Pepper Diseases 169 



of the affected stems, leaves, or pods. The pycni- 

 dial stage is known as Ascochyta pisi Lib. The win- 

 ter or ascospore stage has only recently been discov-^ 

 ered by Stone,* who found it on pods and stems 

 previously aflFected, and on culture media. The fun- 

 gus may be carried frwn year to year as dormant 

 mycelium within the seed, or in the ascospore stage. 

 Control. Seed treatment will not be of any value 

 since the fungus is hidden within the seed. No out- 

 side treatment is capable of reaching the parasite 

 within. Seed should be secured from localities 

 known to be free from the disease. Susceptible 

 varieties, such as French Jime, Market Garden, 

 American Wonder, should be discarded. The Alaska 

 variety is said to be more resistant. 



Pepper (^Capsicum annum). 



Cultural Considerations. Peppers are not diffi- 

 cult to force, although they are not extensively 

 grown on a oxnmercial scale in the greenhouse. 

 Peppers thrive best at a temperature slightly lower 

 than that required by cucumbers (see p. 133). The 

 Sweet Mountain variety seems to lend itself best 

 to forcing. 



Diseases of the Pepper 



The pepper plant is considered comparatively 

 hardy, and its few diseases usually become trouble- 

 some only when the crop is neglected. 



Sun Burn (fig. ^ d), see p. 94. 

 *Ston^ R. £., Annales MycoL, xo: 564-5931 1913. 



