Causal Agent: 

Fungus (Colletotrichum spp.)

Characteristic Symptoms:
 
Fruit lesions are circular and sunken spots with mass of orange or peach-colored spores (C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum) or concentric rings of black acervuli (C. capsici).
   
Fruits may be infected at the early stage but symptoms are expressed at maturity when conditions are favorable for infection.
   
Conditions for Disease Development:
 
The pathogen is soil-borne and overwinters on plant debris from infected crops and in other plant species
   
Spores produced on foliage can be carried through rain splashes to the developing green fruit.
   
Although symptoms do not appear until the fruit is ripening, the infection actually occurs when fruits are small and green.
   
Diseased fruit, foliage and stems are source of secondary inoculum, which spreads from plant to plant in the field.
   
The disease is favoured by moderate temperature (20-24°C) and frequent rainfall.
   
Management and Control:
 
Use pathogen-free seed.
   
Remove and destroy infected plants/fruits as soon as symptoms are observed to minimize spread of disease.
   
Avoid overhead irrigation or prolonged moisture to minimize disease severity.
   
Staking increases air movement and may help reduce infection in the field.
   
Crop rotation for 2-3 years may help reduce inoculum in the soil.
   
Harvest fruit before it fully ripens.
   
Apply copper-based fungicides (e.g. Cupravit®, Super BlueⓇ, Vitigran blueⓇ, FunguranⓇ, KocideⓇ, Hydroxide superⓇ) at early fruit set when conditions are favorable.  
   
Application of other fungicides like difenoconazole (e.g. ScoreⓇ, MontanaⓇ, PursueⓇ, BashⓇ), difenoconazole+proficonazole (e.g. ArmureⓇ), Pyraclostrobin (e.g. Cabrio 25 ECⓇ),  Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 (e.g. Serenade®, Virtuoso®) and azoxystrobin (Amistar®, MiradorⓇ, RobatoⓇ).
   
References:
AVRDC Factsheet. AVRDC Publication 04-574 (2004) at www.avrdc.org; Compendium of Pepper Diseases (2003) by APS
   

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