Diseases and pests of currants and their control: description and treatment for beginners

Many gardeners grow berry shrubs such as currants on their plots. The fruits of this plant are often used in medicine and cooking to create a delicious jam. Sometimes people are faced with currant diseases that affect currant bushes and lead to their death. It is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the features of the main diseases of berries, as well as with the methods of their treatment.

Causes of plant diseases

Before treating diseases, it is necessary to deal with the causes of their occurrence. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the two main groups of pathologies that most often appear in plants.

Infectious

Infectious-type diseases can be caused by the following organisms:

• bacteria;
• fungi;
• viruses;
• weeds.

Infection of he althy bushes occurs due to the infectious process, during which pathogens begin to interact with a he althy plant. The infection does not penetrate the cells immediately, as they are protected by a strong membrane that is difficult to overcome. Most often, such a protective wall is destroyed by bacterial enzymes, which allow infection to penetrate the tissue.

Non-infectious

Such diseases appear only if the plant is grown in adverse conditions. The main reasons for their appearance include:

• high humidity;
• unsuitable soil;
• improper care of planted seedlings;
• unfavorable climate.

To reduce the likelihood of infection of currant bushes with non-infectious pathologies, one must adhere to the recommendations for planting and growing them.

Terms and rules of preventive treatment

One of the most reliable methods of protecting berries is to carry out preventive treatment of seedlings. Before protecting currants from pests and diseases, you need to understand the rules and terms of such prevention.

Spring

Spring treatment is carried out with various preventive measures. Among the main ones are:

• Boiled water. Spraying with hot water helps to get rid of such a dangerous pest as a kidney mite.It affects the buds of the plant, which is why they do not open and dry out. Also because of this, the yield of berries is significantly reduced. To prevent the bud mite from appearing, in early March, all currant bushes are scalded with heated water.
• Chemicals. Many gardeners use Karbofos, Chlorophos and other similar preparations during prophylaxis. The seedlings are sprayed with the working mixture in mid-April.

Summer

In the summer, during the ripening of berries, the bushes are sprayed with solutions that cannot harm a person. Therefore, gardeners are not advised to treat shrubs with hazardous chemical solutions.

A solution made from wood ash and mustard is considered an effective and safe remedy.

To create it, two kilograms of ash is mixed with 80-90 grams of mustard powder, after which the mixture is poured with ten liters of heated water. Before spraying, the solution is infused for 2-3 days and filtered. The plant is sprayed 1-2 times in early July.

Autumn

After harvesting the ripe crop, the bushes and aisles are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid. To independently prepare a mixture for processing, one hundred grams of copper sulfate is mixed with the same amount of lime and 8-10 liters of water. The solution is stirred until the liquid turns turquoise.

Properly prepared mixture destroys pathogens of infectious pathologies and helps to eliminate insects that can harm the bushes.

Diseases of black and red currants and their control

Many gardeners who suffer from currant bushes are interested in the diagnosis. It is difficult to determine the type of disease on your own, especially for beginners.

Therefore, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to study the detailed description of common diseases.

Currant varieties resistant to diseases and pests

There are several varieties of berries that are less likely than others to suffer from diseases. These include:

• Kipiana. The variety was bred by Russian breeders in the early 2000s. Its advantages include high yields and immunity to powdery mildew mites.
• Katyusha. Belarusian high-yielding variety that does not suffer from anthracnose and powdery mildew.
• Kupalinka. Another variety of Belarusian currant with immunity to common fungal infections.

American powdery mildew

The presence of the disease is evidenced by the brown coating that appeared on the berries and light spots on the leaves. Chemical preparations "Funzadol" and "Topaz" will help get rid of powdery mildew.

Septoria

Fungal infection caused by lack of light and high humidity. The main symptom of septoria is brown spotting on the leaves. To prevent further spread of the pathology, infected leaves are cut and burned.

Anthracnose

With the development of anthracnose, mold appears on the bushes, the leaves become stained with a red tint. Over time, the spotting darkens and spreads throughout the bush. Alirin or Bordeaux mixture will help eliminate the symptoms of anthracnose.

Scab

After infection with the disease, the bushes become covered with brown spots. If the scab is not treated, the currant will wither and die. Therefore, when the first signs of infection appear, it is necessary to spray the plants with Acrex, Dnok or Karatan.

Reversion

One of the most dangerous pathologies that cannot be cured. On plants that are infected with reversion, the leaves dry up and deformed flowers appear. Experienced gardeners advise getting rid of affected bushes so that the virus does not spread throughout the area.

Striped Mosaic

Premature yellowing of the leaves indicates the development of a striped mosaic. First, yellowness appears near the leaf veins and gradually covers the entire plate. The striped mosaic is not cured, and therefore the infected currant bushes will have to be burned.

Glass Rust

After the appearance of goblet rust, yellow or brown spots can be seen on the surface of the leaves. Leaves that have turned yellow curl and fall off. "Fitosporin" and other fungicidal drugs will help eliminate the signs of pathology.

Column rust

The disease affects berries that are planted near coniferous trees. Red dots appear on the branches and trunk of infected currant seedlings, which gradually increase. To quickly get rid of columnar rust, the bushes are sprayed with fungicides or Bordeaux mixture.

Striped blackcurrant mosaic

The disease appears due to ticks and aphids, which often settle on currants. In order to timely identify the disease, it is necessary to carefully examine the sheets. Patterned spots with a yellow tint appear around the largest veins. Among the effective treatments are the drug "Hom" and a solution of vitriol.

Nectrium shrinkage

A dangerous infection that leads to premature drying of shoots and branches. If nectrium desiccation is not treated, shrubs dry out completely and die. Bordeaux mixture and solutions prepared from fungicides will help save infected seedlings.

Leaf marginal necrosis

Non-infectious pathology that appears due to the large amount of chlorine in the soil. A characteristic feature of marginal necrosis is that the edges of the leaves darken and dry. Plants can be cured with Fitosporin or Alirin.

Pests and treatments

Those who eat and grow currants often encounter pests that reduce the yield of berries. Each gardener must figure out in advance what dangerous insects are, what to do to eliminate them, and what folk remedies to use when dealing with them.

Kidney moth

This pest affects only white and red currant bushes. The kidney moth is activated in the middle of spring, when the buds on which it feeds swell on the bushes. To protect the bushes from the pest, you will have to use preventive measures in advance:

• sprinkling with boiling water;
• treatment with fungicides.

Also, the above methods will help free planted plants from moths.

Firefire

Butterflies attack shrubs in early summer, when flowering begins. They lay eggs on leaves, from which caterpillars grow, eating leaves with fruits. To protect against moths, seedlings are sprayed with Fufanon, Iskra and other insecticides.

Currant aphid

Black or slightly dark spots with a reddish tint appear on the leaves of plants attacked by currant aphids. Experienced gardeners in the fight against aphids are advised to use boiling water or the drug "Decis".

Bud mites

If currant bushes are affected by a bud mite, their leaves will be covered with swollen dots in which the pest lives. Without timely treatment, the mites will move on to the fruits and begin to feed on them. Therefore, in spring and summer, shrubs are sprayed with insecticidal solutions.

Glass case

Glass glass is a fluffy white caterpillar that feeds on young currant leaves and shoots. All shrubs affected by the caterpillar gradually dry out. To protect the currant from death, it is sprayed with fungicides once a week.

Shield

This is a dangerous pest that can completely suck out the cell juice not only from shoots with leaves, but also from berries. When a scale insect appears, measures must be taken immediately to combat it in order to save the seedlings. Colorado, Tanrek and Apaches are considered effective remedies for scale insects.

Moth Caterpillars

The larvae and caterpillars of this pest are able to completely gnaw green leaves. To combat moths, folk remedies and preparations are used. Among the insecticides that will help you quickly get rid of pests, there are Lepidocide and Bitoxibacillin.

Puffyback Caterpillars

The fluffy downy back, like other worms, feeds on stems and leaves. Such caterpillars appear on bushes in May, when it gets warmer outside. Folk remedies do not help get rid of downy back and therefore you have to prepare solutions from insecticides.

Striated bevel

This little bug is very dangerous as it damages all parts of the bushes. The furrowed bevel feeds on young buds, stems and leaves. For prevention, experts advise treating shrubs with Aktellik or Kemiphos.

Leaf gall aphid

Gala disease infects currant seedlings, in which swarms of aphids have eaten leaves. After the appearance of this pest, small holes and swellings, painted yellow or reddish, remain on all the leaves.In summer, the aphid is on the grass, and by the beginning of autumn it returns to the currant to lay eggs on it. Hot boiled water will help get rid of laid eggs.

Blackcurrant Berry Sawfly

Some gardeners consider sawflies the most dangerous pests, as they completely devour the leaves. Because of this, the growth of berries slows down, and the yield deteriorates. The most effective prophylactic against the sawfly is Lepidocid.

Rosa leaf roll

The leafworm caterpillars wrap the leaves with cobwebs and twist them into a tube. Then they eat their edges, which leads to yellowing and drying of the leaves. In summer, when flowers appear on the shrubs, they feed on flower petals. To drive the leaflet away from the berries, it is enough to spray it with boiling water.

Red tick

Red bugs appear on currant stalks in early June. At first, they feed on the leaves located below, but gradually they move to the upper ones. Insecticide mixtures and folk remedies from copper sulfate will help get rid of ticks.

Gardeners' advice on treatment and care of the bush

So that the currant does not get sick and does not suffer from pest attacks, you need to properly care for it. Therefore, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the tips for growing berries in advance so that care for beginners does not seem too complicated. When growing currant bushes, they regularly do:

• Water. Experts recommend pouring bushes abundantly at least twice a month. If the berries do not have enough moisture, their ripening will slow down significantly.
• Feeding. It is necessary to add mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil 2-3 times in the spring so that the plant has enough nutrients.
• Weeding. The area where currants grow is regularly weeded and cleared of weeds.

Conclusion

Gardeners often grow currant bushes in their summer cottages. To protect them from dangerous insects and diseases, you need to familiarize yourself with preventive measures and methods for combating common pathologies and pests.

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