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Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Vegetable > Cauliflower > Brown leaves

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Cauliflower > Leaves > Brown leaves

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  • Image: Black Rot 1
  • Image: 3
  • Image: Black Rot 2

Black Rot
Xanthomonas campestris

  • Leaves wilt, turn yellow and eventually turn brown and die
  • Yellow V-shaped lesions develop on margin of leaves, the point of the v follows a vein towards the base of the leaf
  • Black veins can be seen in infected leaves, petioles and stems
  • Sticky yellowish liquid bacterial ooze may be seen if infected veins are cut
  • Disease favored by hot, humid conditions
  • Cauliflower head turns uniformly brown when infected
  • More information on Black rot
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  • Image: Fusarium Wilt 1
  • Image: Fusarium Wilt 2

Fusarium Wilt (Yellows)
Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. conglutinans

  • Affected leaves wilt, eventually turn brown, become dry and brittle, and may fall off
  • Plant has a yellowish-green overall color that often occurs only on one side of the plant
  • Lower leaves yellow first, yellowing progresses up the plant
  • Stem and midrib of the leaf curve to one side
  • Veins in affected leaves are yellowish brown
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  • Image: Head Rot 1
  • - CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE -

Bottom Rot/Head Rot
Rhizoctonia solani

  • Leaves turn yellow/brown and wilt
  • Bottom of lower leaf develops sunken, black, and elliptical lesions parallel to the midrib of the leaf
  • Dark cobweb-like or cotton-like fungal growth develops between diseased leaves
  • Disease may be limited to the lowest leaves or may start at the bottom of the plant and move up through wrapper leaves into the cabbage head

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