Soot fungus on an apple tree: treatment and prevention, how to deal with a photo

Warm and damp weather provokes the development of fungal diseases on apple trees. He althy plants resist infection, and pest-affected and weakened specimens instantly fall ill. Apple trees are affected by soot fungus, most often as a result of damage to the aphid culture and insects that leave sugary secretions. For the proper growth of plantings, preventive measures are regularly carried out, and when a fungus appears, treatment is carried out.

General information about the disease

The first signs of soot fungus are the appearance of black plaque on:

• kore;
• branches;
• leaves;
• fruits.

Fungus feeds on:

• sweet insect secretions, mostly aphids;
• juice from an apple tree.

The greatest danger to the plant is not the pests themselves, but the disease caused by their appearance. Fruits with black spots are allowed to be consumed without harm to he alth. Only their presentation is lost. Affected apples do not store well and rot quickly.

It is necessary to treat the plant, because:

• wood pores clog;
• normal leaf respiration is disrupted;
• suppresses the process of photosynthesis;
• winter hardiness decreases.

Fungal disease tolerates severe frosts well, and attacks again in the spring.

Causes and signs of fungus

A harmful fungus settles on apple trees with numerous wounds that appear after damage to branches and pruning. As a result, a large amount of juice containing organic substances is released, which feed on various microorganisms and fungal spores.

The soot fungus multiplies rapidly, covering the surface of the bark with hyphae in the form of a black coating, thereby clogging its microscopic holes. As a result, air exchange is disturbed, which provokes the oppression of the tree.

Reasons:

1. In a dry year, a large number of aphids and suckers appear. They create a good breeding ground for the fungus that appears after the pests. Most often, the disease becomes noticeable the next year. The first sign of the appearance of pests on apple trees is running ants along tree trunks.
2. The fungus develops when the plant is shaded, in an unthinned crown, when the crops in the garden thicken. Moreover, on the peripheral part of the crown, the fruits may remain intact.
3. The pathogen is able to get on the plant with insects, winter on fallen leaves and under the bark.

Signs:

1. The infected area turns black. Plaque looks like soot or ash. Unlike scab, the lesion has a different shape, size and is easily erased.
2. Infection of fruits occurs before harvest. Apples become small and unpresentable.
3. Severely diseased leaves dry out quickly.

At the first sign of the disease, treatment is started immediately.

How to deal with soot fungus

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine the cause of the appearance of the fungus and eliminate it. Heavily overgrown trees are pruned and put in order.

If the cause is insects, then they are treated with chemicals:

• "Decis";
• Fufanon;
• Karbofos;
• "Spark D".

You can use more sustainable methods:

1. A trapping belt attached to the trunk will allow you to catch insects in large quantities.
2. Bait traps with fermented compote are hung on trees to attract pests.
3. If the population of insects is small, then spraying with infusion of tobacco, garlic, bitter wormwood helps. Coniferous concentrate, decoction of potato and tomato tops are effective. Toxicity The listed plants retain a short time and do not harm the environment.
4. Spice herbs planted around trees help deter pests that like to settle on apple trees.

Severely affected branches are cut and burned. For prevention, after trimming the trunk, it is recommended to clean and rinse with a solution of copper sulfate. If less than two weeks are left before harvesting, they are treated with soda solution. Add 150 grams of soda to a bucket of water. After harvesting, the fruit is re-processed.

When affected by a fungal disease in the fall, the affected branches must be pruned within reason. Fallen leaves are collected and burned. Before the winter cold, boles are whitened.

Also effective is the fight against the formed soot fungus due to pests with the help of biological preparations:

• "Lepidocide";
• "Bitoxibacillin";
• Fitoverm;
• "Entobakterin".

The crop can be treated with these preparations 5 days before fruit picking. "Fitoverm" is the most sparing drug that contains normal microflora and inhibits the development of the fungus.

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of a fungal disease, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

• treat wounds with garden pitch;
• monitor soil moisture, it should not be constantly wet;
• thin out the crown in time;
• pest control;
• treat the plant from fungi and insects.

If you follow simple guidelines, the trees will develop properly and grow he althy.

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