Brassica Diseases

Brassica
Alternaria leaf spot and
bacterial leaf blight 164
Bacterial soft rot and club root 165
Damping off and downy mildew 166
Dry rot 167
Ring spot and viruses 168
Sclerotinia and white blister rust 169
Powdery mildew 170
Picture: Dry rot in swedes

Brassica diseases
164
Alternaria leaf spot
and bacterial leaf
blight
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Alternaria leaf spot (ALS)
Two Alternaria fungi, A. brassicae and A. brassicicola, cause these leaf spots on most
brassica species.
A. brassicae causes light brown circular spots with large
yellow margins on leaves in autumn and early winter,
mainly in the South Island. A. brassicicola causes dark
circular spots with narrower yellow margins on leaves in
summer, mainly in the North Island.
ALS reduces leaf efficiency, decreasing crop yield and
feed quality.
ALS spreads via wind-borne spores produced by
lesions on crop residue or weeds. Wet, humid weather
favours spore production. Infected seed can also
introduce infection into a crop.
ALS on kale.
Sowing clean seed minimises infection, along with good
cultivation to work in all brassica crop residue. Grazing
early forage that is becoming infected effectively contains the spread of the disease.
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Bacterial leaf blight (BLB)
The two common bacterial leaf diseases in brassicas are bacterial leaf blight and
Xanathamonas leaf blight (BLB). Both affect a range of crops and have a similar biology.
BLB is typically seen as light brown-black spots with narrow to wide yellow halos.
Pathogens often spread down leaf veins giving them
a characteristic black appearance. Infected leaves
become yellow and die prematurely. Symptoms are
sometimes confused with downy mildew (see page
162).
Damage to leaves can be severe and result in reduced
feed quality and quantity.
BLB survives on weeds and crop debris in the soil.
Warm, wet and windy conditions assist the dispersion of
spores, which enter the host tissue through wounds or
natural openings. Infected seed can also spread BLB into
new areas or crops.
BLB in kale.
Sowing clean seed minimises infection, along with a three year rotation following an
outbreak of the disease. Careful weed control is also recommended, as is keeping pest
populations in check to minimise damage that can become a portal for infection.

Brassica diseases
Bacterial soft rot
and club root
165
PASTURE
CULTIVARS
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Bacterial soft rot (BSR)
BSR causes damage as a secondary invader following infection by other pathogens (e.g.
dry rot) or through tissue damaged by insects or weather. It is caused by the bacterium
Erwinia carotovora.
BSR produces a soft, watery light brown-grey rot often
with an unpleasant odour. Although similar to Sclerotinia
infection, no white mycelium are associated with the
damage and no sclerotia are produced.
Under conducive conditions, BSR can cause considerable
additional damage to the original infection or damaging
agent.
BSR is mostly soil-borne and enters the host through rain
splash from wet soil onto damaged areas. It then spreads
by direct plant contact, animal/machinery movement and
by insects.
Secondary BSR of swede
following dry rot infection.
BSR can be greatly reduced by minimising plant damage
and the carry over of host debris. Good crop rotation and
cultivation practices are essential to limit the damage caused by this disease.
RYEGRASS
TRIALS
RYEGRASS
ENDOPHYTE
PASTURE
RENEWAL
PASTURE
MANAGEMENT
PASTURE PESTS
& DISEASES
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Club root (CR)
CR, caused by the fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae, affects most brassicas, causing
galls to form on roots and reducing yield.
Symptoms of CR are plants wilting in the heat of the day and recovering in the evening.
On inspection of roots, infected plants have swollen galls ranging from a few cm in
diameter to the size of a clenched fist. As CR progresses, lower leaves turn yellow
and droop permanently, the plant may die, and yield is
severely affected.
CR is the most destructive disease of brassicas and
severe outbreaks can completely destroy crops.
CR can remain dormant in the soil for many years as
spores. In the presence of susceptible hosts, these spores
germinate, infecting the host through root hairs or wounds.
It survives through weeds such as wild turnip, shepherd’s
purse or hedge mustard.
CR symptoms on roots of
young swedes.
CR can be minimised through good crop rotations,
avoiding multi-cropping of the same cultivar. Good weed
control, good drainage and high soil pH obtained through
liming also limits the development of CR. There are many cultivars with good CR
resistance available on the market.
BRASSICA
CULTIVARS
BRASSICA
MANAGEMENT
BRASSICA PESTS
& DISEASES
SEED
TREATMENT
SEED
INFORMATION
WEEDS
GLOSSARY

Brassica diseases
166
Damping off and
downy mildew
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Damping off (DO)
Seedling brassicas can be attacked by DO, which covers a range of fungi that cause plant
death and gaps in establishing crops. Causal pathogens are Pythium and Fusarium spp. in
the North Island, and Rhizoctonia solani in the South Island. Early infections are known as
damping off, while later are known as wire stem. AGRICOTE Brassica provides early control
of DO.
Young plants wilt and die from lesions at and below soil
level. Infections of R. solani at later growth stages result
in young plants turning purple and surviving only by
the vascular strands (or wire stem), eventually dying.
Infection is common in second year brassica crops
where gaps in establishment occur.
All the fungi are soil-borne and spores can build up
over successive susceptible crops in the same ground.
Wet, cold conditions are conducive to infection, when
host seedling growth may be restricted.
Seed treatment with fungicides, such as AGRICOTE
Brassica, provides early control of damping off. Long
rotations between brassica crops will also reduce
losses.
Gaps in swede stand caused
by DO.
Wire stem in swedes.
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Downy mildew (DM)
DM is caused by the fungus Peronospora parasitica,
which infects seedlings, leaves, flowering stems and
seed pods.
On seedling leaves, DM shows up as black dots and
leaf yellowing and reddening, with purplish grey
sporulation on the underside of leaves. On older
leaves, DM is shown as lesions with leaf yellowing, often
accompanied by black speckling. Affected leaves die
off prematurely.
DM can greatly affect feed quality and yield.
DM can remain in the soil as free living spores or in
trash. In spring, these spores infect leaves, with rapid
build up in mild, moist weather conditions. DM can also
be introduced via infected seed.
Sowing clean seed minimises infection, along with
thorough cultivation and good weed control. Good
crop rotations are also essential, especially in areas
with high levels of DM present. If infection does occur,
grazing affected plants does limit the spread of the
disease within the crop.
DM symptoms on kale leaf.
Early symptoms of DM on
underside of swede leaf.

Brassica diseases
Dry rot
167
PASTURE
CULTIVARS
Summary
Identification
Importance
Dry rot (DR)
DR, also known as black leg, is caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. It can be
extremely destructive in swede, rape and kale crops, and occurs throughout NZ, most
commonly in the lower South Island.
DR appears as small brown lesions on leaves in
summer and autumn. On stems and bulbs, DR
develops into large brown-black dry and cracked
lesions. On stems, black streaking can develop on the
surface tissue. In wet weather, lesions ooze a rose-pink
spore mass. Infected leaves die, bulbs collapse and
stems break at the lesion.
DR can be very destructive, causing 100% crop loss in
some instances.
DR symptoms on leaf of
young swede plant.
RYEGRASS
TRIALS
RYEGRASS
ENDOPHYTE
PASTURE
RENEWAL
PASTURE
MANAGEMENT
Spread
Prevention
and
management
DR over-winters in infected crop residue, and spores
can spread up to 1-2 km following rain. DR enters bulbs
and stems through growth cracks or insect feeding
wounds. Although not common, infected seed can
introduce DR into new areas.
Cultivars with higher DR tolerance should be used in
problem areas, and only treated, certified seed should
be sown. Good crop rotations are essential. Where DR
was noted in a first crop, do not follow up with the same
crop in the second year. Good cultivation is necessary
to ensure full breakdown of crop debris before
resowing.
Advanced DR on swedes.
PASTURE PESTS
& DISEASES
BRASSICA
CULTIVARS
BRASSICA
MANAGEMENT
BRASSICA PESTS
& DISEASES
GLOSSARY
WEEDS
SEED
INFORMATION
SEED
TREATMENT

Brassica diseases
168
Ring spot
and viruses
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Ring spot (RS)
RS, caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella brassicicola, occurs sporadically from season
to season.
It produces dark spots scattered across the leaves
with characteristic rings of dark fruiting bodies. Lesion
margins are yellow, and leaf yellowing and early
leaf drop occurs as RS progresses. RS can easily be
confused with Alternaria (see page 164), and needs
microscopic examination to differentiate.
Can be important in some seasons on some crops.
RS overwinters in crop debris, on weeds or volunteer
brassicas. In spring spores are produced, infecting
leaves and seed pods.
Use certified disease free seed to ensure no new source
of infection, while good cultivation and crop rotations
ensure low levels of crop debris and weeds for RS to
over-winter on. Early grazing of infected plants limits the
spread of RS.
Early RS symptoms on kale
leaf.
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Viruses
The three main brassica viruses are beet western yellows virus (BWYV), cauliflower
mosaic virus (CuMV) and turnip mosaic virus (TuMV). All are common in brassica crops
throughout NZ.
BWYV is characterised by colouring in the leaves,
especially purples and reds, eventually turning yellow.
CuMV and TuMV cause similar symptoms (test often
required to differentiate). Infected plants show patterns,
distortion and mottling in the leaves. Infected plants are
stunted and often die if infection occurs early.
Early infection with any of these viruses can cause
severe crop losses.
All are introduced into crops by aphids. The two
main aphid species in brassicas, the green peach
and grey cabbage aphid, are their main vectors. The
main primary sources of these viruses are weeds and
brassica volunteers in the vicinity of the crop.
BWYV on swedes.
The application of aphicides can prevent the introduction of these viruses, however
correct timing is difficult to achieve. Seed treatments can give seedlings up to 6 weeks
protection, often long enough to protect through the critical period when aphids are
flying. Seed beds should also be kept free of weeds and volunteers, especially for
second year crops.

Brassica diseases
Sclerotinia and white
blister rust
169
PASTURE
CULTIVARS
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Sclerotinia (SC)
SC, also known as watery soft rot, is a fungal pathogen
with a wide range of hosts including all brassicas.
Infection occurs from air-borne spores or from overwintering
sclerotia (dormant survival spores) in the
soil.
SC is characterised by a soft watery rot of stems and
bulbs. It produces extensive white mycelium under
humid, wet conditions, and black overwintering
sclerotia develop on and in the diseased tissue.
In many crops, only scattered infected plants are
seen. But SC can build up in areas where consecutive
susceptible crops are used.
Sclerotia can survive in the soil for up to 20 years,
and spread by physical contact with infected tissues.
Thus patches of infection can occur in dense moist
crops. Sclerotia are often the same size and shape as
brassica seeds, so contaminated lines can account for
introduction into a crop.
Watery soft rot/sclerotinia on
swedes.
RYEGRASS
TRIALS
RYEGRASS
ENDOPHYTE
PASTURE
RENEWAL
PASTURE
MANAGEMENT
PASTURE PESTS
& DISEASES
Prevention
and
management
Sowing certified disease free seed along with good
crop rotations minimises SC. Good cultivation is also
essential, to ensure that crop debris is broken down
and out of the planting zone when re-sowing into crop.
Sclerotia in kale stems.
BRASSICA
CULTIVARS
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
White blister rust (WBR)
WBR is a common fungal disease of weed brassicas that can spread to crops, caused by
the fungus Albugo candida.
White blisters form on the underside of leaves that
produce white spores. Chlorotic spots occur on the
upper leaf surface. Infection of the seed stalk and head
produces twisting and swelling (called 'stag’s head').
Leaf infection can often be found in association with
downy mildew (see page 166).
WBR is uncommon in leafy turnips.
Spores are readily airborne, with cool wet conditions
favouring WBR development. Seedlings are particularly
susceptible. WBR over-winters on volunteers and weeds.
WBR symptoms on underside
of turnip leaf.
Sowing certified seed minimises infection, while keeping weed populations in check
(especially shepherd’s purse) is extremely beneficial. If young crops are infected, a light
grazing may be considered to reduce infection.
BRASSICA
MANAGEMENT
BRASSICA PESTS
& DISEASES
SEED
TREATMENT
SEED
INFORMATION
WEEDS
GLOSSARY

Brassica diseases
170
Powdery Mildew
Summary
Identification
Importance
Spread
Prevention
and
management
Powdery Mildew (PM)
PM is caused by the fungus Erysiphe polygoni and is
a common minor disease of brassicas, mostly in late
summer and autumn.
Powdery fungal growth occurs on upper and lower
leaf surfaces. Leaves can become yellow and drop
prematurely.
Sometimes causes damage in summer sown forage
crops when going into winter.
PM resistant (left) vs.
susceptible cultivar (right) .
PM survives winter as a fungus on infected plants,
weeds or crop debris. Air-borne spores produced in
spring can land on susceptible plants, causing new infections. Spores are also released
after rain in autumn.
Normally, no control is required. There are a number of fungicides available which are
effective against PM, if it reaches high levels in high-value crops. The best prevention is
to use PM resistant cultivars.