🫑 Pepper How hard it is to control: ★★★★☆ 4/5

Bacterial spot on pepper

A bacterial disease (Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and related species) attacking pepper leaves and fruit. On leaves it produces watery specks that turn brown and drop out; on fruit, rough corky scabs.

Symptom photos

Bacterial spot — Leaf — small brown spots with a yellow halo, some dried right through — Leaf — small brown spots with a yellow halo, some dried right through Photo: Scot Nelson, licence CC0

Symptoms

Small, watery specks on the leaves, darkening and turning brown
A yellow halo around the spots, with the centre falling out
Rough, corky, raised scabs on the fruit
Marked yellowing and early leaf drop
Dark, elongated discoloration on leaf stalks and stems

What it does to the crop

Leaf loss and sunscald on the exposed fruit
Unmarketable fruit because of the scabs on the skin
Secondary rots entering through the damaged skin
A big drop in yield in warm, wet summers

What encourages it

Warm, humid weather at 24-30°C
Wind-driven rain and overhead watering
Infected seed and transplants
Working among the plants while they are wet

Prevention

Use seed from a reliable source, hot-water treated
Drip-irrigate instead of watering overhead
Avoid working on the plants while they are wet
Remove infected leaves and clear debris after harvest
Rotate with a 3-year break for nightshades

⚠️ Before you reach for a spray

This atlas is informational and still growing — different diseases can look almost identical. Confirm the diagnosis and read the product label before applying any plant protection product. If you are unsure, ask your local extension or advisory service.

Keep the disease atlas with you in the garden

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