need disease ID in sandia/Hatch green chile plants

16 years ago

Hi everyone,

I've been all over the web trying to diagnose what appears to be some sort of disease affecting two of my sandia green chile plants but have not been able to find any photos that look like what is happening to my plants.

The symptoms first appeared on one branch of a second year plant that I transplanted to a pot over the winter and transplanted back to the ground this spring. Leaves on this branch are pale green, small, and somewhat wrinkly. This branch also appears to have a whitish substance on the stem in a several places (a fungus perhaps?).

These symptoms have not spread beyond this branch and the rest of the plant is normal and healthy. But recently, a first year plant (same type bought from the same grower as last year's plant) adjacent to this plant is showing the same symptoms on the leaves but the stem does not have this white substance anywhere on it.

here are the photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29204279@N02/sets/72157621239495540/

I don't use any pesticides or herbicides and there are no other indications in my garden of herbicide overspray anywhere. this area is well drained and gets good light. the only fertilizer I use is compost that is probably 80% maple leaves in origin. I'm not seeing signs of water stress (either too much or too little) in any other plants in this area.

Should I remove the symptomatic stem and the affected plant or is this something I can treat?

thanks so much!

Shawn

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Comments (8)

catherine_nm
16 years ago
You may be seeing curly top, but I'm not sure. The only picture I found is of a younger plant, and it is very stunted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Curly Top Virus
juicyj
16 years ago
i had a similar...but not exactly the same problem

i hit it with some fungicide and within about a week it started looking alot better
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reefisher
16 years ago
My peppers most every year take on a similiar appearance. In order from the most affected to least: bell, anaheim(similiar to the hatch), cubanelle, sweet banana, and jalepeno. It is never bad enough to prevent a crop except on the bells. I have always assumed it was nematode infestation, because of the root galls that I discover when I pull them out. Because of this I never intentionally leave the peppers in the ground past january, rotate the crop and let the soil fallow after growing peppers and eggplant. When I used to let the anaheims and jalapenos go for another year it got even worse.

It is showing already.

Jim/San Diego
User
Original Author
16 years ago
thanks for the feedback. I didn't see any root galls when I transplanted the second year plant and I can't find any photos of curly top virus that look like what is going on here. but that brings me to a larger question. If a plant is infected by a virus, will the entire plant show symptoms or can it affect just one stem? Its for that reason I'm going with some sort of fungus/mildew on the the stem for now (although that doesn't quite seem to fit what is happening to the second plant).

I applied Neem Oil (since that is what I have) to see what that does. If in a week or so I don't see any difference I may try a stronger fungicide or just pull the plant. I don't think I'll have any shortage of peppers this year.
juicyj
16 years ago
if it is a fungus or disease i believe that it is possible to just effect one branch because thats kind of what happened with mine
jean001
16 years ago
Perhaps it's drift from weed killer.

The downward cupping of the leaves, also the distortion suggest either 2,4-D or dicamba. Both are used against broad leaf plants, either on their own or in combination. Common combo are weed-and-feed products.

If the plants grow out of the damage you'll know it was weed killer drift.

If it continues to get worse, and never improves, it was a virus. But that I doubt.
User
Original Author
16 years ago
Well, its been a few weeks and the plants haven't gotten any better, or any worse. they even put out some fruit but they are growing slowly and are stunted. the Neem oil didn't seem to do anything so I pulled the bad plant and chopped off the bad branch of the other one.

everything seems fine otherwise, except for what might be bacterial spot or a similar disease that is affecting nearly all of my peppers to varying degrees. My peppers are in many locations around the yard that are isolated from each other so I figure this is largely due to the cooler and wetter than normal summer we're having. I suspect there isn't much that can be done. I'm still getting plenty of peppers, though.

now, if someone could give me some hints on dealing with sunflower head-clipping weevils. those things are driving me nuts!
admin_berridgefarms_com
15 years ago
Hi, my name is Preston Mitchell and I'm an employee of Berridge Farms located in Hatch, NM. (Green Chile is our primary crop)

This plant has either been exposed to some form of mild herbicide or has contracted phitophora or curly top. These two diseases both affect young plants especially if they have been overwatered. Best thing to do is reduce the amount of water you're giving them for a couple of weeks and/or get rid of the individual plant that has been affected.

Good Luck!
Preston

Here is a link that might be useful: Hatch Chile