Potato curl: control measures, why does this happen and how to treat it?

Why does potato tops curl? - the question is not idle. Some gardeners do not pay attention to the change in the shape of the leaves. In the first year, crop loss from one or two bushes is imperceptible.

But in the third year, the gardener is surprised to notice: the leaves of the potatoes curl on all plantings. The bushes are oppressed, flowering does not occur. Spraying with stimulants does no good.

When harvesting potatoes, the gardener is in trouble: the tubers are small. The analysis shows a lack of starch (up to 5%). The consistency of boiled potatoes resembles soap. Taste is dull. There is only one thing left: to feed the tubers to the cattle (who has it).

All troubles can be avoided. It is enough to pay attention to the curly leaves of the plant and take action in time. The disease is suppressed at the very beginning. Distribution does not occur. Potato tops reflect the state of the crop, show the ability to form and grow tubers.

Causes of curly hair

Change in leaf shape is a symptom of several diseases. All of them weaken plants, reduce productivity. Gardeners have a duty to recognize the signs in the early stages and take action.

Curly leaves on potatoes become for various reasons:

Sometimes a vegetable lacks proper care. The soil is depleted in minerals (phosphorus and potassium). Nitrogen (manure or compost) does not solve the problem of soil fertility. Moisture is weak.Illumination is insufficient. The plant responds by stopping development. The leaf curls, fades, photosynthesis stops. Tubers do not form on potatoes. Her yield drops by 50%.
Gardeners often plant large areas with their favorite crop. They do not have time to clear the area of weeds. Use herbicides. Potato is a vulnerable plant. The leaves curl when the drug enters. The bush is oppressed, stops in development. The chemical is carried by the wind from neighboring plots and farmers' fields. But it's not a disease. Infection of surrounding plants does not occur. It doesn't need to be treated. It is enough to remove the affected bush and be careful when using herbicides.
Mosaic disease causes leaf curl. The plate is twisted, the edges become wavy. The disease is easy to recognize: curly, change shape, only young leaves. The old ones are not damaged. Because of the mosaic, gardeners lose 50-70% of the potato crop.
Potato leaf curl is a viral disease.The leaves of the plant curl due to the defeat of aphids, bedbugs. They are carriers of the virus. Heat and insufficient watering increase the twisting of the tops. The bushes are stretched, the color becomes brown. Symptoms: the tops change shape, the potatoes begin to rustle with leaves. With this disease, the old plates roll up along the horizontal vein. The virus accumulates in the underground part of the plant. Seemingly he althy tubers serve as carriers of the virus. The disease causes the loss of 60% of the crop.
Rhizoctoniosis (black scab) gives the tops curly. It is caused by fungi. Spores enter the soil with infected material. In summer, the leaves become wavy at first. Then ulcers appear on all parts of the plant. The core turns to dust. Tubers are deprived of nutrients. Harvest gardeners do not wait: it is reduced by 30%. He althy-looking small root crops are infected with fungal spores. With further use, the disease will spread throughout the garden.

All causes of potato curl need to be studied. At the first manifestations, it is required to start a fight. Viral diseases that begin with leaf curl develop over several years. In the third year (if no measures are taken), the crop is lost by 80%. At the initial stage, it is not difficult to win.

Methods to save potatoes

Gardeners must know: what are the ways to help prevent crop loss? The leaves begin to curl: the disease has already begun. The potato is weakened, it will give a little tubers. It should be carefully dug up and burned. Spill the well with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The danger of leaf curl is that it is not noticed at first. The damage from the defeat of one or two bushes is insignificant, which cannot be said about the situation in the third year. The ridges with plantings are completely curly. The stems are brittle, the leaves are dry, brown or light green.The process of photosynthesis is inhibited. The harvest is gone.

The gardener is trying to cultivate the field with all available means (folk and purchased). But time has passed. There is no cure for potato leaf curl. Stop the spread of viral infections should be preventive methods.

How should I act?

Measures to combat potato curl are based on knowledge of the signs of the disease, the gardener's observation and careful observation of agricultural cultivation practices. Breeders' recommendations should be followed:

Choose only high-quality planting material from reputable manufacturers. When using your own seeds, medium-sized tubers should be selected as they are more resistant to viruses.
It is not recommended to cut the tubers into pieces: the infection will get inside.With a lack of planting material, it is required to disinfect the knife and hands with alcohol, vodka or a strong solution of potassium permanganate (dark pink). The incision sites must be dried, smeared with brilliant green or sprinkled with crushed activated charcoal.
Before planting, it is required to discard tubers with broken sprouts. Through damage, the virus will penetrate.
Choose mosaic virus resistant varieties and hybrids. Breeders recommend planting varieties in problem regions: Lyubimets, Romano, Irbitsky, Slavyanka.
Properly store seed material. Avoid getting wet, freezing. Before laying, it is recommended to green the tubers (a measure to scare away mice).
Observe crop rotation. It is forbidden to plant potatoes after potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants. It will be affected by the pathogenic flora accumulated in the soil.
Carry out sideration of the soil before planting potatoes. The event is held in autumn or spring. Legumes saturate the earth with nitrogen. Cereals - heal, get rid of the wireworm.
Monitor the acidity of the soil. It should be within the pH range of 5.0-5.5. The change weakens the plants. Bushes become vulnerable.
Be sure to hill plants: young root crops should be at a depth of 5-10 cm.
Fight garden ants. They settle aphids - a carrier of viruses from diseased plants.
Monitor the fertility of the soil. Apply mineral fertilizers (the industry produces special complexes for potatoes).
Drop the weeds regularly. They shade potatoes, weaken plants. Aphids nest on them - a carrier of infection.

Shrubs with curly leaves should be immediately dug up and removed from the ridges. They serve as a source of infection and are dangerous for other plantings. Armed with simple preventive measures, gardeners will receive a guaranteed potato harvest.

Use of chemicals

Gardeners should take into account the vulnerability of young potato sprouts to disease. The use of chemicals at this stage of development is justified.

Prestige contains the active ingredients pencecuron and imidacloprid. They are toxic to humans, but are excreted from the tubers after 2 months. Gardeners note: potato plantings did not curl when pickling tubers before planting. Need to know: the product is not suitable for early and medium early potatoes.

The main carrier of mosaic viruses is aphids. The Green Pharmacy of the Gardener helps to fight against it. The series has several insecticides for spraying potato seedlings. Good results are obtained by a folk remedy from the infusion of garlic (medium head per glass of water), diluted in 10 liters of water. Spray planting in the evening.

Gardeners in April treat the plot with the drug "Muracid". It protects the area from garden ants - aphids. Pests leave for the season. Potato plantations are protected from viral diseases.

Weeds are a haven for sucking insects. Their absence is a guarantee of protection against potato mosaics. It is recommended to use herbicides, but with caution. Chemicals of this group also affect cultivated plants.