Phyllosticta symptoms in prickly pears are most prevalent and plants with the disease are at risk of cosmetic and vigor damage. · phyllosticta pad spot is one of the fungal diseases that affect cacti in the opuntia family. [2][3] the species was first formally described by the mycologist fred jay seaver in 1922. · a website for gardeners has put out an article on how to treat phyllosticta fungus infections in prickly pear cacti. Rot, a prevalent fungal issue, often appears as soft, mushy areas on the pads or at the plant’s base. Neither is good news, but both can be managed with a little tlc. Infection results in a rather moist light brown rot which shows many light pink pustules on the surface. The pathogen spreads by blowing rain or water and develops under moist conditions. An infection appears as lesions that are covered in small black fruiting bodies. Phyllosticta concava, also known as opuntia dry rot[1] or prickly pear brown spot, is a species of fungus that infects opuntia cactus, leaving discolored circular depressions in the pads. · phyllosticta pad spot, sometimes referred to as dry rot, is in many areas the most common pad spot on prickly pear. This spores of this fungus land on the pads and feed on it, causing spots to appear. · fusarium and phyllosticta are two common fungal infections that affect these cacti. · recognizing early signs of fungal infection on prickly pear cacti is important for timely intervention. Fusarium manifests as dark spots on the pads, while phyllosticta leaves behind small, yellowish spots that gradually turn brown. This disease affects several kinds of cacti, cereus, echinocactus, mammillaria, and particularly opuntia ( prickly pear ).
