Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch
Horse chestnut leaf blotch
Common name
Horse chestnut leaf blotch
Causal agent
Horse chestnut leaf blotch is a fungal disease caused by a fungus in the genus Phyllosticta. Although it is not a lethal disease, it can make the plants look unappealing and unattractive.
Scientific name
Phyllosticta paviae
Symptoms & Signs
It shows brown, necrotic blotches along with yellow margins on the leaves. The leaves may shrivel over time, giving a dehydrated appearance. It mostly attacks the red and white flowered chestnut plants. In some cases, small, water-soaked lesions with fruiting bodies of the fungus may also be visible. The lesions may cause early leaf drop due to damage to the foliage.
Transmission
The spores develop in the infected leaves and spread to other plants through wind and water. Warm, wet weather increases the risk of the spread of horse chestnut leaf blotch.
Time of concern
Throughout the summer
Common hosts
Aesculus hippocastanum
- × carnea