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Alienteaparty

White spots on cacti.

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Hello peeps

I seem to have yet another cacti dilemma. :unsure:

I'v noticed a few white splodges on two of my cacti about a week ago and i thought nothing of it.

Now about 5 have these splodges. they occur just under the skin and kind of burn a little hole in the cacti flesh after a while.

Its not sunburn because i moved a few of these cacti to a shady spot and they are still developing. iv crossed out scale as well simply because it looks nothing like scale. so i'm clueless as to what this could be.

IMG_20130410_165606.jpg

IMG_20130410_165620.jpg

Does anybody have any ideas as to what it could be and how to eliminate it?

Thanks again SAB peeps! :rolleyes:

Edited by Alienteaparty

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Its possibly the plant cells only just dying after being sunburnt, prior to being put in the shade?

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hrrm possibly.

But before this happened these cacti were in full sun all of summer and never showed a sign of sun damage until a few weeks ago. Its also happening to a few cacti that are in full shade.

I have a feeling it might be a sort of fungal infection, but i'm still not sure.

Thanks for the snappy response Nemisty!

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well if it is fungus it certainly won't hurt with a dust of sulphur, looks like a few orange spots too on pic2? are they part of the scenario?

but, how hot has it been? are they on one side (if yes side facing sun)? both sides?

Edited by qualia

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yea i think you are right.... some sort of virus or fungal infection, It almost looks like variegation that is caused by a pest or virus.... but i am no expert :P

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The brownish orange spots aren't a problem, probably just a bit of bruising. These pedros have been in full sun for about 1 year and they have been growing fine.

This summer the temps got up to 45 degrees a few days and they lived through it.

These spots only started to appear after it became a bit cooler.

It might actually be a bug because a few cacti on the other side of my yard have been displaying this as well and the damage that spidermites and aphids cause kinda looks like the chlorophyll has been sucked out from under the surface.

Come to think of it I have seen a few aphids on my caapi vine as of recent, but i wouldn't think aphids like cacti?

I might give them a dusting with sulfur and see what happens.

Thanks for the troubleshooting guys!

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sulfur will be fine as it shouldn't damage your cacti but if you are thinking of doing anything else maybe wait until one of the more experienced cacti head finds this thread,

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if they start to bleed a bit of black then I'd say sunburn...happened to a couple of mine when we had a couple of slightly hotter days.

Afternoon sun.

Edited by space cadet 101

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You might want to segregate that from your other cacti. It might be nothing to worry about but it could be something like a virus or phytoplasma.

When you say they kind of burn a little hole... Could it be there is a small hole there all along and this is an infection being spread by some sort of an insect with a piercing mouth?

Edited by trucha
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Agree with Trout. Picture is pretty bad as it has a distorted contrast but it seems to me that there is an infection wound somewhere in the middle. Could even be sunburn. Sun scar leaves a hole and infections get in. Think this might be temporary.

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Looks like pest attack on the new growth.

They are often vectors for secondary infections.

High humidity can encourage them.

Edited by MikeyMagic

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Thanks for the responses guys. I still have no idea what it could be.

I will try some sulfur, but i am worried because the white spots are spreading. :o

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Are you able to get some better pictures of the white spots?

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