Phytophthora Blight
- Issue type
- disease
- Seedborne
- No
- Resistance code
- Pc
- Affects
- Pepper, Watermelon, Cucumber, Melon
Symptoms
Sudden permanent wilt with a dark water-soaked lesion girdling the stem at the soil line, often taking whole rows within days of a heavy rain. On fruit it appears as a white, yeast-like growth.
Management
A water disease before it is a plant disease: raised beds, ruthless drainage, and never irrigating from a pond that drains an infested field. Resistant bell varieties carrying Pc resistance changed commercial production where the pathogen is established, though resistance is partial and physiological races differ.
Varieties with documented resistance
| Variety | Level | Code | Basis | Days | Breeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paladin | resistant | Pc | Independently observed | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Turnpike | resistant | Pc | Independently observed | 65-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Intruder | resistant | Pc | Independently observed | 63-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Revolution | intermediate | Pc | Breeder declared | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Declaration | intermediate | Pc | Breeder declared | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
This is the page where the difference matters most, because it is where a variety gets chosen for its resistance. Breeder declared means the claim comes from whoever breeds or sells the seed, which for most resistance genes is the only evidence that exists. Independently observed means an institution with no stake in the sale grew the plant and reported what happened.
Trials that measured this disease
Published field evaluations where researchers grew varieties and rated this disease themselves. These are the strongest evidence on this page, because the observation and the seed have no common owner.
Rutgers bell pepper Phytophthora blight trial, 2021
2021 · Upper Deerfield, New Jersey · field
| Variety | Measured | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Revolution | Phytophthora Blight severity | 0 % |
| Paladin | Phytophthora Blight severity | 0 % |
| Aristotle | Phytophthora Blight severity | 1 % |
| Turnpike | Phytophthora Blight severity | 1 % |
| Intruder | Phytophthora Blight severity | 1 % |
Sources & References
Evidence: 2 sources, all independent references.
- Pepper Production Guides · University of Florida IFAS Extension, University or Government
- Chile Pepper Institute research and variety releases · New Mexico State University, University or Government