And the leaf curl threads continue...

[gasificada]

OK, photos aren't that crash hot as it's dark outside but any ideas?

(The white spots are dust that has been wet and dried on the leaves...)

This one (C. chacoense) has me worried the most:

Not sure what is going on here but the leaves look a little mottled to me and the plant is dropping them like crazy! At this point I am getting extremely worried that it may have a virus.

Will try and get some better photos up tomorrow.

 

[gasificada]

I should probably add too that:

a) The weather has been a little funny here lately--it's been fluctuating between cool and hot, and cloudy and sunny. And when the sun is out, it's been very intense sun.

b) My water is alkaline.

Two very significant factors, I guess.

I've started amending the pH of my water so will see in time if that makes a difference.

 

[SuperHot]

I had two Devil's Tongue Reds that looked like the top one, but even worse. They still cranked out a sh*t load of pods despite their condition and didn't spread to the other plants. I grew 500 supers last season, 100 in pots and the rest in the ground. I'm using the same format across the board and 1% of them seem to develop growing issues. I have to look at the conditions/percentages/format. As long that it not something that could spread to the other plants I wouldn't panic.



They're members here who would know how to treat this condition. It sounds like you already have things to try that would be interesting to see how they work. Keep us posted.

 

[Prehensile]

I have some curl going on it seems to come and go coffee grounds may help your alk prob?

 

[gitguymertin]

Looks similar to the broad mite damage I have

 

[gasificada]

I had two Devil's Tongue Reds that looked like the top one, but even worse. They still cranked out a sh*t load of pods despite their condition and didn't spread to the other plants. I grew 500 supers last season, 100 in pots and the rest in the ground. I'm using the same format across the board and 1% of them seem to develop growing issues. I have to look at the conditions/percentages/format. As long that it not something that could spread to the other plants I wouldn't panic.



They're members here who would know how to treat this condition. It sounds like you already have things to try that would be interesting to see how they work. Keep us posted.

I'm not too worried about the majority of the curling, I guess--I have had plants do it before and they still ended up just fine too. It's pretty much just the plant in the last two pics that has me freaking out!

I have some curl going on it seems to come and go coffee grounds may help your alk prob?

Yeah, I'm probably overreacting a bit. It has been coming and going for me too... just a lot of plants doing it ATM is all.

Looks similar to the broad mite damage I have

Don't go there...

While I do have a broad mite problem, this is not their work.

Well, except for maybe this one:

But I have yet to observe any bronzing on the underside of the leaves that usually accompanies the curling. Of course, that's not to say that I'm ruling broad mites out on this one and have already given it a precautionary spray.

 

[gasificada]

Come to think of it, the plant in the last two pics may be suffering from broad mite attack too. Before dropping, some of the new growth was showing slight claw-like curling (albeit sans bronzing once again). It would explain the mottling too as I have observed this on badly infested plants before (toxicity damage?) but I'm still stumped on the ejection of the leaves--most of which are perfectly fine looking leaves!

As I've never grown C. chacoense before, I'm wondering if this is just the way it reacts to broad mite attack or whatever else is going on with the rest of my plants.

 

[gasificada]

Hmmm... OK, I've determined the leaf drop may be caused by--or at least accelerated by--Lime Sulfur. It's the first time I've used it and I sprayed a handful of plants the other day to test it out as a treatment for mites. As none of the other plants I sprayed reacted in this way and the fact that C. chacoense was already dropping leaves prior to the spray, albeit nowhere near as bad, I ruled out Lime Sulfur as the cause. That was until this morning when I noticed one of the other plants I sprayed has started doing it too.

After doing a quick bit of research, it appears that Lime Sulfur can indeed cause this type of phytotoxicity. Apparently the lime component moderates the phytotoxic effect of the sulfur but when mixed with other chemicals, all bets are off. As I didn't mix anything with it other than tap water, I'm now wondering just what the hell is in my tap water!

 

[gasificada]

In conclusion...

I'm going to go ahead and relax a little and put down C. chacoense as having a case of the mites for now. Well, as much as one can relax even in that situation!

The new growth has definitely been showing signs of broad mite damage--albeit sans bronzing on the undersides:

Blotchy mottling which can be an effect of broad mite toxin as it makes its way through the plant:

For comparison, an example of one of my plants that was badly affected by broad mites last season:

But this is something I haven't really observed concerning broad mite damage--dying growth:

As this too was happening prior to the Lime Sulfur treatment, I will put it down to either C. chacoense may be reacting a little more intensely to mite toxin or perhaps a past treatment I have used on it. That is to say, perhaps C. chacoense may be a little more sensitive than other species. Just a guess.

And as for my other plants, with the exception of the one that might also be under attack by broad mites--which I will continue treating for--I believe to be simply case of environmental issues or pH issues, etc. I will continue to amend the pH of my water and go from there.

It wouldn't actually surprise me however, if the water itself--or whatever is in it--is actually playing at least some role in the whole curling thing either....

 

[Pepper-Guru]

Alot of what's in your pictures is symptoms of aphids. I would bet 100 dollars you either have or did have them. That funky distortion you're getting is a result of the toxic saliva in their mouth parts.

 

[gasificada]

Alot of what's in your pictures is symptoms of aphids. I would bet 100 dollars you either have or did have them. That funky distortion you're getting is a result of the toxic saliva in their mouth parts.

I did spot a very small few a little while back--over a month ago now--but I took care of them real quick and haven't seen a single one since. As I regularly go over my plants with a fine-tooth comb in search of broad mites, there's no way I'm gonna miss one of them little buggers either. They are giant compared to the microscopic 'specks of dust' I'm looking for.

If it was pest-related and anything other than broad mite, I would say whitefly. I guess I should have mentioned that I've been having a small problem with them too--they very well might be a significant factor.

I've been successful in keeping the nymphs under control but the whiteflies themselves are a different story. Little PITAs they are, I just can't keep 'em away!

 

[Pepper-Guru]

I did spot a very small few a little while back--over a month ago now--but I took care of them real quick and haven't seen a single one since. As I regularly go over my plants with a fine-tooth comb in search of broad mites, there's no way I'm gonna miss one of them little buggers either. They are giant compared to the microscopic 'specks of dust' I'm looking for.

If it was pest-related and anything other than broad mite, I would say whitefly. I guess I should have mentioned that I've been having a small problem with them too--they very well might be a significant factor.

I've been successful in keeping the nymphs under control but the whiteflies themselves are a different story. Little PITAs they are, I just can't keep 'em away!

Then just keep watering and new growth will overtake the bad symptoms on the plant. Its the way it works. Aphids can easily put a major halt on normal growth for months... I'd be willing to bet that in a while that plant will perk back up and do just fine.

 

[onefowl1]

Have you checked the soil or roots for the aphids? I have seen at least the deformed growth in plants where the only place I found the creepy crawly's either aphids or mealy bugs was sucking the roots of the plants. The plants were not peppers but several diff types of succulents and exotic bulbs being pot cultured.

 

[gasificada]

Have you checked the soil or roots for the aphids? I have seen at least the deformed growth in plants where the only place I found the creepy crawly's either aphids or mealy bugs was sucking the roots of the plants. The plants were not peppers but several diff types of succulents and exotic bulbs being pot cultured.

Not that I have seen and haven't seen mealy bugs at all this season, but....

Fungus gnat larvae!

As per usual though, Hypoaspis rides in to save the day.

If the fungus gnat larvae are to blame--something else I didn't consider at first--my plants will just have to ride it out until Hypoaspis takes care of 'em. I have great faith in Hypoaspis... they've always taken care of fungus gnat larvae for me in the past.

 

[gasificada]

Double post.