Help with pest or disease identification

[ComfortablyNumb]

That looks like grasshopper damage causing branch death. Is it just one branch? They eat away at the plants on the branches and can totally do that.

Nah, grasshoppers would have stripped all the leaves first.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

@BionicKroniK and I are discussing this at home and she made a great point. Since this is a nutrient issue, you should have the soil tested to see whats missing. Obviously, we've never seen this and it would be wonderful to learn from it, and how to prevent it.

 

[Mudd.and.Me]

@BionicKroniK and I are discussing this at home and she made a great point. Since this is a nutrient issue, you should have the soil tested to see whats missing. Obviously, we've never seen this and it would be wonderful to learn from it, and how to prevent it.

Great idea! I will try to find a place for testing tomorrow. I will definitely share what I find out!

 

[Mugwort]

Hi CN.

I had one of our plant pathologists look at your photo. We both agree this looks like a nutrient deficiency, not a disease. I would not be worried about it from a quality perspective. You should make sure the soil or hydroponic water is at an optimal pH and apply fertilizer with macro and micronutrients and it should clear up in the new growth.

DeWayne Shoemaker
Professor and Department Head
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

How’s that for some helpful and expert advice! What essential nutrient(s) do you guys think are most likely in shortage?

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

How’s that for some helpful and expert advice! What essential nutrient(s) do you guys think are most likely in shortage?

Thats a good question, hence the testing.

 

[Mudd.and.Me]

Any suggestions for soil testing? The local ag extension office takes 3-4 weeks for results!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Any suggestions for soil testing? The local ag extension office takes 3-4 weeks for results!

Not really. The Ag office is free, so I'd wait.

 

[PauliBhoy]

Nah, grasshoppers would have stripped all the leaves first.

Not mine! They like to hang out on the stems and munch on them, they aren't interested in the leaves at all.
They will strip the entire outer layer of a stem and work their way down it at a rate of about an inch every 1-2 days. They typically just eat one side like in the photos which can compromise the structural stability of the stem.

I imagine they don't mess with the leaves because they aren't sturdy enough to hang out on, while the stems are. These things are up to 2 inches long and pretty heavy.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Not mine! They like to hang out on the stems and munch on them, they aren't interested in the leaves at all.
They will strip the entire outer layer of a stem and work their way down it at a rate of about an inch every 1-2 days. They typically just eat one side like in the photos which can compromise the structural stability of the stem.

Your grasshoppers are stoned dude.

 

[Mudd.and.Me]

Your grasshoppers are stoned dude.

Not mine! They like to hang out on the stems and munch on them, they aren't interested in the leaves at all.
They will strip the entire outer layer of a stem and work their way down it at a rate of about an inch every 1-2 days. They typically just eat one side like in the photos which can compromise the structural stability of the stem.

I imagine they don't mess with the leaves because they aren't sturdy enough to hang out on, while the stems are. These things are up to 2 inches long and pretty heavy.

I see a little damage on the leaves but have only seen the grasshoppers on the stems. The grasshoppers around here are huge too!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

In texas one year, we had a grasshopper invasion. In 2 days our entire garden was gone. Stripped bare to the ground, no leaves, no stalks, no nuthin. They even ate tha ones we killed.
It was localized, thank god, I've heard of grasshopper swarms that cover entire counties.

 

[Mudd.and.Me]

In texas one year, we had a grasshopper invasion. In 2 days our entire garden was gone. Stripped bare to the ground, no leaves, no stalks, no nuthin. They even ate tha ones we killed.
It was localized, thank god, I've heard of grasshopper swarms that cover entire counties.

Damn...that had to be heart breaking. They are pretty ruthless here in Oklahoma but only see then a few at a time.

 

[mike1980]

Almost looks like hemp borer went at her

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Grasshoppers invade western US in largest swarms in decades, plaguing farmers and ranchers - Strange Sounds

Hunger is not far away! Grasshoppers invade western US in largest swarms in decades, plaguing farmers and ranchers

strangesounds.org

Grasshoppers Swarm North Texas

Experts say the dry spring left North Texans with an extra-large crop of grasshoppers again this year.

www.nbcdfw.com

In one year, 12 trillion locusts devastated the Great Plains—and then they went extinct

They ate ‘everything but the mortgage’

timeline.com

 

[PauliBhoy]

In texas one year, we had a grasshopper invasion. In 2 days our entire garden was gone. Stripped bare to the ground, no leaves, no stalks, no nuthin. They even ate tha ones we killed.
It was localized, thank god, I've heard of grasshopper swarms that cover entire counties.

Wow, that almost sounds like locusts! We're lucky the Rocky Mountain locust went extinct a long time ago. One swam in 1875 was estimated to cover almost 200,000 sq. miles from Nebraska to Missouri!

Really I only have issues with grasshoppers in the greenhouse, and specifically on my big bushy moms that make the little buggars hard to spot. Not a problem on a few plants but I have around 100 of them in late spring/early summer which seems to be their peak period. Seems like once they get in there, their preferred food source - grass? - is missing so they go after the cannabis. I think need to find a trap crop for them. I'm thinking next year I'll grow a few pots with oats to see if that lures them away from the important plants.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I saw a show (Nat Geo I think) that showed that Locusts are grasshoppers that have been 'mutated' by animal protein.
They eat only plants and such until their population reaches some point where they turn cannibal. The 'animal' protein they eat does something to them and causes them to swarm and destroy everything in their path.

Found this one, but Its not the same one. Good info though.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Hey, All you outdoor growers, Don't grow in grasshopper season! Once in every so many years.... Can they predict it?

 

[Capetowncheese]

I have the same problem, i do not believe it to be nutrient related. I have seen it spread from a cut i got ,to my weed & tomatoes. i think its blight or atleast some fungal pathogen (hope its not a virus)