N. B. Shamiyeh , A. B. Smith, and C. W. Meister

All treated plots had significantly lower disease ratings and less % Culls than the untreated check. Powdery Mildew was the predominant diseases.

Introduction

Bell peppers for fresh market are grown across Tennessee, but not in large acreage. Processing pepper is not produced in the state at present. There is a great variety of fungal pathogens that attack the foliage and fruit. One common problem with, especially with late planting, is powdery mildew, most commonly caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea. This trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of certain bio-pesticides for control of powdery mildew on pepper. These chemicals are very safe and are environmentally friendly.

Materials and Methods

Five foliar fungicide treatments were compared to an untreated check for control of powdery mildew. Fertilization consisted of 400 lb of 15-15-15 applied broadcast and disc incorporated on 3 May. Transplants of ‘California Wonder’ were transplanted on 21 May. Plot size was 2 rows, 15ft long and 6ft wide. Treatments were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design. Weed and insect control were maintained in the .conventional manner during the growing season. Five weekly foliar fungicide applications were made starting on Jul 11 and ending on 8 Aug using a 2.5 gallon CO2 hand sprayer at 60 gallons per acre. Disease ratings ( 0-10 with 0 being no disease symptoms showing and 10 being 100% of the plants showing symptoms) were made on 11, 17, 25 Jul and 8 Aug. Plots were hand harvested four times and yield were added together for total of the four pickings and expressed as number of marketable peppers . All data were analyzed by ANOVA.

All Plots treated with fungicides had lower disease ratings for powdery mildew than the untreated check plots. Plots treated with Quadris or BAS - 500 had a lower disease rating than the untreated check plots and the other treatments. Although none of the plots treated with fungicides produced more potatoes, they produced less damaged peppers ( Table 1 ).

Table 1. Powdery mildew ratings of peppers receiving various fungicide treatments at The University of Tennessee Plateau Experiment Station, Crossville, 2002.

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This research represents one season's data and does not constitute recommendations.  After sufficient data is collected over the appropriate number of seasons, final recommendations will be made through research and extension publications.