When it comes to diseases of Swiss chard, one stands out above all others: Cercospora beticola, or Cercospera leaf spot. If you grow Swiss chard or beetroot, you are more than likely to have encountered it.
TRIGGERED BY MOISTURE
The pathogen becomes active under warm, wet conditions and periods of high humidity. Frequent dew, for example, can trigger symptoms. This year has seen severe outbreaks of Cercospera leaf spot in the summer rainfall areas due to the many prolonged wet periods.
The literature on the disease recommends that farmers deep-plough all infected crops, adding that spores can persist for three years on crop residue.
In my experience, however, ploughing doesn’t help; the disease will manifest even where beetroot and Swiss chard have not been planted in the area prior to the current planting.
This story is from the March 31, 2023 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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This story is from the March 31, 2023 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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