Moniliosis of apple trees: measures to combat tree disease
Gardeners and summer residents sometimes observe a very unpleasant phenomenon and are upset, when apples rot. The scientific name of this disease sounds like Moniliosis apple. It is popularly known as gray rot. Today we will tell, representing this disease, what are the main reasons for the appearance of rotten fruit on apple trees, characteristic signs of the disease. And in the article you will find advice from experts and experienced gardeners about it, how to deal with it with popular methods and carry out proper prevention.
description of the disease
Fruit rot of apple trees, well known to experienced gardeners, is a disease of fungal nature. Its causative agent is the fungus Ascomycetes, called Monilinia cinerea Honey. This disease is characterized by the following stages of development, both conidial and sclerotial.
At the first on all parts of a tree it is possible to see small size gray consolidations. In the spring the signs appear on the flowers, then on the shoots. The second is the resting stage. In a number of scientific articles you can read about two forms of moniliosis - rotten apples, which develops throughout the time of fruiting, and leaf burns, ie monilial burn, which affects the leaves, branches, flowers and ovaries. Winter mushroom spores are usually spent on fruit, which fell to the ground or remained on the branches of a tree, in the form of mycelium. With the onset of spring heat there is an exacerbation of the disease. Disputes are carried by the wind.
Favorable for the development of the disease is a rainy summer with temperatures up to 20 degrees of heat. Other factors, contributing to infection, there is a flowering period, humidity is more 70%, passed hail, windy weather, the presence of rain, snow, fog, winter with lots of snow, long and cold spring, dirty containers for harvesting, non-sterile tools for pruning or grafting wood, undisinfected room, which are used for storage of garden tools, petiole pit, in which moisture has gathered. The whole cycle of fungal development coincides with the period of fruiting of apple trees.
Weak crops are in the risk group in terms of possible disease development, spoiled apples, have on the surface of the wormhole and other damage.
Causes and symptoms
Most often, apples rot due to infection of apple trees with actinomycetes. Other causes of moniliosis include damage to the surface of the cortex, contact of infected fruits with healthy parts of the culture, damage to the surface of apples after the bites of fruit eaters and geese, the presence of phytopathology, untimely removal of already infected branches and fruits, high susceptibility of a particular variety to infection. It usually takes up to five days from the time of infection to the first signs of illness. The period of sporulation will begin in 10 days after that.
Symptoms of the disease are the presence of worms, decay, spreading from a small brown spot. On the surface you can see the characteristic seals, having a gray color. This is where conidia will form. The fruit turns brown or almost black. It's getting too soft inside. Symptoms of monilial burns are brown or almost black flowers, which soon become dry. Like the leaves, ovaries, pruts, fruit branches.
What is the danger
As for this disease, then the fight against it must begin as soon as possible. Otherwise, located next to already infected apples still healthy, too, will quickly be infected. As the fruit ripens, the number of people affected by moniliosis increases. If diseased apple remains on the branch, then the pathogen quickly moves on the peduncle to the branch itself.
Next, it is necessary to infect neighboring branches. In which a fungal infection will be able to find winter shelter. With the onset of spring heat, the infection enters the young ovary, provoking exacerbation of the disease. Then, the inevitable withering of death appear young branches. The greatest danger to the tree is infection of the bark of the branches, as a result, it is realistic to see wounds and cracks, from which dripping gum. In the most difficult cases, the whole tree is affected.
treatments
How to treat such a disease? Control measures include treatment with such chemicals, as "Hom". For application it should be diluted approximately 40 grams in a bucket of water 12 liters. Processing is carried out during the period of leaf formation and after the end of flowering culture.
Fruit trees can be cured by using Bordeaux liquid solutions, colloidal sulfur, zineb suspension. They are usually separated in number 100 gram c 10 liters of water. There is also a suspension of ceramics, which is recommended to breed at the rate 50 grams of 10 liters. Do not spray trees on a rainy day. This can cause burns.
prevention
For prevention it is advised to grow varieties, who have a stable immunity to moniliosis are as follows, like saffron Pepin, Slov'yanka, Parmen golden winter and others. Even before prevention measures, which are effective throughout and after the fruiting period, include timely harvesting, careful harvesting and storage of the crop in order to avoid damage to the surface of the fruit and storage of the crop at a temperature of about zero, timely pruning of branches with damaged apples, leaves and other parts.
Also, do not forget to protect the trees from any damage. Experienced gardeners carry out preventive spraying of apple trees with fungicides and other modern drugs, and help trees detect infectious and other diseases, treat apple trees from insects.
Video "Moniliosis of the apple tree"
You will learn from this video, what is Moniliosis and how to deal with it.
