[CH] FYI
Sunny Conley (sunny@zianet.com)
Tue, 27 Jul 1999 15:29:50 -0600
Powdery mildew found on chile plants
A familiar fungal disease -- powdery mildew -- has been
detected on chile pepper plants in the Las Cruces area.
“High humidity such as we’ve seen the past couple of weeks is
a key condition for this increasingly common disease,” said
Natalie Goldberg, plant pathologist with NMSU’s Cooperative
Extension Service.
Only six years ago, powdery mildew on chile was considered
uncommon in New Mexico, she said. But favorable conditions
for the disease and an overwintering population of the fungus
have made it an annual problem for chile growers.
Powdery mildew is a fungal leaf disease that attacks chile
plants of all ages and varieties. A severe infection can
prematurely defoliate chile plants, reducing yield and quality.
“From now on, it’s safe to say that powdery mildew will be a
disease of concern for New Mexico chile growers,” Goldberg
said. “The severity of the disease each year will depend on
environmental conditions; the more rain and high humidity
during the hot summer months, the more severe our problem
will be.”
http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/news/
--
Chile cheers! Sunny Conley
Writing the Southwest PO Box 6763 Las Cruces, NM 88006
1-888-593-9381 Fax (505) 532-6319 http://www.chileknights.com
"New Mexico: Chile with Class"