It is occasionally seen in Carnarvon. If the disease is uncontrolled, leaf loss can be severe and fruit made unsaleable. Control the disease by a regular spray programme with a protectant fungicide, as indicated in Table 1. As is the case with potatoes and tomatoes, new growth must be protected from infection as it develops. Follow label instructions for spraying frequency.
Symptoms are a soft watery brown rot with white fluffy mould growth.
The fungus is carried over from year to year as black resting bodies or sclerotes, about the size and shape of grains of rice. Remove and burn all infected plants to reduce carryover of the disease. Rotation with sweetcorn, onion or grass crops may also be useful in reducing initial infection, since most other vegetables are susceptible. Although not recorded locally, ghost spot is common elsewhere on greenhouse-grown crops, including tomato and cucumber. Increased production of capsicum under cover may be expected to allow infection.