What Causes Bell Pepper Plants to Lose Their Leaves?

Identification

• Pepper plants are susceptible to infestation from whiteflies and leafminers. The pests damage the plants causing loss of leaves or defoliation, as cited by the University of California Extension.

Description

• Whitflies are very small, winged yellow insects that range in size from 0.06 to 1.5 mm in length. The pests collect in large number under foliage and suck plant juice or sap. Damage results in stunted plant growth and defoliation. Leafminers are black flies with a distinct yellow marking on the thorax. The larva are most damaging to foliage and cause heavy defoliation and premature leaf drop with their feeding.

Management

• Control leafminers with natural predators like parasitic wasps. Organic control options include spinosad and azadirachtin. Effectively control whiteflies in bell pepper plants with the use of insecticides including pyriproxyfen, acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Also, introduce natural predators like lacewing larvae, lady beetle larvae or bigeyed bugs in infested plants.