Family Solanaceae 305 



The conidiophores of the fungus are formed in 

 clusters on both surfaces of the spots. The conidia 

 are dilutely brown, clavate, and several septate. 



SOUTHERN BLIGHT 

 Caused by Sclerotium Rolsfsu Sacc. 



Blight is a disease which is commonly met with in 

 the Southern States. It often causes considerable 

 losses, owing to the fact that a great percentage of the 

 plants is killed at the bearing age. 



Symptoms. Affected plants become apparent by 

 the drooping of the young leaves at the tips of the 

 branches. At night the plant recovers and it appears 

 normal the next morning. This, however, is a tem- 

 porary condition. Wilting generally progresses, and 

 after three to four days the leaves yellow completely, 

 wilt, droop, and die. In another day the stem of the 

 plant loses its green color, dries, and dies. On pull- 

 ing out a plant freshly wilted, we find a shrunken 

 discolored area at the foot of the stem, slightly be- 

 low ground level. In more advanced stages, the 

 shrunken area is covered by a delicate web of white 

 mycelial threads (fig. 57 g), and after the death of 

 the plant numerous brown mustardlike sclerotia are 

 found on the surface of the affected tissue. 



The seriousness of blight is that it attacks not only 

 the pepper but also the tomato, eggplant, Irish po- 

 tato, sweet potato, beets, beans, cowpeas, cabbage, 

 squash, watermelon, rhubarb, and numerous other 

 plants. 



