Knowledgebase
Eggplant damage: pest, disease, deficiency? #827233
Asked April 26, 2023, 5:53 AM EDT
Started two varieties of eggplants indoors: Rosita and Shiromaru's. Once they were established sprouts, the Rosita's began to have what looked like spotted golden flakes appearing on the leaves. A few days later there was leaf curling and holes in the leaves. The room has other nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, peppers) but only the eggplants where affected. I have inspected the underside of the leaves and can see no visible pest. Any idea on what could be happening, and can I save them?
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Elizabeth,
It appears the two varieties of eggplant that you planted are lovely heirloom varieties, which unfortunately do not always have a tolerance or trait for disease resistance.
I believe your eggplant seedlings have developed some type of fungus - probably verticillium wilt. I have attached a link where you can read more information about the diseases that affect ,specifically, eggplant.
Since this fungus, and many other diseases can spread from plant to plant, I would advise that you remove and discard them so they don't infect your other plants. It would be in your best interest to start the planting season with healthy plants that will produce abundant fruit.
I would recommend taking the plastic trays themselves and immerse them in into a water/bleach solution to sanitize them thoroughly before putting your remaining plants back into them.
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/eggplant/verticillium-wilt/
I hope the rest of your gardening season is happy and productive!
