Can I save seeds from peppers with anthracnose

ScottinAtlanta · August 27, 2020

Folks, I have had a base case of anthracnose on my peppers for the first time ever.

I was cutting up some bad fruit for the seeds, when I realized that I might NOT be able to save seeds this year!.....!......!

Can I, or can I treat the seeds to kill the virus?

mcsee · August 28, 2020

They're doomed Scott. A Virus is a Virus and the seeds will carry it.

ScottinAtlanta · August 28, 2020

What if this disease is actually Bacterial spot? Is the same true?

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topic...per-vegetables
You can minimize problems with bacterial spot by following these tips:

Select resistant varieties
Purchase disease-free seed and transplants.
Treat seeds by soaking them for 2 minutes in a 10% chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach; 9 parts water). Thoroughly rinse seeds and dry them before planting.
Mulch plants deeply with a thick organic material like newspaper covered with straw or grass clippings.
Avoid overhead watering.
Remove and discard badly infected plant parts and all debris at the end of the season.
Spray every 10-14 days with fixed copper (organic fungicide) to slow down the spread of infection.
Rotate peppers to a different location if infections are severe and cover the soil with black plastic mulch or black landscape fabric prior to planting.

ddsack · August 28, 2020

Anthracnose is a fungal disease, not a virus.
https://www.gardentech.com/disease/anthracnose

No expert here, but I would go with the bleach treatment and keep the seeds for your own use if you want.

ScottinAtlanta · August 28, 2020

Thanks. If I trial the seeds, when would the bacterial spot show up? At the seedling stage?

I would rather not throw away a whole seasons worth of seeds for 20 varieties.

RayR · August 29, 2020

There are different fungal agents that fit under Anthracnose. The infection occurs on the outside of the pepper usually during the ripening stage when spores are are splashed up from the soil.
If the infection has progressed to where fruiting bodies have formed on the inside of the pepper then it is likely that the seed will be carrying Anthracnose spores on the seed coat.
I agree that a short bleach treatment on the seed coat to kill the spores is probably a good idea.

dmforcier · September 7, 2020

As a matter of course, I do my overnight pre-germination soak in an H2O2 solution. That has the approximate effect of bleach, but maybe add a few drops of bleach at the end? Good luck.

August 27, 2020	#1
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Can I save seeds from peppers with anthracnose Folks, I have had a base case of anthracnose on my peppers for the first time ever. I was cutting up some bad fruit for the seeds, when I realized that I might NOT be able to save seeds this year!.....!......! Can I, or can I treat the seeds to kill the virus?

August 28, 2020	#3
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	What if this disease is actually Bacterial spot? Is the same true? https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topic...per-vegetables You can minimize problems with bacterial spot by following these tips: Select resistant varieties Purchase disease-free seed and transplants. Treat seeds by soaking them for 2 minutes in a 10% chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach; 9 parts water). Thoroughly rinse seeds and dry them before planting. Mulch plants deeply with a thick organic material like newspaper covered with straw or grass clippings. Avoid overhead watering. Remove and discard badly infected plant parts and all debris at the end of the season. Spray every 10-14 days with fixed copper (organic fungicide) to slow down the spread of infection. Rotate peppers to a different location if infections are severe and cover the soil with black plastic mulch or black landscape fabric prior to planting. Last edited by ScottinAtlanta; August 28, 2020 at 08:12 AM.

August 28, 2020	#4
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	Anthracnose is a fungal disease, not a virus. https://www.gardentech.com/disease/anthracnose No expert here, but I would go with the bleach treatment and keep the seeds for your own use if you want. __________________ Dee **************

September 7, 2020	#7
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	As a matter of course, I do my overnight pre-germination soak in an H2O2 solution. That has the approximate effect of bleach, but maybe add a few drops of bleach at the end? Good luck. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

August 28, 2020	#2
mcsee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Victoria. Australia Posts: 543	They're doomed Scott. A Virus is a Virus and the seeds will carry it.

August 29, 2020	#6
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	There are different fungal agents that fit under Anthracnose. The infection occurs on the outside of the pepper usually during the ripening stage when spores are are splashed up from the soil. If the infection has progressed to where fruiting bodies have formed on the inside of the pepper then it is likely that the seed will be carrying Anthracnose spores on the seed coat. I agree that a short bleach treatment on the seed coat to kill the spores is probably a good idea.