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Pests
Thrips Scarring on Bell Pepper Fruit
Commonly affects: Capsicum annuum, Grossum Group (Bell Pepper)
Silvery streaks or a rough, corky, scarred texture develops on the fruit surface, distinct from sunscald or other environmental damage.
Potential Causes
- 1Thrips feeding on the fruit surface early in its development, leaving scarring that becomes more visible as the fruit expands and matures
- 2Warm conditions favouring thrips population growth
- 3Introduction from nearby infested plants or flowers
Solution Steps
- 1Use blue sticky traps to monitor and reduce adult thrips populations
- 2Apply insecticidal soap or a spinosad-based treatment for active infestations, particularly targeting flowers where thrips often concentrate
- 3Remove and destroy severely affected flowers or fruit
- 4Note that scarring on already-formed fruit is cosmetic and permanent, but the fruit is still edible
Prevention Tip
Thrips scarring on pepper fruit is cosmetic and doesn't affect edibility, but persistent thrips populations are worth controlling since they can also transmit certain viruses.
