Pestalotiopsis leaf spot > Identify, Control & Disease Prevention Tips

Pestalotiopsis leaf spot

Pestalotiopsis, otherwise known as Leaf Spot, attacks members of the palm tree family. This plant disease is most often observed in Florida, particularly on the pygmy date palm. If left unmanaged, Pestalotiopsis can kill its host. Juvenile palms are most susceptible to this disease.

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Signs of damage

Pestalotiopsis can form on either the leaf blade or petiole/rachis but has been found to develop on both.
Yellow, brown, or black spots will develop. These spots will never grow more than ¼ inch if caught early enough.
The spots will grow and merge into large leaf blight with the correct growing conditions and left unchecked.
Large spots will then turn gray with black outlining and continue spreading through the leaf, petiole, or rachis.
If managed as spots on the leaves, Pestalotiopsis can be managed and affect the plant little. However, if the spots spread to the bud, they can cause bud rot and kill the plant host.

How to prevent

The easiest way to prevent Pestalotiopsis in plants is to keep palms healthy and leaves dry. Water is the most damaging to palm leaves by leaving them too moist or wet, where they can develop wounds. This can be prevented by watering carefully and allowing space between each palm to allow air circulation. Pruning the diseased leaves is key to stopping the spread of Pestalotiopsis. However, removing the palm is the best option if the palm plant is a junior and has few leaves. Ensuring the nutrient value of the plant’s soil is also important to prevent this disease. Too few nutrients can create wounds in leaves, allowing Pestalotiopsis to form.

Heal

Unfortunately, this disease will last the life of the infected leaf. Fungicides will not remove spots once they take hold but are used to prevent further spreading. Pruning the dead leaves can be beneficial as long as the plant has plenty of nutrients to cope with the loss of its leaves. When managed properly, Pestalotiopsis will not kill healthy, mature plants.

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