- Worldwide distribution. On papaya. Usually, a minor disease.
- Spots, round to irregular, 3-6 mm on older leaves, pale brown above with yellow margin; dark below as spores form. Dark spots on fruit, slightly sunken.
- Heavy spotting causes leaves and young fruit to fall, reducing yields and sales of fruits.
- Cultural control: remove infected leaves, and burn.
- Chemical control: use (i) copper, chlorothalonil or mancozeb (protectants), or (ii) tubuconazole (systemic), ensuring coverage of underside of the leaves. Alternate the two types of fungicides.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Papaya black spot (158)
Black spot
Asperisporium caricae; previously Cercospora caricae.
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Diseases of fruit crops in Australia (2009). Editors, Tony Cooke, et al. CSIRO Publishing; and CABI (2019) Asperisporium caricae (black spot). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/7521); and from Liberato JR, et al. (2006) Asperisporium black spot of papaya (Asperisporium caricae): PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.