Yellowing leaves and yellow spots on eggplants are not the same. This post is for gardeners who are noticing yellow spots on their eggplant leaves.
If you see your eggplant leaves turning yellow, there might be several reasons (overwatering, underwatering, nutrient deficiency, or environmental stress). But if you see dots like yellow spots all over the leaves, and it's spreading rapidly, it’s usually a sign of a fungal or pest problem, such as spider mites, flea beetles, or early blight.
I will explain clearly how to find the exact reason and how to treat your eggplant accordingly.
I love organic gardening, and this is the reason I have faced a countless number of plant diseases and pest infestations. I didn’t take pictures of all of them since I wasn’t writing about them back then, but I do have a few photos that I’m sharing in this article. For other pests, I’ll take pictures when I encounter them and update this article with new examples. For now, I’m adding the written symptoms in a simple way so you can easily identify the problem and find the best solution for treating your eggplant.
Yellow spots on eggplant leaves caused by spider mites
Let's start with spider mites first...
I usually examine the spots and compare them with diseases or pest problems. After I get a good match, I start treating.
Look closely at the above eggplant leaf. The leaf shows hundreds of tiny yellow dots (stippling).
The pattern is very fine and evenly spread, not round fungal spots. Leaf is not mushy, instead slightly dry looking.
One more thing that I noticed, yellowing is actually speckled, not patchy. This is the exact symptom of mites sucking sap from the underside of leaves.
To be more sure, you can flip the leaf and check the back side of the leaf.
You should check if any of these exist:
- Tiny moving dots (mites)
- Very fine webbing
- Dust-like particles
If you are finding similarity with my given symptoms, it's definitely attacked by spider mites.
How to treat?
Always try organic methods first.
Spray the undersides of the leaves heavily with Neem oil (0.5%–1%)
Or mild soap water (1 teaspoon liquid soap per 1 liter of water).
Spider mites on eggplant mostly attack on undersides, but for better results, you may spray on both sides of the leaves.
Note: Spider mites can multiply extremely fast ( far faster than you can think). I recommend applying the spray every 3 days for 2 weeks at least ( If you start noticing the new leaves are healthy and fine, do not stop the neem oil before you complete the 2-week dose ).
I know some gardeners personally who applied neem oil only 1 or 2 times and did not get good results. And they consider neemoil as not worth applying.
It's organic, and it really takes time to show results. Have some patience.
Now move to the other possible reasons...
Tip: Remove the heavily infested leaves to slow the spread rate.
Round yellow spots with dark brown centers - Fungal disease (early blight or cercospora leaf spot) on eggplant leaves
If you witness a yellow circle around a brown or black spot, just monitor those spots for a couple of days.
If the spots are getting bigger in size day by day, it's definitely a fungal disease and very easy to treat.
One more major symptom is "Lower leaves show symptoms first."
How to treat?
The most effective method:
Use Copper Fungicide (strongest organic option). Use copper oxychloride or copper hydroxide.
Apply once every 7–10 days, but only as needed. ( The amount should be as per the directions on the product.)
If you identify the spots at the very first stage, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 liter of water, few drops of soap. Put it in a spray bottle and apply weekly.
Small scattered holes + yellow edges around the holes on eggplant leaves
Flea beetles are usually responsible for creating scattered holes. There must be yellow edges around the holes.
Symptoms:
- Tiny “shot holes” in leaves
- Leaves look perforated
- Yellowing around each hole
- Plant growth is slower than expected.
Treatment
Again, neem oil is the winner.
Mix 5ml neemoil, 1 liter water, and 4–5 drops mild liquid soap. Now use a spray bottle and spray every 3–4 days for 2 weeks.
Note: The flea beetles hide under the leaves and branches as well. Make sure you spray on both sides of the eggplant leaves and on the branches too.
I promise myself to write about each and every plant issue that I encounter in my garden. Whenever I face a new issue with my plant, I try different methods to treat it. Then I bring the best solution here in my blog. If you find it helpful, please subscribe to this site and become a premium member.
This is something that motivates me the most to write more while gardening. (Even a free subscription will be appreciated)
