Contents
Cherry coccomycosis is a dangerous fungal disease of stone fruit trees. The danger is great if you ignore the first signs of the disease. If coccomycosis develops, it will affect almost all nearby trees. Over time, the plants will not be able to cope on their own due to the violation of their natural functions, and in the next winter they will die completely. However, by taking timely simple measures to process trees, the garden can be saved.
Cherry trees are more prone to coccomycosis than others.
Description of the cherry disease “coccomycosis”
Coccomycosis is a fungal disease of cherries. Over the past century, it has spread throughout Our Country, moreover, work on its study is only underway, that is, the disease has not been fully studied, which is why it is considered dangerous.
Cherry disease is expressed in brown dots that appear on the foliage of the tree. Then, if nothing is done, not processed, the dots grow, affect the entire foliage, and the fruits become covered with dark spots, become watery. Eating such berries is contraindicated. In a short time, the foliage turns yellow and disappears, but the troubles do not end there. On fallen leaves, you can see the so-called spores – growths of a pale pink color. Cherry disease coccomycosis is shown in the photo:
The first sign is red-brown spots
Signs of infection of cherries with coccomycosis
At the beginning of flowering, in spring, the first signal of the presence of the fungus are reddish-brown dots on the foliage, the so-called erosion. In the future, they increase in size, merging into one spot. On the reverse side of the leaf there is a pale bloom, spores. In addition to foliage, berries suffer. They also become stained, deformed, deteriorated and dried out.
The disease develops so rapidly that it affects the entire tree by the beginning of summer. Besides the fact that the cherry crop will be lost, next winter the tree may not endure frosts and die. It is also important to pay attention to the fact that spores are rapidly spread through the air and affect other crops. The lack of measures to treat garden plants is dangerous because all fruit trees will fall ill over time.
Why cherries get coccomycosis
Before proceeding to the treatment of cherry coccomycosis, it is worth understanding the reasons for its appearance. As you know, the fungus reached domestic gardens from Scandinavia. Just half a century ago, the first mention of it appeared in the Lipetsk and Tambov regions. To date, coccomycosis is considered the youngest and most dangerous disease of stone fruit crops, cherries are especially affected.
Spores of coccomycosis “hibernate” in fallen leaves, then are carried by the wind throughout the district. The peak of infection occurs in early spring, in wet weather, when the temperature is about 20 ° C. In a matter of weeks, the spores take root and infect trees that begin flowering.
What is dangerous for cherries coccomycosis
Regardless of the age and fertility of the cherry tree, coccomycosis actively spreads throughout the plant, affecting leaf after leaf. When the ripening of berries (or fruits of other stone fruits) begins, they also lend themselves to deformation. In addition to external changes, irreversible internal ones begin. The tree loses its ability to standard wintering and becomes supercooled. Consequently, coccomycosis multiplies on the tree, completely killing it. To know what cherry coccomycosis looks like, you should study the photo and measures to combat garden disease.
Fungal disease affects foliage and berries
How to treat coccomycosis cherries
It is worth fighting cherry coccomycosis when the first signs of the presence of a fungus appear. First you need to choose the appropriate method of treatment, among which there are folk remedies prepared independently, purchased biological products or strong chemicals. In any case, care must be taken to protect the person who will be treating horticultural crops.
Folk remedies for cherry coccomycosis
It is not enough to start treating cherries from coccomycosis in the spring with biological or chemical preparations. Folk remedies are designed to consolidate the positive result of treatment, increase the resistance of cherries to fungus. With the onset of warm days (when the temperature approaches 20 ° C), a solution is made from 2 kg of wood ash, 100 g of laundry soap and 10 liters of water. Foliage is treated with this mixture on both sides, all branches, bark, as well as the soil around the trunk. The procedure is carried out weekly until the onset of heat. Otherwise, under the influence of excess moisture, the plant will overheat and get burned. Harvesting is carried out after the ripening of the cherry and depending on the variety, i.e. from the end of June to August. Before eating, the berries should not just be washed, it is recommended to pre-soak in cool water for 20 minutes.
How to deal with coccomycosis on cherries with biological products
Cherry disease coccomycosis can be treated with biological products, but they are good at the initial stage of the development of the disease, as well as for preventive purposes. Their job is to apply a preparation containing special bacteria to the tree, which will begin active reproduction by feeding on fungal mycelia.
Moreover, these preparations help to improve the quality of berries, they are safe for the tree, and beneficial for insects. Depending on the chosen drug, it is applied at different stages. For example, “Mikosan”, Bitoxibacillin” and “Phytodoctor” are applied after flowering. “Aktofit” – during the budding period. “Planriz” – shortly before the seasonal berry picking.
Despite the fact that biological products have a beneficial effect on the cherry tree, the berries must be washed thoroughly before use.
How to cure cherries from coccomycosis with chemicals
Cherry coccomycosis chemicals contain precise dosage instructions. Effective work is achieved when the diluted preparation is applied to dry foliage and left there for up to three hours.
Chemical treatment is carried out in several stages
They begin the fight against diseases in early spring, continue until the buds and flowers open. Re-application of chemicals is carried out immediately after flowering. Then for the purpose of prevention after the seasonal harvest. Finally, in the fall, after leaf fall, a fixing chemical treatment is done.
It is noteworthy that they try not to apply chemicals directly to the fruits, but if the tree was so infected that it was necessary to process them, the berries are eaten after about 25 days, after thorough washing.
The fight against coccomycosis of cherries by mechanical methods
At the first signs of coccomycosis, the infected branches are cut with secateurs, and after each cut branch, the tool is treated with alcohol so as not to transfer spores to healthy parts of the culture. Slices, saw cuts must be covered with garden pitch, less often with paint. Infected parts – branches and foliage – are collected and burned, or buried in pits up to 1 m deep. At the beginning of the spring season and in the fall, loosen the ground to improve air circulation.
Rules for treating cherries from coccomycosis
It is believed that the most optimal processing of cherries from coccomycosis will be in the spring. Given that the active reproduction of the fungus falls on dampness and warming, the garden is cultivated in cloudy weather, without wind, in the early morning. It is important to spray absolutely the entire tree – foliage on both sides, trunk, branches, all bark and even soil. If the weather is rainy or with a high level of humidity, due to which warm evaporation occurs, the treatment is carried out more often to stop the fungus.
When can cherries be treated for coccomycosis
Depending on the chosen processing method, the cherry is sprayed several times. First, with the onset of the first warm days. Some remedies require regular repeat weekly. Others – strictly before flowering, at the time of swelling of the buds and flowers. Then the operation is repeated after flowering. The next processing step is carried out after picking the berries. Sometimes another treatment is required in the autumn after the foliage has fallen.
Personal protective measures
In the process of mechanical tree care, it is important for a gardener to use high-quality tools, thick gloves so as not to damage his hands, large transparent glasses so that branches and chips do not get into his eyes.
Chemical processing requires a full-fledged worker’s equipment. A tight respirator is required for the face, large transparent goggles for the eyes, a rubber apron and long rubber gloves.
Protective equipment must be used to avoid drug poisoning.
After the end of the procedures, be sure to take a shower and thoroughly wash your face and hands with laundry soap.
How to spray cherries from coccomycosis
Much depends on the chosen method of treatment for a fungal disease.
Treatment with an ash-soap mixture is carried out once every 1-1,5 weeks, starting from the onset of the first warm days (when the temperature approaches 20 ° C), in the early morning or in the evening, so that the sun does not scorch the wet foliage. If wet weather persists, treatment is carried out more often.
The use of biological products involves several stages of processing:
- In early spring, from the onset of the first warm days, when the trees wake up after wintering;
- At the beginning of budding;
- After the end of flowering;
- After collecting;
- Before wintering, when the foliage is dropped.
The whole tree, foliage, bark and branches are sprayed. It is noteworthy that it is not necessary to apply biological preparations to the fruits. Procedures are carried out early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun does not heat as hot as possible.
Chemical treatment is required when the tree is heavily infested, carried out in five stages, as with biologic treatment. It is important to apply the chemicals in dry weather so that the product remains indelible on the surface of the wood for at least three hours.
Spraying is carried out to the maximum – all the foliage on both sides, each branch, the entire trunk is plentiful so that the bark is saturated with the preparation. Be sure to spray the soil around the tree to prevent the development of spores in the ground.
Preventive measures
The fight against coccomycosis of cherries is carried out in the spring, but in order to prevent it, it is worth starting work in the fall. When the leaves fall, they must be collected and burned. In the autumn and spring seasons, sanitary pruning of the tree crown is carried out, which should also be burned. The places of cuts are covered with the so-called garden pitch, which consists of paraffin, rosin and vegetable oil, or the finished product is purchased at a hardware store.
Young seedlings are painted with garden whitewash – a mixture of lime and vitriol. The entire seedling is covered with it for prevention and when signs of comicosis are detected. In the presence of the disease, seedlings are stained in the fall, after pruning. Thus, the “medicine” will penetrate into the bark, where the fungus can also remain for the winter.
Cherry varieties resistant to coccomycosis
Early cherry varieties have proven to be resistant to fungal disease. They begin to ripen even before favorable conditions for the spread of coccomycosis come.
These varieties include:
- In memory of Vavilov;
- Dessert Morozova;
- Early Yagunova;
- In memory of Enikeev;
- Sudarushka.
Resistant to coccomycosis and mid-ripening cherries:
- Rastorguevskaya;
- Morozov;
- Bulatnikovskaya;
- Silvia;
- Renaissance;
- Anthracite.
Late varieties resistant to fungal disease include:
- Nord Star;
- tamarisk;
- Robin.
Conclusion
Cherry coccomycosis is a fungal disease that affects stone fruit trees. It is successfully stopped in the early stages of appearance. It is noteworthy that some varieties of cherries are resistant to the fungus. There are various ways of processing plants – folk, biological, chemical and mechanical. Observing the rules of processing, coccomycosis is easily disposed of, and then the disease is prevented.
