Bell pepper fruits with Phytophthora blight, received in late August 2023 by the OSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Photo by Francesca Rotondo.

Phytophthora blight on pumpkins received in October 2021 by the OSU Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab in Wooster. Photo by Francesca Rotondo.

After a hot dry early summer in many parts of Ohio this year, growers may have thought that they escaped the scourge of Phytophthora blight, and for a while this appeared to be true. However, several intensive rainfall events during the past several weeks, some bringing as much as 10 inches of rain over a weekend, resulted in flooded soil conditions perfect for spread of Phytophthora blight. Unfortunately, this late in the season, growers have invested a lot of money in these crops and may see significant reductions in yield.

The cause of Phytophthora blight is Phytophthora capsici,  a soilborne oomycete pathogen that thrives in rainy weather. It produces sporangia that release motile spores (zoospores) that are attracted to plants, then form a structure that allows them to infect, and aggressively attack any type of plant tissue. Sporangia and zoospores can be splashed onto leaves, stems and fruits during rain events and overhead irrigation. Phytophthora blight must be  managed preventatively.  This includes the use of resistant varieties (partially resistant varieties are available for pepper but not for cucurbits), cultural practices and fungicides.

We have received several reports of fruit infections of peppers and pumpkins this week. Once fruits have become infected with Phytophthora, nothing can be done to rescue them. Additionally, some lesions on pepper fruits may not be obvious initially but develop during shipping, putting healthy fruits at risk of infection. For pumpkins, if Phytophthora blight was detected in a field at any time during the season, growers are advised to harvest mature, uninfected fruits as early as possible.  These fruits need to be laid out individually (not touching, so bins are not acceptable) in a shaded area with good ventilation so that they can cure.  A barn floor would be an ideal location since they would not get rained on, but outside under a tree (to prevent sunscald) would be better than nothing.  If putting them outside, do NOT put them on a tarp or plastic that would tend to hold rainwater and spread the disease to the other fruits.  If any of these fruits start to show signs of infection (discolored areas or white, cottony growth – see photo) remove them from the area immediately and discard them in an area away from the fields or curing location.

Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell University found that hosing pumpkins off first to remove soil (using a garden hose with a trigger spray nozzle) was the second most important step in reducing disease incidence (getting them out of the field being the most important).  Washed fruits need to be dried as quickly as possible. Dipping fruit in 10% Clorox, GreenShield or Kocide was no better than just hosing them off, and these products are not labeled for this use.

Pepper and cucurbit fruits with symptoms in the field should be removed and destroyed away from the field and surface water sources. Leaving them in the field will contribute to inoculum buildup; if Phytophthora blight was present in a field, practice rotation of at least four years away from susceptible crops including all cucurbits, peppers, tomatoes, and beans.

[Updated from previous posts. Information on fungicides to manage Phytophthora blight in peppers and pumpkins is available in previous posts.]

We thank the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association’s Ohio Vegetable and Small Fruit Research and Development Program for financial support of the OSU PPDC.

Partial map of 2023 cucurbit downy mildew reports as of August 7, 2023. Counties in red indicate new reports (<7 days), while counties in green have older reports. cdm.ipmpipe.org.

Bill Holdsworth of Rupp Seeds confirmed a severe outbreak of downy mildew on pumpkins in his field trials in Fulton County, Ohio today. Downy mildew was extensive in this field, indicating that it had begun some time ago, perhaps a week or two. Last year, Bill reported pumpkin downy mildew in the same county on August 10. It was likely caused by Clade 1 of the downy mildew pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis, which has a broad host range among cucurbits, preferring pumpkins, squash and watermelons, but also infecting cucumbers and melons. Clade 2 isolates infect and cause damage to cucumbers and melons, and are seen in northern Ohio first. As in 2022, the Fulton County outbreak on pumpkins was unusual for the Great Lakes region. There are no reports of downy mildew on cucurbits other than cucumber in the Midwest, Northeast or Canada at this time – although not being reported doesn’t mean it is not there. We have not seen downy mildew on pumpkins, squash, melons or watermelons in sentinel plots in Sandusky and Franklin Counties, and Jim Jasinski, OSU Extension, has not found downy mildew in scouted pumpkin fields on OSU’s Western Agricultural Research Station in South Charleston.

Downy mildew can kill cucurbit foliage, including that of pumpkins, which will stop the fruit from maturing unless it is controlled preventatively. Pumpkin, squash, and watermelon growers should be applying at least a protectant fungicide such as chlorothalanil (Bravo, Eqqus, etc.) and amp up scouting efforts. Growers in Fulton and surrounding counties should apply downy mildew-targeted fungicides (Orondis Opti, Ranman, Omega, Previcur Flex, and Elumin) posted here and here in a spray program alternating fungicides with different modes of action/FRAC group.  Follow all label instructions.

Bacterial spot on pumpkin – can be mistaken for downy mildew.

Downy mildew symptoms on a pumpkin leaf (top)

If you suspect cucurbit downy mildew you can text or email pictures to Sally Miller (330-466-5249; miller.769@osu.edu) of both sides of lesions, with the underside in the highest possible magnification. It is harder to confirm downy mildew in pumpkins and squash from photos because lesions are less distinctive and sporulation is less than in cucumbers.  So you may need to send a sample to the OSU C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC) in Wooster for confirmation. Instructions for sample submission are here. Digital images may also be sent to the CWEPPDÇ.

Thanks to financial support from the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association’s Ohio Vegetable and Small Fruit Research and Development Program, there is no fee for this service for Ohio vegetable growers.

Phytophthora blight on pumpkins received in October 2021 by the OSU Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab in Wooster. Photo by Francesca Rotondo.

This has been a rainy growing season in much of Ohio and other states east of the Mississippi River. With intense rain events leading to standing water in fields and stretches of hot weather, both favorable for Phytophthora capsici, the cause of Phytophthora blight, the disease has been such a problem that shortages of jack-o-lantern as well as pie pumpkins are expected this Fall.  If Phytophthora blight was detected in a field at any time this season, growers are advised to harvest mature, uninfected fruits as early as possible.  These fruits need to be laid out individually (not touching, so bins are not acceptable) in a shaded area with good ventilation so that they can cure.  A barn floor would be an ideal location since they would not get rained on, but outside under a tree (to prevent sunscald) would be better than nothing.  If putting them outside, do NOT put them on a tarp or plastic that would tend to hold rainwater and spread the disease to the other fruits.  If any of these fruits start to show signs of infection (discolored areas or white, cottony growth – see photo) remove them from the area immediately and discard them in an area away from the fields or curing location.

Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell University found that hosing pumpkins off first to remove soil (using a garden hose with a trigger spray nozzle) was the second most important step in reducing disease incidence (getting them out of the field being the most important).  Washed fruits need to be dried as quickly as possible. Dipping fruit in 10% Clorox, GreenShield or Kocide was no better than just hosing them off, and these products are not labeled for this use.

Pumpkins (or other cucurbits) with symptoms in the field should be removed and destroyed away from the field and surface water sources. Leaving them in the field will contribute to inoculum buildup; if Phytophthora blight was present in a field, practice rotation of at least four years away from susceptible crops including all cucurbits, peppers, tomatoes, and beans.

Ron Becker contributed to an earlier version of this post in 2007. We thank the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association’s Ohio Vegetable and Small Fruit Research and Development Program for financial support of our disease diagnostics program.

White, diamond-shaped lesions of Plectosporium blight on pumpkin vine (photo by Francesca Rotondo)

We’ve had several reports this week of Plectosporium blight appearing in pumpkins in Ohio. Sometimes also called white speck, this is a disease of pumpkins and squash caused by the fungus Plectosporium tabacinum. The symptoms on vines, leaf petioles and veins on the back of the leaves are small, white and diamond-shaped lesions; on fruits the lesions are also small and white, generally

Advanced symptoms of Plectosporium blight on pumpkin vine (photo by Brad Bergefurd)

round. Under favorable environmental conditions (rainy, moderate temperatures) the lesions can coalesce, and the affected tissues appear white and become brittle. Plectosporium produces spores in the lesions that are dispersed long distances by the wind. The fungus survives in soil associated with plant debris for several years.

Plectosporium blight management requires an integrated approach that includes crop rotation, cultural practices and fungicide applications. Although pumpkin and squash varieties vary somewhat in susceptibility to this disease, none are resistant. In a study we conducted in 2018 at the OSU South Centers in Piketon, OH, the varieties ‘Hulk’, ‘Cronus’, ‘Warty Gnome’ and ‘Bayhorse Gold’ had less Plectosporium blight than other varieties in the trial.

Plectosporium blight lesions on pumpkin vine and handle (photo by Brad Bergefurd)

Plectosporium blight management:

1. Rotate out of cucurbits for 4-5 years.
2. Choose a site with good air circulation to allow plants to dry quickly.
3. Use drip irrigation instead of overhead irrigation.
4. Scout fields, looking for diamond-shaped lesions on leaf veins, vines and petioles within the canopy; if present, apply fungicides on a 7-day schedule.
   • Chlorothalanil (e.g. Bravo), the strobilurin fungicides such as Quadris, Quadris Top and Pristine, and Topsin M are the most effective fungicides against Plectosporium blight, but do not fully control the disease.  It is important to get good coverage of the fungicides well into the canopy.  Use high water volumes – at least 40 gal/acre. Strobilurin fungicides have translaminar activity and move through the leaves, improving coverage.

5. After harvest plow down the crop residue to encourage rapid decomposition.