Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Tomato black leaf mould (045)


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Summary

  • Worldwide distribution. In tropics. On tomato, capsicum, chilli, and eggplant. An important disease.
  • Dark fungal patches on lower leaves progressing upwards. Leaves turn yellow rapidly and die. Fruits are not infected.
  • Spores on underside of leaves spread in wind-blow rain.
  • Cultural control: avoid planting next to old crops; remove and burn leaves as infections occur; seek advice on tolerant varieties; 3-year crop rotation; collect trash and burn after harvest.
  • Chemical control: copper, chlorothalonil, or mancozeb (protectants). Begin when flowers appear, then at 10-14 day intervals until 3-4 weeks from harvest. Note that mancozeb has a 5-day withholding period.

Common Name

Black leaf mould, leaf spot, tomato leaf mould

Scientific Name

Pseudocercospora fuligena. Previously, known as Cercospora fuligena.


AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2020) Pseudocercospora fuligena (black leaf mould). Invasive Species Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/12222); and (with Photo 5) McKenzie E (2013) Pseudocercospora fuligena. PaDIL - (http://www.padil.gov.au). Photos 1&2 Jaw-Fen Wang, AVRDC, The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan.

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.

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