PEA DISEASES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

Authors: Grunwald, Niklaus - Nik; Larsen, Richard; CHEN, W - WSU, PULLMAN

Submitted to: Disease Management of Fruits and Vegetables, Volume II: Vegetable Diseases
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2004
Citation: GRUNWALD, N.J., LARSEN, R.C., CHEN, W. PEA DISEASES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. DISEASE MANAGEMENT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, VOLUME II: VEGETABLE DISEASES. IN PRESS.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Peas are grown worldwide as either dry peas used for human or animal consumption or as fresh, processing peas. One particular characteristic of pea agronomy that has implications for disease management is that peas are usually the first crop sown in spring and thus are often planted into cold and wet soils. Peas are affected by a number of bacterial, fungal, viral, and nematode diseases. These diseases, under the right conditions, can significantly decrease both yield and quality. In this chapter we divide pea diseases broadly into soilborne, airborne and viral diseases, a convenient classification when it comes to managing these different diseases. Important groups of organisms causing soilborne diseases on pea include fungi, bacteria, and nematodes. Soilborne fungal diseases discussed in this chapter include seedling diseases, root rots and wilts. The pea cyst, the root knot and the root-lesion nematodes cause soilborne nematode diseases. Fungi and bacteria cause major foliar diseases of pea. Foliar diseases caused by fungal pathogens include white mold, powdery mildew, downy mildew and Ascochyta blight. Important bacterial diseases include bacterial blight as well as brown spot. Finally, major diseases caused by viruses include Alfalfa mosaic virus, Bean leafroll virus, Pea enation mosaic virus, Pea streak virus, Red clover vein mosaic virus and Pea seedborne mosaic virus.