Diseases

Alternaria Leaf Spot — Cauliflower

Brassica oleracea L. (Cauliflower Group)

A fungal disease caused by pathogens of the genus Alternaria, affecting all organs of the cauliflower plant. The primary damage involves the formation of necrotic spots on the leaves and the deterioration of the marketability of the curds.

In the reference 6 varieties crop Cauliflower, where this is mentioned in the description.

The disease is caused by the fungi Alternaria brassicicola, Alternaria brassicae, and less frequently Alternaria raphani. At the seedling stage, black necrotic lesions form on the cotyledons and hypocotyls, leading to plant death. In mature plants, leaf infection manifests as circular spots with concentric zoning, dark brown or black coloration, and a yellow halo, with the affected tissue frequently dropping out.

The greatest economic damage occurs when the curds are affected, developing brown or black spots, which is classified as brown rot and renders the produce unsuitable for sale. In cauliflower breeding, there are no specific resistance genes; therefore, efforts are focused on developing tolerant hybrids, as completely resistant varieties do not exist. The classification of pathogens into clearly defined intraspecific races is currently not standardized for practical breeding.

General information about the subject — on the page Alternaria blight.

Sources8

Varieties of Cauliflower mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.