How to deal with currant anthracnose, symptoms and treatment of the disease
Berries of black and red currants are tasty, extremely healthy and rich in microelements, they are perfectly stored, retaining their usual taste even when frozen. Plant bushes are found in every garden, they are carefully looked after, despite the capriciousness and tendency to develop diseases. The reasons for the appearance of currant anthracnose, methods of combating fungal infection are the topic of the presented material.
The reasons for the development of the disease
The disease is caused by a fungus. The reasons for the infection of the plantings, the development of infection on the leaves, petioles and ripe berries are excessive humidity, the transfer of infection from diseased plants.
Remember: currant varieties that are not susceptible to anthracnose have not been bred, but proper care prevents the development of the disease.
It is necessary to fight the disease when the first signs of infection are detected. Since the spread of the fungus in the garden is rapid, it is necessary to process not only currant bushes, but also garden tools (secateurs, hoes) that are used for garden work.
Who is the causative agent
The causative agent of the disease is fungi from the genus deutramycetes, of which there are several types - Colletotrichum, Kabatiella, Gloeosporium. The pathogen is in the foliage, under the bush, in the soil, on the affected branches of the plant, the spread of the disease begins from the lower branches. Heat and moisture - a combination that occurs when the average daily temperature rises to 22 ° C, in May, early June, leads to the rapid development of the disease.
Anthracnose affects not only currants. The disease appears on raspberries, strawberries, melons, grapes, and other garden crops. Currant suffers from fungus most often. In hot and dry periods, the disease develops much less frequently.
Since spores can be carried by gusts of wind, insects, falling from one plant to another with raindrops, or carried by garden tools - preventive measures must be taken to avoid the problem.
What varieties of currants are susceptible to disease
Red and black currants suffer from this fungal disease. Black currants are less likely to be affected by anthracnose than red ones, but old, long-established varieties are prone to disease.
Red currant varieties
If a fungal focus is found, all plantings on the site must be treated. Baraba, Beloved, are especially susceptible to disease.
They have good resistance to fungal infections:
- Roland;
- Red Cross;
- Ilyinka;
- Lights of the Urals.
To reduce the likelihood of infection, zoned varieties should be planted, and light, non-acidic soil should be chosen for the bushes, and the plantings available in the garden should be replaced with varieties most resistant to anthracnose.
Black currant
Black currant varieties strongly susceptible to anthracnose are Bagira, Dobrynya, Dubrovskaya, Exotic.
Fungus Resistant:
- Raisin;
- Vigorous;
- Nina;
- Pygmy.
Systematic treatment of plantings, the choice of modern varieties of red and black currants reduces the likelihood of infection of garden plants.
Infection symptoms
Anthracnose is also called leaf spot, for the brownish spots that appear on the leaves, which, with the development of the disease, merge into "rusty" bumps and spots that affect the entire surface of the leaf. The infected leaf dries up, curls up and falls off. If untreated, the currant bush instantly loses its foliage.
In red currants, petioles and fruits suffer from the disease, in addition to the leaves. Depressed brown spots appear on them. Bushes affected by the fungus lose their foliage, cease to bear fruit, die from pests and frost. In addition, they become the spread of a dangerous disease throughout the garden. Anthracnose is especially dangerous in warm rainy weather.
Bush treatment preparations
They use agrotechnical methods for the prevention of fungal diseases, including anthracnose, microbiological and fungicidal agents to combat the fungus.
Folk methods of struggle
Folk remedies for combating anthracnose are not very effective. To protect against fungus, currant bushes and the ground under them are scalded with hot water (70-80 ° C). This should be done in early spring, before the buds swell.
To protect against insects that carry the fungus from one plant to another, use an infusion of garlic. 150-200 grams of unpeeled garlic is poured with a bucket of water (10 liters), insisted for a day, covered with a lid, then the bushes are sprayed.
Important: traditional methods are auxiliary, their use does not cancel the use of microbiological and fungicidal agents.
Timely pruning of branches, harvesting leaves (fallen leaves should be collected and burned), digging up the ground under the bush will help protect the garden from infection. All these activities are carried out in the fall, after the harvest. After sanitary pruning and harvesting of foliage and branches, the bush is treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid (1%), a colloidal solution of copper preparations, fungicides that can protect currants from a complex of diseases and pests.
Special drugs
Microbiological and fungicidal preparations, which are purchased in specialized garden stores and used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, help to fight anthracnose. When spraying bushes, you must use protective equipment (glasses, apron, rubber gloves).
Complexes that can increase plant immunity and resistance to diseases and pests are used to treat currant bushes, protecting plantings from anthracnose. This effect is possessed by: a mixture of Topsin-M +, 1-2 milliliters of Zircon or Epin (growth stimulants), Immunocytophyte. Processing is carried out in early spring.
Microbiological
Similar agents are used if a fungal infection of currant bushes is found during the ripening period of the crop, since fungicidal agents are strong poisons. Gamair, Fitosporin-M are not dangerous for humans and insects. They are used against the fungus at the initial stage of infection; it is necessary to use microbiological preparations in strict accordance with the attached instructions. The affected bushes are sprayed with an interval of 2 weeks, in the rainy period - weekly.
Classic fungicides
Plants are treated with fungicides in early spring, before budding and flowering. Bushes with ovaries or ripe berries should not be sprayed as these products are poisonous.
They are able to help with severe damage to currant bushes, in addition, they affect a complex of diseases that are dangerous for garden plants. For the treatment of anthracnose used:
- Bordeaux liquid;
- copper sulfate;
- Titanium;
- Topsin;
- Captan.
Plantings are sprayed with these preparations after harvest. Means alternate, because, with frequent use, fungi develop resistance to them.
How to deal with currant anthracnose
In the spring, before bud break, the bushes are pruned, the plant and the ground under the bush are treated with Bordeaux liquid or suitable fungicides. If the disease is detected during the period of fruit growth, the affected greens are destroyed, and the plantings are treated with Fitosporin. 2 treatments are required with an interval of 2 weeks. Re-treatment with fungicides is carried out in the fall, after harvesting, dropping and harvesting foliage.
Disease prevention
For the prevention of anthracnose, currant bushes are planted in sunny areas, do not allow thickening of the plantings, cutting off branches in a timely manner, choose varieties with resistance to diseases, water currants moderately, collect and burn cut branches, fallen leaves.
The constant fight against fungal infection, prevention and the use of agrotechnical methods of protection allow you to keep plantings healthy and collect a good harvest of berries.Garden tools are washed and treated with fungicides, they dug up the ground around the bush, and they are sprayed in autumn and spring.
Currants were popular with gardeners, but now they are afraid to plant them in the garden due to the crop's susceptibility to diseases and pests. However, there are already many varieties that are resistant to disease. This brought back interest in the healthy berry, which is tasty fresh, in the form of jam, jams, and other desserts.
