Powdery mildew on currants: measures to combat drugs and folk remedies

Cultivation of crops is a complex and laborious undertaking that takes a lot of time and effort. In this case, it is doubly insulting to lose the fruits of your labor, not recognizing the disease that undermines the strength of the plant in time. Currant bushes are no exception, and powdery mildew formed on it can destroy not only the crop, but the entire bush. Let's see what powdery mildew is on currants, why it occurs, and what measures to combat it exist.

Who is the causative agent of the disease

The disease, famous in Russia as American powdery mildew, occurs due to fungal spores that are resistant to freezing temperatures and bad weather conditions. Favorable conditions for powdery mildew:

• rainy spring and summer;
• strong wind carrying mushroom spores from one bush to another;
• close planting of currants, due to which the disease from one plant quickly spreads to the rest.

Pay attention! Spores are well tolerated by strong winds.

The main signs of the disease

The main signs by which the infection of the bush can be determined are almost identical in white and red currants. The differences are minor, but worth considering. Also, do not forget that the disease affects each variety differently, and you need to respond to it accordingly.

Blackcurrant

The following signs are observed in blackcurrants, signaling the need for treatment:

1. Leaves, ovaries and shoots covered with white bloom at an early stage.
2. The next stage will be the staining of the plaque in gray, which indicates the neglect of the disease.
3. Leaves begin to die off, changing color and curling.
4. Plaque passes to berries, changing color to gray-brown.

Blackcurrant tolerates infection worse, and if the fungus is not de alt with in time, more than half of the crop will become worthless.

Red

Red varieties deal with the disease more easily; symptoms include:

• formation of flour-like plaque;
• cloudy, whitish drops, similar to dew, accumulate on the surface of the leaves.

It is because of these symptoms that the disease got its name.

What is the danger of the disease for currant bushes

Powdery mildew affects currants as follows:

• prevents the development of shoots, killing them;
• destroys the surface of leaves and berries, absorbing the carbohydrates contained in them;
• berries become unsuitable for food and can cause allergic reactions;
• culture quickly loses its power and within a few seasons, if you do not intervene in the process, it dies.

Which varieties are resistant to powdery mildew

The following currant varieties are considered the most resistant to the disease:

1. Dachnitsa. The variety was created for conditions when only periodic maintenance is carried out. Features maximum pest resistance.
2. Ilya Muromets. The name in honor of the epic hero was given for a reason. The bush has a truly "heroic" immunity, coping well even with powdery mildew.
3. Temptation. Another representative of the "strong men", successfully resisting infections.
4. Titania. The quality of the variety and its resistance is evidenced by the fact that it has been popular since the 60s of the last century.
5. Binar. Known for its original, slightly sour taste and strong immunity, coping with diseases on its own.

Prevention measures

The main method to resist powdery mildew is the prevention of the disease, eliminating all problems at the stage of their inception. The following preventive methods are distinguished:

• compliance with agrotechnical requirements;
• periodic treatment with light preparations that gently eliminate the problem, without any consequences.

Comply with agricultural requirements

Following the following plant care rules and techniques will reduce the risk of infection and strengthen immunity:

1. The area where the crop is grown should not be too wet.
2. When fertilizing the soil, avoid supplements containing excessive amounts of nitrogen.
3. It is forbidden to water the bushes from above. Pour water closer to the roots.
4. Bad neighbors are roses, cucumbers or gooseberries.
5. Planting currants close together is not a good idea.
6. As a preventive measure, the tops of the shoots are pinched and destroyed in autumn. This is done in order to remove possible foci of infection.

Important! Leaves and berries that have fallen to the ground are gathered in one heap in autumn and burned.

What to handle to avoid infection

Processing is allowed by the following means:

1. Bordeaux blend.
2. Nitrofen.
3. Copper vitriol.
4. Boiling water. Yes, it's boiling water. Boiling the shrub with boiling water helps prevent the formation of powdery mildew. The procedure is required until the buds open.

When handling any drugs, remember two rules:

• follow the dosage indicated by the manufacturer;
• do not process bushes during fruiting.

What to do if powdery mildew appears on currants

When it was not possible to suppress the disease in the bud, and the infection begins to gain momentum, the following drugs will come to the rescue:

1. Biofungicides.
2. Copper vitriol.
3. Topaz.
4. Trichopolum.
5. Yodine.
6. Soda.
7. Karganate.
8. Mullein infusion.
9. Dry mustard.

They do a great job of reducing the disease to nothing.

Biofungicide control

Biofungicides are an excellent answer to the question of how to deal with the disease effectively without affecting the crop. Product Benefits:

• safe for humans, currants and insects considered natural pollinators;
• permitted to use during the ripening period of the harvest.

Cons:

• hard to store;
• washes off quickly in rainy weather;
• valid for a maximum of three weeks;
• inferior in effectiveness to chemicals.

Powdery mildew chemicals

If you prefer to treat the disease for certain and are not afraid of using chemicals to exterminate it - the following list is made especially for you.

It will list the most effective substances to help cope with the fungus.

Copper vitriol

Hazardous reagent for humans, when working with which it is necessary to observe enhanced precautions. Wear rubber gloves, do not dilute the drug indoors and, if possible, use a respirator.

The following drug concentrations are distinguished, depending on the desired effect:

1. For top dressing and prevention - a solution of vitriol with a concentration of 0.3%, which corresponds to 3 grams of the substance diluted in 10 liters of water.
2. For medicinal purposes, the concentration is increased to 1%.
3. For the destruction of especially dangerous diseases or a high concentration of mold, a 4% solution is used. A land plot treated in this way cannot be exploited for the purpose of obtaining a crop for at least 1 year. Used in emergencies! Direct processing of bushes in this way is prohibited.

Fitosporin

A safe remedy used to eliminate a huge number of diseases, including powdery mildew. Some modifications of the drug are aggressive for humans, and work with them must be carried out taking into account safety precautions.

Bees react poorly to it, and when processing the site, they must be removed a considerable distance (up to 6 kilometers).

Topaz

Fungicide, considered the most effective against dew and, at the same time, safe for humans.Pay attention to the expiration date of the drug, as a spoiled product will harm the bushes and crops. Fights the disease by stopping the spores from germinating into the structure of the currant, after which it destroys them.

Trichopolum

A drug used to treat humans, but due to its properties, it is used by summer residents as a means of combating various plant diseases, including powdery mildew. Cheap and effective.

Colloidal sulfur

Penetrates into the structure of the fungus and begins to release hydrogen sulfide, which has a detrimental effect on the parasite, destroying and killing it. It has a healing effect only on sunny days, since heat is needed to activate the process.

Treatment with folk remedies

If folk methods are closer to you, and you are trying to get rid of the disease with them, there are a couple of recipes to fight powdery mildew, using which you can save the bush from death. Among them are:

• using iodine;
• potassium permanganate;
• garlic-based infusion;
• application of dry mustard;
• treatment with boiling water.

Potassium permanganate

Helps to cope with illness. To do this, you need:

• 2.5 grams of potassium permanganate;
• 10 liters of water.

Mix and process the bushes several times, after which we take a break for a week.

Iodine

To create a solution you need:

• water - 9 liters;
• iodine - 1 milliliter;
• skimmed milk - 1 liter.

Stir and process the bushes once every two weeks, until the symptoms of the disease disappear.

Soda

Ingredients for mortar:

• baking soda - 2 spoons;
• water - 2 liters;
• vegetable oil or laundry soap - 1 spoon.

We process the fungus in the morning or in the evening, with an interval of five days.

Dry mustard

Take:

• 2 tablespoons dry mustard;
• 1 bucket of warm water.

We breed and let the solution cool, after which we process the bushes.

Garlic infusion

In 10 liters of boiled water we insist half a bucket of garlic arrows. We give the solution a day, after which we filter the liquid and process the bushes with it. Try to work both sides of the bush.

Mullein Infusion

Fill a third of the bucket with cow dung and top it up with water. Let the liquid brew for 4 days, then dilute it with water in proportions of 1 to 10 and treat the infected surfaces.

Important! Process in the evening so as not to burn currant leaves.

Boiling water treatment

The easiest and safest way. To implement it, you only need to boil the required volume of water and treat the bush with it. Processing is done in the spring, before the flowering period.

Basic rules and terms of processing

To cure a plant from a disease, it is important not only to use effective methods, but also to apply them in a timely manner. Then the procedure will benefit, and the disease will disappear quickly and without a trace. Processing is divided into periods:

• spring;
• flowering and fruiting;
• autumn.

In the springtime

It is useful to process a bush in the spring due to the fact that the fungus, like the plant, has not yet woken up. Such processing requires little effort and is harmless for the currant itself.

During flowering and fruiting

Processing should be carried out carefully and delicately, with preparations that will not harm either the bush or the crop. It is better to spray the bush in the summer, when the berries have already appeared. It is not necessary to treat the crop with strong agents that can be deposited in the berries and enter the human body.

Autumn

Control processing is carried out after harvest. So you prepare the culture for the winter and prevent the formation of new foci of infection in the spring. Burn fallen leaves and berries, even if they do not show signs of illness.

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