The causative agent of leaf Cercosporosa leaf spot is the fungus Cercospora zeae-maydis. It is widely considered the most destructive fungal disease of table beet worldwide. The disease can survive on plant residues in the soil for a long period. Rain and wind carry spores to the lower leaves in the spring, and depending on the variety of the plant, the symptoms may differ slightly, but the vast majority of them will be listed below. Usually, the first symptoms appear before flowering. Leaves wither, significantly weakening the plant and may soften the stems, leading to lodging.
Cercospora Leaf Spot Treatment
Signs of damage
- One of the main symptoms is the appearance of individual, small, round dead brown or reddish spots with yellow halos on the lower leaves;
- Over time, the spots become larger and acquire a gray shade, and become noticeable even on young leaves;
- The spots may grow so large that they can cover the entire surface of leaves;
How to prevent
As the optimal conditions for developing Cercospora leaf spot disease are warm weather from 77 to 86 °F (25 to 30 °C), high humidity (dew and fog), and wet leaves, you can definitely prevent it by avoiding them. Also, you should plant them a bit later to avoid creating unfavorable plant conditions. Maintain good ventilation by widening the distance between plants. After harvesting, plow deeply and bury all plant residues.
Heal
In the early stages of the disease, probably the best way to fight the disease is the treatment of the leaves with fungicides. Still, it is a must to weigh all the circumstances, such as weather conditions, potential crop loss, and the susceptibility of the particular plant to the disease. Fungicides containing pyraclostrobin and strobilurin or a combination of azoxystrobin and propiconazole, prothioconazole, and trifloxystrobin are the most suitable for controlling the fungus.
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