Diseases

Alternaria Blight of Pepper

Capsicum annuum L.

A fungal disease of pepper caused by Alternaria solani, A. alternata, A. capsici-annui, and A. capsicicola species. It manifests as dark spots on leaves and sunken spots on fruits with an olive-colored velvety coating.

In the reference 11 varieties crop Bell pepper, where this is mentioned in the description.

The disease is caused by fungi of the genus Alternaria, with A. solani, A. alternata, A. capsici-annui, and A. capsicicola being the primary pathogens for this crop. Specific intraspecific race classification for Alternaria blight of pepper is not distinguished, as the disease is caused by species with broad specialization within the Solanaceae family.

Symptoms of infection appear as round or angular dark-brown spots on leaves, which may lead to their necrosis. On fruits, the infection is often localized near the pedicel or at sites of damage, forming sunken, watery spots. Under high humidity conditions, a characteristic olive or dark-green sporulating coating develops on the affected areas.

Breeding for resistance to the pathogen is complicated by the lack of identified specific resistance genes. Commercial resistance in varieties and hybrids is usually characterized as field tolerance based on morphological traits of the plant and cuticle density, which contribute to reducing the risk of infection.

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

Sources8

Varieties of Bell pepper 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.