Coffee
Brown Eye Spot
Mycosphaerella coffeicola
Fungus
In a Nutshell
- Brown spots with yellow halos on leaves, smaller on berries.
- Severe infections cause early leaf fall and stem dieback.
Can also be found in
Coffee
Symptoms
Circular brown spots with light-brown/grey centers, surrounded by a wide dark brown ring and and yellow halos, around 15 mm wide appear on leaves. The spots mostly occur between the veins and also on the margins. Sometimes spots grow into large blotches, and a leaf bligh occurs. This usually happens in cooler, wet areas above 600 m altitude. Infections on the berries are generally smaller, around 5 mm wide, but sometimes they cover the whole berry. Generally, they are more irregular in shape than on the leaves, and mainly on the side exposed to the sun. In severe cases, premature leaf fall and stem dieback can occur.
Recommendations
Organic Control
As of today, no biological control solution seems to be available against this disease. Please contact us if you know of any.
Chemical Control
Always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological treatments if available. If it is required, use products such as coppers or triazoles. Apply sprays of copper for three months beginning at flowering. Note, copper fungicides may kill beneficial insects.
What caused it?
The spots are caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella coffeicola. It favors periods of high humidity, high rainfall, warm temperatures and drought stress, especially after the flowering stage. The pathogen survives in leaf debris. The spores are spread by wind and rain splash, and through human movement through fields, particularly when plants are wet and need water to germinate. Young and unshaded trees are most vulnerable.
Preventive Measures
- Arrange the nursery with enough space and airflow, with around 35-65% shade.
- Provide adequate nutrition, particularly nitrogen and potassium.
- Implement a drainage system.
- In plantations make sure to minimize plant stress by providing the recommended nutrients and an adequate drainage.
- Prune plants to allow airflow in the canopy.
- Remove pruned debris from the field to prevent possible reinfection.
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