Fungal and viral diseases of the plum: diagnosis and treatment

Plum is a fairly common plant that can be found in every garden. You can get a good harvest of tasty and healthy fruits only from a healthy tree. However, growers are often faced with growing problems such as plum diseases and pests, which can lead to the death of the entire garden.

Diseases of the tree are associated with inadequate care and improper planting. Most often, plum is affected by viral and fungal diseases that appear on weakened trees. In order to start treatment on time, it is important to know the main signs of the manifestation of the disease.

Plum toughness or overgrowth

This fungal disease in the common people was called "witch's broom". On the affected tree, many thin, short shoots are formed, which are collected in bunches. Such shoots will not bear fruit. In the fight against the disease, only the destruction of infected plants will help.

As a preventive measure, not only mineral and organic fertilizers are used, but also Bordeaux liquid. In addition, to protect the site, only healthy seedlings are planted in the garden. They need to be purchased only in proven nurseries.

Gum therapy

The disease is widespread in stone fruit crops that have previously been affected by fungi. Most often, the disease begins to develop if the irrigation regime is violated or too much fertilizer is applied to the soil. Resin on wood can be released after frost breaks or improper pruning. The signs of gum flow are as follows:

• wounds and cracks are visible on the trunks and shoots;
• in places where gum flowed out, transparent frozen drops appeared.

If you do not pay attention to the signs that have appeared in time, the tree may die. Infected bark is a great place for bacteria to develop that leads to tree cancer.

The affected areas on the trunks must be treated with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or garden pitch. It is better to cut out heavily affected shoots. In order to further increase the plant's immunity and avoid re-infection, you need to properly care for the plum.

Plum dwarfism

An insidious viral disease that often occurs in a latent form. It is difficult to identify the affected tree. Dwarfism can manifest itself only at the last stage, when the fight against the disease is meaningless. Therefore, all the gardener's actions should be directed rather towards preventive measures.

Signs of the disease:

• depressed tree growth;
• unnatural leaf shape. They become elongated, gnarled and look more like willow leaves;
• premature leaf fall. This is because the plate becomes brittle;
• decrease in yield;
• lack of peduncles or a small number of them. The flowers are ugly and underdeveloped.

At the last stage of the development of the virus, there are practically no leaves on the branches of the tree, they are bare. Single needle-shaped leaves can be seen only at the tops of the shoots.

Dwarfism affects not only plums, but also other stone fruit crops. The virus spreads along with infected planting material, parasites (ticks, aphids), with a working tool for pruning.

As a preventive measure, resistant varieties of plums are planted in the garden, and the plants are regularly treated against pests.

Plum pockets

Fungal disease, the causative agent of which is the voiceless fungus. Infection occurs in a cold, prolonged spring, when the air humidity is increased. The spores of the fungus penetrate the flowers of the tree, so ugly ovaries are formed.

The fruits of the affected plant are unsuitable for food, they grow deformed. The development of the fungus occurs inside the fetus, in a kind of pocket, so there is no bone in the plums. The pulp becomes grainy and wrinkled. Since the fungus affects only the fruit, the disease manifests itself once per season.

Control methods:

1. Affected shoots are destroyed in the first half of summer.
2. Collection and disposal of infected fruits is carried out until the spores of the fungus are dispersed.
3. Preventive spraying of plums with 3% Bordeaux mixture solution. The first time the treatment is carried out before bud break, then before flowering and after.

Clasterosporium or perforated spot

Fungal disease develops in conditions of a prolonged warm, but rainy summer, when the air humidity exceeds 70%. The fungus hibernates under the bark. The mycelium begins to develop at a temperature of +4 degrees. It can be found on the shoots or buds of a plant in the form of a dark, weak bloom.

Spores are carried to young leaves by wind and most pests. The disease spreads very quickly. During the season, many colonies of the fungus are formed, which adversely affects the condition of the tree.

Signs of damage can be seen on all tissues of the plant, but especially often they appear on young leaves.

1. Small rounded spots of various colors that grow in size in a short time.
2. In the center of the spot, tissues die off, which leads to the formation of holes in the leaves.
3. The edges of the holes have a reddish border. This is the main symptom of clotterosporium disease, which distinguishes it from other types of blotches.
4. With an advanced disease, the bark of the tree is covered with orange-red spots with a dark border. Subsequently, they are pressed into the trunk, crack and lead to the flow of the gum.
5. Gum also flows from affected buds and shoots, which leads to their withering away and a decrease in productivity.
6. The fruits are affected by ulcers, become one-sided, dry out, harden and fall off. Gum can also leak from them.

To prevent the disease in the fall, the garden is cleaned, the tree trunks are dug up, the shoots are destroyed, the affected fruits and fallen leaves are collected and disposed of. In addition, it is important to treat wounds and cracks in the tree in time, avoiding gum leakage. For processing, a solution of copper sulfate, manganese or garden var is used.

In the fight against the fungus, spraying the tree during the growing season will help. Treatments begin in early spring, repeat in late autumn. Use drugs Kuproksad, Skor, Horus, Topaz or Vectra. The last treatment is carried out 20 days before harvest.

Moniliosis

The causative agent of the disease is the Monilia mushroom. The tree becomes infected during the flowering period if temperature drops or drops occur. Cold spring weather only speeds up the process. Spores penetrate the plant tissue through the pistil, gradually affecting the entire tree.

Signs of defeat:

• a sharp fall of flowers;
• drying of peduncles and adjacent leaves;
• old shoots and branches crack, gum flows out of the wounds formed;
• the whole tree looks "burnt".

The disease spreads not only to fruits, but also to shoots, plum leaves. The pathogen overwinters in the affected tree tissues. Prevention of moniliosis begins in the fall. All affected shoots are cut out and the garden is treated with Hom, Bordeaux liquid or copper oxychloride. To spray one tree, you will need up to 4 liters of solution.

Smallpox on plum

Sharka, in the common people, plum pox is a viral disease. It appears on young leaves of the tree in the form of chlorosis, spots or stripes. Over time, the leaves acquire a characteristic marbling, light areas appear on them. If you do not take any measures, then the disease passes to the fruit. They become spotty, the pulp coarsens and loses its flavor. In addition, the spots begin to deepen into the fetus. Sick plums ripen ahead of time, crumble or dry out right on the tree.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to fight the disease. All affected trees must be burned. Control measures are only preventive in nature, aimed at timely processing of the garden from pests that can spread the virus.

Rust

In July, rusty spots can be seen on young plum leaves, which gradually increase in size. Affected trees shed their foliage earlier. You cannot leave the plum in this state. The winter hardiness of the plant and the future harvest are sharply reduced.

For prophylaxis, trees are treated with copper oxychloride before and after flowering. In the fall, after harvesting, spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture is carried out.

Plum coccomycosis

A dangerous fungal disease that affects the leaves of a tree, less often fruits and young shoots. The first signs of the disease are noticeable in early summer.

1. The leaves are covered with small, reddish-brown spots.
2. On the back of the leaf, you can find a whitish bloom. This is the spore of the fungus.
3. Leaves turn yellow and fall off rapidly.
4. The fruits do not develop, become watery and fall off.

Most often, the disease develops in warm and humid weather, and reduces the winter hardiness of the tree. The fungus hibernates in fallen leaves, so in the fall it must be collected and burned. In addition, the tree trunk circle is sprayed with copper preparations or Bordeaux liquid.

Root cancer

Recently, the disease has been frequent. It is caused by pathogenic bacteria in the soil, which penetrate the plant tissue through cracks in the roots. Specific growths form on the infected plum roots, which leads to the death of the tree. Severe drought and slightly alkaline environment contribute to the development of the disease.

As a preventive measure, the garden is located in a place where no outbreaks of the disease have previously been observed. Severely affected seedlings are destroyed. The landing site is disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate.

Plum tinder fungus

Dangerous fungal growths on the bark of a tree. Penetrating through small cracks in the bark, spores destroy the wood. Hollows form in the affected areas. After a few years, a solid fungal body grows instead. Sometimes she looks completely harmless.

To prevent infection of the tree, you need to carefully treat the wounds and cracks in the bark of the plum. Fruiting bodies of the fungus are destroyed before the spores spread, as a rule, in early June. The remaining wounds are cleaned of rot, washed with a solution of copper sulfate, and then poured with a mixture of cement and sand (1: 4).

Gall mite

This is an insect of a bizarre shape that settles near the fruit buds of a plum in growths - galls. One gall can contain up to 400 insects. At the end of May, overwintered individuals come to the surface of the bark and feed on the cell sap of the plant.In places of bites, reddish growths again form on the bark, where females lay eggs. More than one generation of pests grows in one season. It is possible to determine the defeat of a plum with a gall mite by the characteristic ugly growths.

Fight insects right after the plum blossom. Several treatments are carried out with colloidal sulfur preparations. In case of massive defeat, it is recommended to cut and burn the shoots.

Goldtail

It is a white butterfly, the abdomen of which is covered with yellowish hairs. Caterpillars of the pest overwinter in fallen leaves. The goldtail begins to harm after the blooming of the buds of the plum, actively eating them. Butterflies are nocturnal, laying eggs on the surface of the leaves. The caterpillars that appear are very voracious, causing great damage to young leaves in a short time. They eat holes in them, slowing down the normal growth of the plant.

As a fight against insects, trees are sprayed with a solution of karbofos. In the fall, they do not stop fighting the goldtail. They collect fallen leaves, loosen the soil under the trees, thereby destroying the pest's nests.

Plum moth

This gray-brown butterfly damages plum fruits. Its reddish caterpillars hibernate under the bark of a tree or in the topsoil. In early spring, the butterflies lay their eggs in the still green fruit. When caterpillars appear, they feed on the pulp of the fruit, after which they leave for the winter. Affected plums turn purple and fall off, often you can see drops of gum on them.

Against the plum moth, preventive spraying with karbofos is carried out, trapping belts are put on the trees, and the soil is regularly loosened.

Aphids on a tree

A small pale green insect that sucks out cell sap. You can determine the presence of aphids with the naked eye:

• the tops of the shoots are twisted;
• the tree is stunted;
• pour dry and fall off;
• small insects are visible on the back of the leaf.

At the beginning of the growing season, the plum is treated with preparations against leaf-gnawing and sucking insects. Spraying is repeated after 10-14 days. The first treatment is carried out "along the green cone".

Hawthorn

A white butterfly that is diurnal. Its caterpillars feed on the buds, leaves, buds and flowers of the plum. The methods of struggle are the same as with the gold-tailed, plum moth.

Why do worms appear in plum fruits?

Very often, gardeners complain that almost the entire harvest is wormy. Why does this happen, which leads to fruit spoilage?

Plum sawfly and wormy fruits

The larvae of this insect destroy plums while still green. They eat not only the bone, but also the pulp of the fruit. As a result, the cream falls off unripe, but already wormy. To get rid of the parasites, you will have to try and remove the painful fruits.

Plum weevil on leaves

The females of this insect eat the buds and flowers of the plum, biting into the ovary. There they lay larvae, which eat the fruits from the inside. The harvest is all ruined. For wintering, larvae and beetles go into the soil. Trees should be treated in the spring.

How to get rid of fruit worms in a plum

It is necessary to process trees in the garden as early as possible, without waiting for the pests to get down to business and the fruits begin to rot. The first treatment should be done in early spring. You need to re-spray the plum before and after flowering. If the number of pests is very large, then the treatments are repeated at intervals of 10 days. But the latter should be carried out no later than 25 days before harvest.

To prepare a working solution, use drugs Phosphamide, Dursban, Metaphos, Bordeaux liquid or iron vitriol. With a small number of insects, spraying is done with infusions of tobacco, wormwood, dandelion or ash. Infusions are prepared in different ways.

How to deal with plum pests: preventive treatment

Every gardener knows that preventing disease is easier than curing a garden. Therefore, prevention should always be.

1. Every tree needs full care, regular watering and feeding.
2. They regularly carry out sanitary cleaning of the garden, cut out thickened branches, remove fallen leaves and dig up the soil.
3. In spring and autumn, spraying is carried out not only on the tree, but also on the soil under it.

It is very important that all actions are ongoing. If a neighbor's garden is affected by worms, scab, coccomycosis or curliness, then this means that it is time to get to work and cultivate your own trees. Do not rely on "maybe it will blow."

Conclusion

To reduce the risk of damage to trees by harmful insects and various diseases, it is necessary to regularly inspect the garden. In addition, to carry out prevention, and at the first signs of illness, immediately take action. This will increase not only the yield of the plum, but also the quality of the fruit.