Dark spots on apple leaves: how to treat, photo

Brown spots on apple leaves appear for various reasons. Most often they are associated with diseases and pests. Also, dark areas can appear due to sunburn, improper care and adverse weather. The treatment regimen is approximately the same – remove the affected branches and burn, and then proceed with the treatment with chemical or biological preparations. It is also useful to feed the apple tree so that the tree is better able to resist infections.

Looks like

Brown or dark spots may periodically appear on the leaves of the apple tree. They look like bumpy, protruding formations of various shapes and sizes. Variety of colors:

• brown;
• brown (light and darker);
• olive;
• almost black.

Spots on an apple tree can increase in size, change color and shape, merge with each other. In this case, the green (unaffected) part may become lighter, and the affected areas themselves become covered with a velvety coating.

Why are the leaves on the apple tree covered with brown spots?

If brown spots appear on the leaves of a seedling or adult apple tree, this may be due to many reasons – adverse weather, fungal infection, improper care. Also, dark spots can appear due to pests. They are dangerous both in themselves and in that they spread pathogens of fungal and bacterial infections.

Fungal infection

Among the most dangerous fungal infections that lead to the appearance of dark spots, we can distinguish: scab, rust, brown spot.

These are dangerous diseases that develop especially actively in certain weather conditions:

• abundant dew;
• morning fog;
• frequent rains;
• cool, cloudy weather.

Incorrect planting and care provokes the spread of infection, including a thickened crown, excessive watering, too dense placement, stagnant moisture (low ground) or closely suitable groundwater.

Dark spots affect the leaves of the apple tree gradually

Copperhead and mineral deficiency

The tinsel is also called the flea or leaf blotch. This is a small jumping insect of yellow, brown or green color. The body size is up to 2,5-3,5 mm. There are transparent wings and antennae, the abdomen is conical in shape.

Lungwort can lead to dark spots

Pests secrete a sugary liquid, which is gradually covered with a waxy film. The stomata become clogged, dark spots form on them, and as a result, the foliage dies off.

Also, dark spots on the apple tree are formed due to a lack of potassium. The regular intake of this element is especially important during the formation of shoots in the spring and at the flowering stage. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the tree with potassium salt or potassium sulfate.

destroyed

If the young leaves of the apple tree are in brown spots, the cause may also be associated with scab. The main symptoms of scab are as follows:

1. First, mild yellowish spots appear. Their surface is oily.
2. The spots become olive-brown, dark.
3. Foliage is affected mainly from the upper side.
4. Leaf plates gradually wither and fall off, including in the summer months.
5. Young fruits are deformed and grow poorly.

   

6. Cracks with plaque appear on the shoots of the apple tree. It is also dark, like the leaves.

As a result, the tree lags behind in development, the yield decreases, the apple tree becomes less resistant to adverse weather conditions. The tree is also susceptible to other diseases and pests.

Weather

Brown spots on an apple tree may be due to weather conditions. If the heat is on for a long time, some of the leaves get burned when spraying or watering. As a result, yellow-brown areas of various shapes appear on the surface.

If this is not an infection, they gradually pass without additional intervention, although not always completely without a trace. There is no treatment as such – you just need to carefully water the tree and spray it in cloudy weather, preferably in the late evening or early morning.

Bacterial burn

Bacterial burn is considered one of the most dangerous diseases of apple trees. The main symptoms are:

1. Dark (black or brown) spots on foliage.
2. Darkening and dropping of flowers.
3. Loss of ovaries, few fruits are formed.
4. The tips of the branches also begin to turn black.
5. Water spots form on the surface of the shoots.

Signs of a bacterial burn are noticeable on visual inspection

As a rule, only pear leaves turn completely black, and at an apple tree they become brown, first at the tips, then to the base. The danger of the disease is that it spreads very quickly, and over time the tree literally withers. It has to be cut down and new seedlings grown.

brown spot

Brown spots can appear on the leaves of a young apple tree due to brown spotting (also called phyllosticosis). This is an infectious disease associated with pathogenic fungi. It manifests itself in the middle and in the second half of summer. The main symptoms are:

1. Small spots.
2. The color is brown, gray, with shades of dark.
3. There may be a rim around.
4. The shape is angular.
5. Diameter up to 5 mm.
6. The leaf plate is thinning.
7. Sometimes dark spots are formed on the fruits.

This is a dangerous pathology that leads to a weakening of the tree, drying out of the leaves and a decrease in yield.

Therefore, it is recommended to regularly prune, especially if the variety is prone to intensive growth of new shoots.

Too little or too much fertilizer

Dark formations may appear due to a lack or excess of various fertilizers – nitrogen, potash, phosphorus. The general rule works: it is better to underfeed a little than overfeed. The composition of dressings must be balanced. The mixture can be prepared independently or purchased at the store, for example, Factorial, Pospeta and other preparations.

Other

There are other causes of dark spots, such as rust. This is an infectious disease caused by pest fungi. Characteristic signs appear in the second half of summer and in September:

1. The spots on the leaves are rounded, the color is orange-yellow.
2. Brown or dark (almost black) dots form on the surface.
3. Very rarely, small warts may appear on the leaf plates, and spotting on the fruits themselves.

Rust also develops mainly in cool and damp weather, its appearance is provoked by heavy rains and violation of the irrigation norm.

The characteristic signs of rust are easily seen by visual inspection.

How and how to treat brown spots on apple leaves

It is not always possible to cure apple tree foliage affected by dark spots, since they can affect a significant part of the plate. But it is quite realistic to stop the spread, as well as prevent the emergence of new defective areas. To do this, it is necessary to apply fertilizers, as well as to treat diseases and pests.

Application of fertilizers

Often the appearance of dark fragments is associated with potassium deficiency. Therefore, at the stage of flowering, as well as the formation of ovaries, it is imperative to water the tree with a solution of potassium sulfate. Consumption standard: 30-50 g per 10 liters per 1 m². Two buckets can be given per tree, and if the seedling is young (up to 3 years old), 10 liters is enough.

Disease control

If dark swellings, dots and other signs of damage are found, 1-2 treatments using fungicides are required:

• “Ridomil Gold”;
• “Maksim”;
• “Fitosporin”;
• “Score”;
• “Respect 25%” and others.

Spraying begins in the late evening or early morning, trying to completely get on the leaves and shoots. Moreover, it is necessary to process not only diseased trees, but also healthy ones in order to prevent the spread of infection.

It is also important to consider that each drug has its own waiting periods, i.e. the minimum period between the last treatment and harvest. For chemicals, the terms are maximum and can be up to 30 days. For biological agents, they are much shorter – up to 10 days. This is important to consider when planning the procedure.

Preparations containing copper

For the treatment of apple trees from scab, rust and other fungal diseases, fungicides containing copper help well. Most often they use “Bordeaux mixture”, “HOM”, “Abiga-Peak”.

Compositions containing sulfur

Sulfur-containing drugs emit sulfur vapor, which enters the cells of fungi and combines with hydrogen. The resulting hydrogen sulfide disrupts metabolic processes, because of which the pests die. The main sulfur-containing fungicides: Colloidal Sulfur, Thiovit Jet, Cumulus.

“Thiovit Jet” – one of the best sulfur-containing fungicides

Biopreparations

Biological preparations are used during the fruiting period, when there is not much time left before harvesting. Among the most effective biofungicides are:

• “Fitosporin”;
• «Strekkar»;
• “Phytolavin. VRK”;
• “Abacus Ultra, SE”;
• “Bellis, VDG”;
• “Piktor, KS” and others.

preventive measures

Preventing the appearance of diseases and pests of the apple tree, due to which dark spots form, is easier than dealing with the consequences. Experienced gardeners recommend following these rules:

1. Do not over water. As a general rule, a young seedling is given 2-3 buckets of water, a 3-5-year-old apple tree – 5-8, and older trees – 6-10 liters. and it is enough to do this 3-4 times per season, taking into account the rains.
2. Regularly carry out sanitary and shaping pruning. This should be done every spring, before the buds begin to swell, and also in late autumn on the eve of the first frost.
3. In autumn, dig up the trunk circle and remove all fallen leaves, branches and other plant debris. They are carried away and burned to destroy insect eggs and fungal spores.
4. In early spring, after pruning, preventive treatment with fungicides is carried out, then spraying is repeated one more time – in May. For these purposes, you can use not only chemicals, but also folk remedies.
5. Periodically loosen the trunk circle. This is especially important after watering or heavy rain, otherwise the soil may become compressed and the roots will not get enough oxygen. Simultaneously with loosening, it is recommended to do weeding.

Conclusion

Brown spots on apple leaves are most often associated with care errors and fungal infections, such as rust, scab, brown spot. Pests are especially active in conditions of high humidity. Immoderate watering, as well as non-compliance with prevention, can also provoke the appearance of spots. Therefore, it is important to regularly thin out the crown, feed the tree and carry out treatments for diseases and pests.