Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Celery early blight (136)

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Photo 1. Irregular-shaped spots, brown with grey centres, occur on the leaves, and in wet weather develop into a blight.

Photo 2. Irregular-shaped spots, brown with grey centres, some enlarging and joining together.

Photo 3. The spots of Cercospora apii occur on all the leaves and do considerable damage.

Photo 4. The individual spots of Cercospora apii have joined together to form a blight which is destroying the leaves.

Summary

• Widespread distribution. North and South America, Asia, Oceania. A damaging fungal disease.
• First, on older, outer, leaves - yellow spots with grey centres, up to 12mm diam., developing into a blight. Later, on the stalks.
• Spread by rain splash, on wind and on seed. Survival in crop debris and seed.
• Cultural control: seed treatment: hot water (48°C for 30 min), but only treat seed <3 years’ old; in nursery, use pasteurised or soilless mixes; use wide spacing and raised beds to improve air circulation in field; use drip not overhead irrigation; plough in remains at harvest, or collect and burn.
• Chemical control: seed - thiram; field – chlorothalonil, mancozeb, copper; or those in strobilurin, DMI (demethylation inhibitor) groups of fungicides, alternating with the first any of the first three.

Common Name

Celery early blight

Scientific Name

Cercospora apii

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