Water Spinach Disease

[Jeffepro]

I'm growing water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in a pot in my backyard. This plant, and it seems a lot of my plants in the yard, grow well for a while, then seem to succumb to some sort of illness. My backyard is beside a lake. I assume that fungi are an issue due to the proximity to the lake and my general location (Thailand). Attached is a photo of the water spinach leaves, the white stuff is on the underside of the leaves. The plant begins yellowing when the white stuff appears. It looks like something is also eating the leaves, but, this hasn't been a major issue.

The other leaf is from another plant in the yard, I don't know the plant type. It also has a similar white substance on the leaves, but accompanied by some type of dark-colored parasite or other things.

Any ideas what diseases these are and what I can do. Since I'm going to eat the spinach, I don't want to use any chemical-type treatments.

 

[Chuck]

I'm growing water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in a pot in my backyard. This plant, and it seems a lot of my plants in the yard, grow well for a while, then seem to succumb to some sort of illness. My backyard is beside a lake. I assume that fungi are an issue due to the proximity to the lake and my general location (Thailand). Attached is a photo of the water spinach leaves, the white stuff is on the underside of the leaves. The plant begins yellowing when the white stuff appears. It looks like something is also eating the leaves, but, this hasn't been a major issue.

The other leaf is from another plant in the yard, I don't know the plant type. It also has a similar white substance on the leaves, but accompanied by some type of dark-colored parasite or other things.

Any ideas what diseases these are and what I can do. Since I'm going to eat the spinach, I don't want to use any chemical-type treatments.

I don't think it is a fungus at all. I am sure that the white things are eggs. I don't know what kind of insect or caterpillar the eggs are from but it looks like from the pics two different kinds of eggs, one round and one elongated. On the first pic it looks like some type of caterpillars have already hatched out and are crawling around, or perhaps those eggs are more mature. Have you gone out at night with a flashlight and looked around? Have you rubbed the eggs to see if there is any liquids inside or some kind of discoloration? Are those parasite/caterpillars mobile or are they stuck to the leaves and don't move? It almost looks like they might be some sort of scale insect. Being in Thailand I doubt if you can find Spinosad but if you can it will safely take care of any caterpillar or insect. I am pretty sure you can find a product with Neem Oil as the active ingredient. Neem will take care of some fungi, most all chewing insects, scale and will smother the eggs. Both products are organic and safe.


P.S. What can you tell me about a bean that grows in Thailand called the Winged Bean?

 

[Jeffepro]

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the reply, I'll try to find a product with Neem Oil.

Attached are some better photos I took through a magnifying glass. I think these are two different issues and I probably should have posted them separately:
Water spinach - The white spots do not appear to be eggs, as they're very irregularly-shaped and not filled with anything. To me, it looks similar to bacterial colonies when you grow them on an agar plate.
House Plant - Nothing is moving on these, but, it's easy to see now that it's some type of insect, worm, or other animal. The white spots look like maybe hatched eggs, with the growing larvae inside, and then there are small brown ones, and large brown ones. The large ones are very hard and don't easily come off. the white ones can be rubbed off and are filled with a yellowish substance.

I don't know much about the winged bean, but, sounds interesting after reading about it. I think I've eaten them, but, never tried to grow them. I'm actually very new to gardening, so there's a lot I would like to try when I have more time.

 

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the reply, I'll try to find a product with Neem Oil.

Attached are some better photos I took through a magnifying glass. I think these are two different issues and I probably should have posted them separately:
Water spinach - The white spots do not appear to be eggs, as they're very irregularly-shaped and not filled with anything. To me, it looks similar to bacterial colonies when you grow them on an agar plate.
House Plant - Nothing is moving on these, but, it's easy to see now that it's some type of insect, worm, or other animal. The white spots look like maybe hatched eggs, with the growing larvae inside, and then there are small brown ones, and large brown ones. The large ones are very hard and don't easily come off. the white ones can be rubbed off and are filled with a yellowish substance.

I don't know much about the winged bean, but, sounds interesting after reading about it. I think I've eaten them, but, never tried to grow them. I'm actually very new to gardening, so there's a lot I would like to try when I have more time.

From what you have described I think that the houseplant has some type of scale insect. They will probably end up stuck to the plant almost like a barnacle on a piling. Smother them with Neem. On the spinach what exactly happens when you rub your finger across the eggs or spores or whatever they are? Does it end up looking like cotton or is it almost like a liquid or like dust?

 

[Jeffepro]

The spots on the spinach are fairly difficult to rub off, it's a bit dry and seems to turn into a powdery substance on my fingers, but it's not completely dry and doesn't blow away. I was looking at the spinach and noticed dark grainy objects that look like droppings, when I looked closely at all the leaves I found a caterpillar on one. That's the only one I've ever noticed on either plant. Attached is the picture, it looks like it's been eating the leaves and maybe producing the droppings. I don't imagine that's the related to the white spots under the leaves?

 

[Chuck]

The spots on the spinach are fairly difficult to rub off, it's a bit dry and seems to turn into a powdery substance on my fingers, but it's not completely dry and doesn't blow away. I was looking at the spinach and noticed dark grainy objects that look like droppings, when I looked closely at all the leaves I found a caterpillar on one. That's the only one I've ever noticed on either plant. Attached is the picture, it looks like it's been eating the leaves and maybe producing the droppings. I don't imagine that's the related to the white spots under the leaves?

That looks like a type of cabbage looper. Look up cabbage looper and cabbage looper eggs. Their eggs look like the one's on the spinach, little fuzzy looking white balls. If they are looper eggs they will all hatch at the same time and you will start to notice tiny holes in the leaves. The absolute best thing to eliminate caterpillars is a product with the active ingredient Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

 

[Jeffepro]

Thanks again Chuck, I've been a busy but will follow up with your suggestions. The caterpillar definitely does look like a cabbage looper.