What is powdery mildew of pea?
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What is powdery mildew of pea?
Disease cycle The disease powdery mildew, caused by the pathogen Erysiphe pisi, oversummers on infected pea trash and produces spores which are blown by wind into new crops. The disease may also be seed-borne, but this source of infection is less important.
How do you control powdery mildew in peas?
If powdery mildew is mild to moderate, try spraying pea plants with a plant-based horticultural oil such as neem oil. Never spray when the temperature is above 90 F. (32 C.). You can also spray peas with commercial fungicide at the first sign of the disease.
What causes powder mildew?
Powdery mildew is caused by many specialized races of fungal species in the genera Erysiphe, Microsphaera, Phyllactinia, Podosphaera, Sphaerotheca, and Uncinula. Hundreds of species of trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, vegetables, fruits, grasses, field crops, and weeds can be affected by powdery mildew.
What causes mildew on pea plants?
Powdery mildew in field peas is caused by the fungus Erysiphe polygoni. Infected plants are covered with a white powdery spore mass (see Figures 1 and 5). Leaves, stems and pods can become infected, resulting in withering of the whole plant.
What are the conditions for powdery mildew?
Powdery mildews are favored by warm days and cool nights and moderate temperatures (68° to 86°F). At leaf temperatures above 90°F, some mildew spores and colonies are killed. Shade or low light intensities as well as high relative humidity (greater than 95%) favor powdery mildew fungi.
What is the control of powdery mildew?
Effective organic fungicides for treating powdery mildew include sulfur, lime-sulfur, neem oil, and potassium bicarbonate. These are most effective when used prior to infection or when you first see signs of the disease. Baking soda has been proved by many gardeners to be effective in treating powdery mildew.
What type of pathogen is powdery mildew?
Abstract. Powdery mildew fungi (Ascomycota phylum) are obligate biotrophic plant pathogens that can only grow and reproduce on living host cells. They infect a wide range of plants, including many crops and the diseases they cause are common, easily recognizable and widespread.
What are the effects of powdery mildew?
As the infection spreads, the plant weakens, and the leaves may turn yellow or brownish, dry out or even curl up, twist or distort. Flower and fruit production will also decline, and this disease can have a grave impact on harvests. In extreme cases, powdery mildew can kill a plant, but that is rare.
