Diseases of Hop:

Identification and Management

David H. Gent
USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Corvallis, Oregon
Available at shopapspress.org
Yield-Limiting Pests in PNW
Powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis)
Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli)
Virus/Viroid complex (4 viruses, 2 viroids)
Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)
Hop Aphid (Phorodon humuli)
Other pests:
Lepidoperta species, Garden Symphylan, California
Prionus Beetle
Alternaria cone disorder, Fusariumcanker and cone
tip blight, Vertcilliumwilt, Red Crown Rot, Black Root
Rot
Powdery Mildew
Fungus: Podosphaera macularis
Survival: infected buds and
sexual spores (chasmothecia)
Spread: airborne spores,
leaf/buds of infected planting
materials, crop debris (sexual
spores)
Yield loss potential: 100% due to
crop rejection
Powdery Mildew
Powdery Mildew
Courtesy WFM
Lifecycle of P. macularis
Powdery Mildew Survival
Importance of Thorough Pruning
Importance of Thorough Pruning
Pruning Quality
10.4% 21.2% 11.9% 4.4% All
10.4% 25.1% 5.5% 4.9% >0.5%
13.8% 74.1% 19.2% 11.9% 0-0.5
9.3% 21.2% 12.4% 2.1% 0
All Poor Moderate Excellent % Flagshoots
n = 50 yards evaluated in 2000, 2005, and 2006; 12 OR and 38 WA
Powdery Mildew Incidence on
Leaves and Cones are Related
Leaf incidence
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
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0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
No fungicide
Fungicide
Leaf incidence
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
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0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
2001
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Registered Powdery Mildew
Fungicides (in PNW)
plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu
Timing and interval critical;
Side effects on mites
Good-Excellent Sulfur
Possible side-effects on mites Good Rally/Sonoma
Excellent Quintec
Downy mildew suppression Excellent Pristine
Possible P.G.R. Good Orius/Folicur
Possible phyto. Moderate Oils
Downy mildew suppression Good-Excellent Flint
Tank-mix Moderate Bicarbonates
28 day PHI Good-Excellent Accrue
Notes Efficacy Fungicide
14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Moderate pressure Hi gh pressure
Quintec 6 fl oz
Quintec 4, 6 & 8
fl oz
Flint alt. Accrue
Flint alt. Folicur
Accrue alt.
Folicur
Rally
Non-treated
Effect of disease pressure on fungicide efficacy
%

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Powdery Mildew Management
Reduce disease pressure throughout season to
DELAY and REDUCE RATE of epidemic
Early control measures key
Thorough pruning, timely first spray
Select resistant varieties, if possible
Susceptible: Glacier, Perle, Saaz
Resistant/Tolerant: Nugget, Cascade
Avoid excessive nitrogen fertility
Mid- and late-season sucker control
Fungicide applications during burr and cone
development helpful to minimize cone infection
Early harvest can minimize crop loss when
powdery mildew is present
Downy Mildew
Fungus-like: Pseudoperonospora
humuli
Survival: infected rootstock,
perhaps sexual spores in soil
(oospores)
Spread: airborne spores, infected
planting materials, soil/crop
debris?
Yield loss potential: 100% due to
plant death and/or crop rejection
B. Englehard
Downy Mildew
Spikes
Severe Late Spring Downy Mildew
Photo courtesy Mark Nelson
Leaf Infections
Lifecycle of P. humuli on Hop
Mahaffee et al, 2009 Compendium of Hop Diseases and Pests
Survival in Systemically
Infected Roots and Plants
Association of Pruning Quality
and Downy Mildew Severity
Pruning quality
R
A
U
D
P
C
Poor Moderate Excellent
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
97 yards; 2005 -2008
Basal Growth Removal
Basal Foliage Removal and
Stripping of Lower Leaves
Registered Downy Mildew
Fungicides (in PNW)
plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu
Resistance problems in Oregon Good-Excellent Aliette
Various formulations; organic Moderate Copper
Timing critical; pH sensitive Good-Excellent Curzate
Suppression only Moderate Flint
Side effects on powdery mildew Moderate Folpan
Timing critical Good Forum/Acrobat
Many products Good Phosphorous acid
Excellent Tanos
Various formulations; resistance
widespread in parts of PNW
Excellent Ridomil
Suppression only Moderate Pristine
Notes Efficacy Fungicide
Downy Mildew Management
Early control measures key
Thorough pruning, late pruning, timely first spray
Plant disease-free rootstock
Avoid highly susceptible varieties
Susceptible: Nugget, Centennial, Hallertauer Mittlefrue
Tolerant: Perle, Fuggle, Willamette
Remove severely diseased plants
Promote air movement in canopy
Remove basal sucker growth
Manage irrigation to avoid prolonged wetness on leaf
and cones
Fungicide applications during disease conductive
weather, particularly wet weather > about 42F
Virus diseases
Apple mosaic virus
Virus: Apple mosaic virus
Survival: infected plant materials
Spread: infected planting
materials, mechanically in
infected sap, root grafting
Yield loss potential: varies
between varieties and years, 20-
30% commonly reported; poor
rooting
Virus diseases
Apple mosaic virus
Testing:
Commercial tests available, e.g.,
AgDia, university plant clinics
Management:
Plant virus free rootstock
Correct zinc deficiencies with foliar
applications to suppress symptom
expression
Chemical pruning instead of
mechanical pruning may reduce rate
of spread of Apple mosaic virus
Virus diseases
Carlaviruses
Viruses: American hop latent virus, Hop
mosaic virus, Hop latent virus
Survival: infected plant material
Spread: infected planting materials,
aphid vectors, mechanically in infected
sap, root grafting
Yield loss potential: generally assumed
to be minor, but some cultivars are
sensitive to hop mosaic (i.e., Golding-
types, Chinook); poor rooting
Virus diseases
Carlaviruses
Testing:
Commercial tests available,
e.g., AgDia, university plant
clinics
Management:
Plant virus free rootstock
Generally, no management
required for most varieties
Control of aphids may reduce
rate of spread
Viroiddiseases
Hop stunt viroid
Viroid: Hop stunt viroid
Survival: infected plant
materials, possible leaves
Spread: infected planting
materials, mechanically in
infected sap, root grafting
Yield loss potential: varies
between varieties and years;
50-80% yield loss reported in
Willamette and Glacier
Hop stunt viroid
Viroid-free Viroid-infected
Viroiddiseases
Hop stunt viroid
Testing:
Availability of testing limited;
perhaps a university plant clinic
Management:
Plant viroid free rootstock
Kill and eliminate all volunteer
plants before replanting a hop
yard
Remove infected plants
Clean equipment and knives
between fields
Chemical instead of mechanical
pruning may reduce rate of
spread
VerticilliumWilt
Fungus: Verticilliumalbo-atrum
and V. dahliae
Survival: overwintering structures
in soil and crop debris
Spread: infested soil, plant
debris, infected planting material
Yield loss potential: Up to 100%
with certain strains; typically less
than 10% in PNW
VerticilliumWilt
Verticilliumwilt
Management:
Obtain roots from disease-free
sources
Plant resistant/less susceptible
cultivars (e.g., Cascade)
Reduce nitrogen fertility rates
Long rotations (5 yrs+) to non-
hosts such as corn or wheat
Control weed hosts
Compost crop debris and do
not return compost to hop
yards
FusariumCanker
Fungus: Fusariumsambucinum
Survival: soil, crop debris,
diseased crowns
Spread: pathogen appears to
colonize wounds caused by insect
feeding or mechanical injury
Yield loss potential: not
quantified well, but generally
minor
Black Root Rot
Fungus: Phytophthora
citricola
Survival: sexual spores in soil,
other hosts
Spread: infested soil,
rootstock, most common on
poorly drained soils
Yield loss potential: not
quantified well, but generally
minor on well-drained soils
David Gent
David Gent
USDA
USDA
-
-
ARS
ARS
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Other Cone Diseases
Fusariumcone tip blight Downy Mildew
SJ P
B. Englehard
Alternaria Cone Disorder
S. J . Pethybridge
Associated with
wind damage,
high humidity,
wet nights/dry
days
Necrotic lesions
on tips of bracts
and bracteoles
1 to 25% of
cone area
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
22-J un 1-J ul 10-J ul 19-J ul 28-J ul 6-Aug 15-Aug
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Untreated
Synthetic
Stylet oil
Sulfur
Mites per leaf, high in canopy
4 3 2 1
Cone Damage Rating
100 cones per replicate plot; RCB blocked against rater; nonparametric analysis
Sulfur
Water