Diseases

Cercospora Leaf Spot of Swiss Chard

Beta vulgaris Leaf Beet Group

A fungal disease of Swiss chard leaves caused by the pathogen Cercospora beticola, manifesting as leaf spots with a characteristic border, leading to necrosis of the leaf blade.

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

The causal agent of the disease is the hemibiotrophic fungus Cercospora beticola Sacc. On Swiss chard leaves, symptoms appear as numerous spots with a gray or light-brown center, surrounded by a distinct reddish-brown or purple border. In the center of older spots, pseudostromata develop, upon which the fungus's conidia are formed.

Under severe infection, spots coalesce, causing wilting and death of the leaves. Currently, there are no Swiss chard varieties with immunity to this disease, and specific resistance genes or intraspecific races of the pathogen applicable directly to this crop have not been described in breeding literature.

General information about the subject — on the page Cercospora leaf spot.

Sources8

Varieties of Swiss chard 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.