Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Bele (Abelmoschus) leaf blotch (322)

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Photo 1. Spots, round to irregular with wide dark margins, on the upper surface of bele caused by leaf mould, Pseudocercospora abelmoschi.

Photo 2. Under surface of bele leaf covered by sporulating infections of leaf mould, Pseudocercospora abelmoschi.

Photo 3. Upper surface of okra leaf showing dark patches of Pseudocercospora abelmoschi.

Photo 4. Leaf mould, Pseudocercospora abelmoschi. Patches joining together and forming spores on the underside of an okra leaf.

Photo 3. Close-up of the sclerotia of charcoal rot, Macrophomina phaselina

Summary

• Worldwide distribution. A minor disease of bele on older leaves, but important on okra.
• Leaf spots, circular to irregular, often limited by the veins, brown with blackish brown margins on the upper leaf surface and pale brown mould below. Sometimes, olive-brown to blackish-brown, indistinct angular leaf blotches occur instead of spots. Severely affected leaves turn yellow, roll, wilt, and fall.
• Spread is by spores blown by wind. Survival is in crop debris.
• Cultural control: avoid planting new crops next to infected; remove older infected leaves, and burn them; when harvesting young leaves (bele) or fruit (okra);collect and destroy debris after final harvest; crop rotation.
• Chemical control: use chlorothalonil, copper or mancozeb.

Common Name

Leaf mould, leaf blotch

Scientific Name

Pseudocercospora abelmoschi; previously Cercospora abelmoschi, Oidium abelmoschi.

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