Blackleg:
Symptoms:
Damping-off of seedlings; round or irregularly shaped gray necrotic lesions on leaves with dark margins; lesions may be covered in pink masses in favorable weather conditions.
Management:
Use disease free seed or treat with hot water to remove fungus prior to planting; remove and destroy crop debris after harvest or plow deeply into soil.
Downy mildew:
Symptoms:
Small angular lesions on upper surface of leaves which enlarge into orange or yellow necrotic patches; white fluffy growth on undersides of leaves.
Management:
Remove all crop debris after harvest; rotate with non-brassicas; it is possible to control downy mildew with the application of an appropriate fungicide.
Cucumber beetles:
Symptoms:
Stunted seedlings; damaged leaves, stems and/or petioles.
Management:
Monitor new planting regularly for signs of beetle; apply appropriate insecticides.
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