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Diseases and Control Measures
Papaver somniferum is susceptible to several fungal, insect and virus infections including seed borne diseases such as downy mildew and root rot.

The fungal pathogen Peronospora arborescens is the causal agent of downy mildew occurs preferentially on moist sites. The fungus causes hypertrophy and curvature of the stem and flower stalks. Down-side of leaves are covered with a downy mildew coating containing conidiospores that spread the infection further leading to death of the plants. Another downy mildew species, Peronospora somniferi produces systemic infections leading to stunting and deformation of poppy plants. Downy mildew can be controlled preventively at the initial stage of seed development through several fungicide applications.

Leaf blight caused by the fungus Helminthosporium papaveris is one of the most destructive poppy diseases world wide. The seed-borne fungus causes root rot in young plants and stunted stems in plants at a higher development stage, where leaf spots appear on the leaves and is being transmitted to capsules and seeds. Early sowing of seeds an deep plowing of poppy residues can reduce fungal inoculum during the plant growing season, respectively in the following year on neighboring poppy stocks.

There are only few pests that can really harm P. somniferum. Flea beetles perforate the leaves of young plants and aphids suck on the sap of the flower buds.