Sunburn

by Sherrie Smith and Jason Pavel

Pepper Sunburn – Abiotic

Photo by Sherrie Smith, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension

Can plants sunburn?

Yes, they can! In the spring, The Arkansas Plant Health Clinic receives vegetable seedlings and young plants with sunburn. These plants were started inside and later put out in wind and sun without first being hardened. When plants are grown in reduced light areas, they need gradual exposure to full sun. We also receive houseplants with this problem. Many people bring tender perennials inside for the winter and put them back outside as the weather warms. Symptoms are grayish-white areas of the leaves where chloroplasts have been fried.

Take Aways

• Do not move inside plants directly into the full sun on the first day.
• Do place plants in a sheltered spot to allow them to adjust to full sun and wind.

Tomato Sunburn-Abiotic

Photo by Cindy Ham, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension

This work is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program [grant no. 2017-70006- 27279/project accession no. 1013890] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.