;
timely destruction of insects that may be carriers of the disease.

Cucumber mosaic

The presence of cucumber mosaic on pepper seedlings is signaled by:

dwarfism;
deformation and asymmetry of the upper leaves;
yellow-copper spotting of lower leaves;
the appearance of necrotic dots and dark green and black stripes on the stems.

Cucumber mosaic

To avoid plant damage, it is recommended:

early planting of seedlings in the field;
treatment with systemic insecticides to get rid of insects that carry the virus;
spraying seedlings with a milk solution.

Stolbur (phytoplasmosis)

Mycoplasma microorganisms, which are spread by pests, can provoke damage to pepper seedlings by phytoplasmosis or stolbur. The main signs of this bacterial disease are:

plant growth stops;
the leaves of pepper seedlings curl;
after some time, the leaves lose their natural color, turn pale, turn yellow and fall off;
When an adult plant is damaged, the fruits become deformed.

Phytoplasmosis (stolbur)

To prevent the spread of stolbur to other pepper seedlings, diseased plants must be pulled out and burned, otherwise you should not be surprised why pepper seedlings wither. Effective preventative measures can include:

use of more resistant pepper varieties;
periodic loosening of the soil;
treatment of plants with antiparasitic agents;
regular soil disinfection.

No manufacturer of seeds or plant treatment preparations can guarantee 100% effectiveness in protecting a plant from bacterial attack, since relevant studies have not yet yielded positive results.

Streak

On pepper seedlings, streaking appears in the form of brown stripes appearing on the leaves. Affected seedlings become fragile, the leaves become brittle, and then wither and dry out.

Streak

Immediately after detecting the first signs of the disease, you must:

remove all diseased plants;
treat the soil with potassium permanganate solution;
Treat healthy seedlings with a 15% sodium salt solution (100 g per 1 liter of water).

White spots on pepper and eggplant leaves

Whitish-gray spots on the leaves usually indicate the presence of a fungal disease, virus, or pest attack.

Gray rot

With the development of gray rot, light gray spots can be seen on the leaves, stems and fruits of peppers and eggplants.

Typically, gray mold affects beds of peppers and eggplants when grown in a greenhouse, when the air temperature drops and humidity is high.

If the spread of the disease is not stopped in time, the plant will stop growing and die.

Control measures

If the lesion is small, you can sprinkle the sores with a mixture of copper sulfate and lime (1:2). In addition, spraying with garlic infusion helps (infuse 30 g of chopped garlic in 10 liters of water for two days).

You can also spray with Bordeaux mixture (100 g per 10 liters of water) or use a biofungicide (for example, Gamair or Orgamika).

Prevention

To minimize treatment costs and plant losses, it is best to follow the basic rules of agricultural technology and prevent the occurrence of the disease:

buy and use high-quality hybrid varieties of seeds that are resistant to fungal and viral diseases from trusted producers;
before planting, it is mandatory to treat the seeds with preparations that increase the resistance of inputs to diseases (Immunocytophyte, etc.) and fungicides (Vitaros, Maxim, etc.) according to the manufacturers’ instructions;
introduce biological products into the soil that suppress potential pathogens (for example, Trichodermin);
pick up seedlings in a timely manner;
regularly ventilate the room;
observe the frequency and density of watering;
remove affected seedlings and replant healthy ones when signs of a disease that cannot be treated appear.

Before treating diseases of pepper seedlings, it is necessary to study in detail the stem, leaves and root system of the seedling in order to quickly identify the source of the disease and take appropriate measures, be it treatment with a biological product or complete destruction of the plants (in case of aggressive bacterial infection).