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Peppers > Year-Round IPM Program > Harvest > Check for the Following Pests or their Damage
Peppers
Check for the Following Pests or their Damage: Harvest
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Sample fruit to determine the effectiveness of your pest management program and cultural practices.
Click on photos to enlarge.
| Misshapen, bumpy, and discolored fruit
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Cucumovirus mosaic diseases.
Identification tip:
Infected chilies are distorted with a bumpy surface. |
Pepper weevil damage.
Identification tip:
Pepper weevil feeding can cause fruit to be misshapen. |
Poor pollination.
Identification tip:
Poor pollination can result in short or lopsided fruit. |
Potyvirus mosaic diseases.
Identification tip:
Fruit may be misshapen and have a bumpy surface. It can be difficult to distinguish between fruit with cucumovirus mosaic diseases from those with potyviruses. |
Tomato spotted wilt virus symptoms.
Identification tip:
Fruit may be discolored at ripening. |
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| Spotting, necrotic, or water-soaked areas |
Blossom end rot.
Identification tip:
Caused by low calcium levels in the fruit, tissue near the blossom end breaks down leaving a characteristic dry, sunken lesion. May be mistaken for damage caused by sunburn or nitrogen toxicity. |
Nitrogen burn.
Identification tip:
Damage from high levels of nitrogen can cause sunken lesions similar to those of sunburn and blossom end rot. |
Phytophthora infected fruit.
Identification tip:
Fungal spores from crown and root rot can splash on fruit and cause it to decay. Symptoms include water-soaked patches that dry up and form lesions. |
Stink bug damage.
Identification tip:
On green and red fruit, damage appears as dark pinpricks, surrounded by a light discolored area. Cutting into the discolored area reveals tissue that has a bleached, cottony appearance. |
Sunburn damage.
Identification tip:
Sunburn may cause necrotic areas on fruit directly exposed to sunlight. May be mistaken for blossom end rot or nitrogen burn. Loss of foliage caused by various diseases can lead to sunburned fruit. |
Tomato spotted wilt virus symptoms.
Identification tip:
Infected fruit may have mosaic patterns or spots. |
| Feeding holes |
Beet armyworm damage.
Identification tip:
Feeding is quite messy with webbing and frass. |
Bird damage.
Identification tip:
Bird feeding holes lead to decaying of the fruit. |
Pepper weevil larva damage.
Identification tip:
Larvae feed within the fruit, usually at the seed core and fill the fruit with frass. |
Tomato fruitworm damage.
Identification tip:
The larvae burrow into the fruit and feed on the seed core or flesh depositing frass. Infested fruit decay. |
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