Why is pepper rotting on a greenhouse plant and how can it be treated?

When it rains for several days in a row, and the weather is warm and damp, these conditions are favorable for the spread of fungi. Plants become infected through soil, weeds, insects, unwashed tools, and dirty hands. Causes of pepper rot on the plant in a greenhouse include high humidity, infected seeds, low temperatures, and untreated soil. At the first sign of rot on the vegetables, treatment and treatment should begin immediately to prevent the disease from spreading throughout the entire pepper plantation.

What conditions are needed for sweet peppers to grow?

Peppers love light, warmth, and moist, nutritious soil. Excessive water, drafts, and cold can harm the plants. To grow a good vegetable harvest, a balance of temperature and humidity is essential. Without these conditions, peppers' immunity weakens and they become more susceptible to disease.

Necessary conditions for growing peppers:

• light porous soil;
• air temperature 20-25*C;
• air humidity no more than 60%;
• watering only when the soil dries out;
• ventilation, fresh air;
• soil temperature 24*C.

The main causes of fruit rot

Fungi thrive in conditions of frequent watering and high humidity in hot weather. These conditions foster the spread of not only fungi but also pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and harmful insects that attack vegetables.

Symptoms of fungal diseases:

• the top of the fruit is rotting;
• brown or black spots appeared on the pepper;
• there is a grey or white coating on the fruits;
• brown spots appear on peppers;
• indented areas appear on vegetables.

Peppers rot in a greenhouse due to poor ventilation, undisinfected soil, poor lighting, frequent watering, and high humidity.

Causes of pepper rot in a greenhouse:

• mistakes in plant care;
• fungi, bacteria, insects;
• uncultivated soil and seeds;
• temperature changes;
• frequent watering, especially with cold water;
• overfeeding with organic matter;
• weak light.

Mistakes in pepper care

Pepper plants prefer moderate watering. Watering should be done after the top 3-5 cm of soil has dried. Excess moisture leads to water stagnation and the spread of infection, resulting in increased humidity. Insufficient moisture causes flowers and fruit buds to fall off. Pepper plants should be watered with warm, settled water (25-26°C) twice a week in small doses. Mulch in the beds helps retain moisture in hot weather.

Peppers require slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6-6.5 and good aeration. They prefer fertile, low-salt, loose, and light soil. Suitable soils include black soil, soddy meadow soil, and meadow soil with black soil. It's best to avoid planting peppers in boggy, peaty, carbonate, podzolic, or saline soils. Peppers in such soils receive less nutrition and are prone to disease.

Without sunlight, photosynthesis doesn't occur, meaning the plants' development stops. The foliage begins to wilt, the leaves dry out, and the ovaries fall off. The fruit that does set is small. Infections attack the plants more frequently under these conditions.

At temperatures below 17°C, fruit production decreases and the plant's immune system is weakened. When growing peppers in a greenhouse, maintain a temperature above 23°C. Optimal humidity is 60%; higher humidity increases disease incidence.

Diseases that cause crop rot and how to treat peppers

Rotten spots on peppers vary in color, texture, and appearance. Each diseases special signs and their treatment methods. Daily inspection of plantings will help identify diseases early and initiate treatment.

Sclerotinia

The disease spreads at low temperatures below 16°C and high humidity of 75-80%. The fungus attacks the base of the trunk, stems, and fruit. Parts of the plant become covered with a white coating, with blackened spots underneath. The peppers become soft.

All diseased plants should be destroyed; it's best to burn them outside the garden; the disease is incurable. Copper-containing products can help in the early stages. Prevention against white rot includes irrigation and mulching.

Late blight

The disease progresses with sudden temperature fluctuations, prolonged cold spells, excess moisture, and frequent watering. The infection affects plants at various stages of the growing season. Water-soaked, brown lesions with a light green border appear on the leaves. The fruits also become covered with water-soaked spots, which expand and blacken the peppers. When brown spots appear on the stem, the stalk dries out, the root collar rots, and the plant dies.

If left untreated, the fungus will quickly spread throughout the entire planting. Use the fungicides Zaslon and Barrier. Fertilizing the plant with iodine is necessary: ​​dissolve 5 ml of the substance in 2 liters of water. It is advisable to protect pepper plants from cold and high humidity. For prevention, spray the plants in the greenhouse with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Blossom end rot

Brown spots appear on the top of the fruit. The infected areas enlarge, darken, and rot. Initially, the infected areas appear flat, then become concave. The fruit ripens prematurely, and the bush stops growing.

The disease is caused by a fungal infection. Causes include calcium and phosphorus deficiency, excess nitrogen and magnesium, high humidity, rhizome damage, and low temperatures. The affected bush is treated with 5g of Fitosporin per bucket of water or another fungicide. Treatment is repeated twice a month, 14 days apart.

Spotted wilt

Another name for this disease is "bronze," derived from the color of the spots on the fruit. They range from yellow, brown, bronze, and purple. Round brownish spots then appear, which can be confused with blossom-end rot. The disease is transmitted by insects such as aphids, thrips, and cicadas.

As a preventative measure, plant parsley, basil, thyme, calendula, and sage near peppers. These herbs repel pests with their aroma. Treat the vegetables with insecticides or Fundazol. These treatments are ineffective in the later stages of the disease.

Gray rot

Plants become infected with the fungus Botrytis cinerea through the soil. Moist, brown spots with a gray coating appear at the base of the stem and on the foliage, and the fruit rots. Disease development is facilitated by covering material, high temperatures and humidity, damage to parts of the plant, and dense plantings.

Infected pepper plants are removed from the garden. The remaining peppers are sprayed with Fundazol: dilute 1.5 g of the solution in 1.5 liters of water, applying the solution per 10 square meters of planting. No more than two treatments are performed per season.

Alternaria

Peppers in a greenhouse turn black due to Alternaria wilt. Angular black and brown spots appear on the leaves and gradually spread to the fruit. Initially, they are water-soaked, then the peppers turn black and become covered with a moldy coating. The growths expand, and the entire pepper rots. Fungal spores spread rapidly in high humidity and hot weather, and the mycelium also attacks the pepper seeds.

Copper-containing products, such as Ordan, HOM, and Abiga-Peak, are effective in treatment. Spray the bushes with strobilurin-based medications, alternating treatment with Kumulus, Jet, and Thiovit. These products should not be used more than twice per season.

Sweet pepper pests

With a weakened immune system, plants are less able to resist infections and pest infestations. Many pests can destroy entire pepper crops, and they often carry numerous diseases. The key to controlling pests is to promptly identify infestations and take action to eradicate them.

Main enemies of pepper in open ground:

1. Whiteflies transmit spores of powdery mildew, mosaic, and gray mold. A small white insect with wings about 5 mm long can be seen on the foliage. When watering with a hose, wash the pests away with water. Treat the foliage with a soapy solution. Sticky traps that the insects land on are also helpful. Whiteflies are afraid of ladybugs. For severe infestations, use Confidor, Mospilan, Fufanon, and Verticillin.
2. Aphids cling to plant stems, sucking out the sap with their proboscises. Large numbers of aphids leave "skeletons" of the bush. Ants protect the aphids, and in return, they feast on them. Therefore, it's necessary to combat two pests at once. Once you find an anthill, pour boiling water, kerosene, and vinegar over it, then cover it with plastic wrap. Make sweet traps with borax, honey, and sugar. Use products such as Muravied, Grom-2, and Muracid. Wash the aphids off daily with a soap, tobacco, and ash solution until the parasites disappear. Additionally, spray the bushes with garlic infusion. In extreme cases, products such as Karbofox, Keltan, Fitoverm, and Agrovertin are suitable.
3. Thrips are translucent insects that fly from one bush to another and transmit the disease. The pests suck the sap from the stems. Sticky traps are set and the bushes are sprayed with marigold infusion, garlic infusion, and onion infusion. Suitable pesticides include Fitoverm, Actellic, Vertimek, and Condiform.
4. The Colorado potato beetle quickly develops immunity to any chemicals, making it difficult to control. A female produces up to 1,000 eggs per season. The beetles destroy all green parts of the plant in a short time. To get rid of the Colorado potato beetle, collect all egg clutches from the leaves and destroy them in kerosene. The insects dislike garlic and calendula, so they should be planted near peppers. Spray with Bitoxibacillin and Regent.
5. The mole cricket consumes the entire above-ground portion of a bush, with one individual consuming up to 10 plants per day. Removing mole crickets from garden beds is difficult, as they hide in the soil. Light traps made from containers filled with kerosene are used to control the pest. Insects are collected by hand, and egg clutches are dug up. Any burrows found in the garden are doused with a soap solution: 100 g of soap per 5 liters of water. Products such as Medvedox, Grizzly, Grom, and Fenksin Plus are used.
6. Spider mites are barely noticeable on seedlings; red and orange spots and the presence of webs indicate an infestation. The mites feed on plant sap. A bush covered in webs gradually dies. To combat spider mites, peppers are watered with a warm solution of 2 g of kerosene and 40 g of laundry soap per 9 liters of water. A tobacco tincture is effective: 400 g of the solution is steeped in a bucket of water, boiled for 2 hours, soap is added, and the foliage is sprayed. For severe infestations, use Antikleshch, Fitoverm, or Karbofos.
7. Slugs chew out the center of leaves, creating holes. To combat slugs, remove all weeds from the beds, sprinkle ash, lime, and ground pepper around the bushes, and dig grooves. Slug repellents include Groza, Meta, Slizneed, and Predator.

Before planting seedlings, the soil is watered with hot water to kill overwintered larvae and adult pests. The soil is disinfected with a solution of iodine and copper sulfate. In case of severe infestations, insecticides are used.

Methods of control

Treatment should begin at the first sign of disease. Diseased bushes should be removed from the garden and burned outside the plot. If the bushes were infested with insects, it's best to resort to folk remedies. Any plant absorbs all harmful substances, including chemicals. In severely infected plants, insecticides and fungicides should be used with caution; overdosing on them will render the vegetables unfit for consumption.

Preparations:

• a solution of 0.4% calcium chloride and 1% calcium nitrate is used against blossom end rot, plants are fed at the roots and the leaves are sprayed;
• Fundazol helps with spotty wilt;
• Trichocin, Fitocide, Gamair - treat fusarium;
• Barrier, Topsin-M, Fitosporin, and copper sulfate solution are effective in combating gray mold;
• Ridomil Gold, Quadris, Kartotsid, Thanos, copper oxychloride, Bordeaux mixture help with alternaria;

Folk recipes:

• The bushes are treated with a solution of boric acid to prevent fruit rot: 2 g of acid is mixed in 0.5 l of water, another 9 l of water is poured in;
• milk solution with iodine: a glass of milk, 2.5 liters of water, 5 drops of iodine - spray the greens;
• Iodine solution promotes the growth of bushes, strengthens the immune system and kills many infections: 5-10 drops of the substance per 9 liters of water;
• Coffee grounds buried in the ground will work against slugs;
• A soda solution helps in the fight against insects: 50 g per 5 liters of water, ½ teaspoon of soap, spray the bushes with the solution;
• Tar soap repels many pests: 150 g of soap per bucket of water is used to water the seedlings.

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It's best to plant pepper varieties that are disease-resistant and locally grown, which can withstand drought and rain, cold, and temperature fluctuations. Sweet and hot peppers should not be planted next to each other to prevent cross-pollination.

Prevention

All rotting vegetables should be picked and destroyed to prevent the disease from spreading further into the garden. Fungal spores are very resilient and can survive for years in a greenhouse. In low light, harmful microflora develops very quickly. Peppers should not be planted after potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplants. Peppers should be returned to their original location after three years.

Preventive measures:

• removing weeds in a greenhouse;
• treatment of seeds and soil before planting with a manganese solution;
• reducing watering and lowering air humidity;
• regular ventilation of greenhouses;
• there should be no drafts in the greenhouse;
• When planting densely, you need to thin out the rows; access to light and air will help protect the bushes from infection;
• if there are a large number of stepsons, you should prune them, leaving strong and healthy shoots;
• inspect the beds daily for any sources of infection or pests;
• remove rotten fruits and diseased leaves in a timely manner;
• treatment of soil, bushes, and seeds with Fitosporin;
• Disinfection of greenhouses.

If there have been cases of infection in the area, the soil should be doused with boiling water—one bucket of water per square meter. In greenhouses, remove the top 50 cm of soil.

Peppers are a heat-loving crop that requires careful care. Prevention is better than cure. Effective treatment requires identifying the cause of the infection and making an accurate diagnosis. Infected vegetables should never be consumed or preserved. Proper care and good growing conditions will promote healthy pepper growth and a bountiful harvest.