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We all love a juicy and sweet plum, and a fruit grown with our own hands is doubly tastier. Only on the way to a bountiful harvest are all kinds of diseases and pests of the plum. Below we will tell you how to deal with the most common misfortunes of this fruit tree and learn how to prevent their spread.
How to get rid of red spots
Red spot, and according to scientific polystigmosis, is a fungal infection of plum leaves. They begin to cover light yellow and orange spots. With the development of the disease, the spots become bright red, dense and with a characteristic sheen. Polystigmosis leads to shedding of the ovaries.
For the treatment of trees, various fungicidal agents are used. In early spring, the garden (including the soil) is treated with a solution of Nitrofen. For 10 liters of water, you need to take 300 grams of the drug. Copper sulphate is also used for spraying. Immediately after flowering, you can process the plum with Bordeaux liquid at a rate of 100 grams of product per 10 liters of water.
To prevent the red spot from returning, remove the remnants of fallen leaves in time. It is with them that the disease spreads and continues to attack plums. Also, do not forget to loosen the earth in the near-stem zone.
How to cure plum dwarfism
Plum dwarfism is a serious viral disease that adversely affects all parts of the plant. The first signs of the disease appear on the leaves. They grow smaller and narrower. Especially a lot of deformed leaves are formed on the tops of the shoots. Their edges are uneven, and the color is dull. Flowers rarely form and also have a sickly appearance. The virus leads to a slowdown in the overall growth of the tree and premature aging.
Unfortunately, infected trees cannot be treated. They must be uprooted and burned away from the garden. All proposed methods of struggle are used rather for prevention. First of all, choose varieties resistant to the virus. The least adapted in this regard are Renklod Green and Renklod Italian. Also carry out timely spraying from insects, since it is the sucking pests that spread the disease. If you find a diseased tree in your garden, follow quarantine measures (disinfect tools, wear a change of clothes).
Video “Diseases of stone fruits”
How to remove pockets
Plum diseases also affect the fruit. One of them is called pockets or marsupial disease. Plums affected by the fungus grow baggy. They do not develop a bone. Fruits can reach 5-6 centimeters in length, but be thin. A whitish coating forms on top of the peel. In general, the fruits do not ripen normally and become unsuitable for consumption. If the disease is not noticed in time, then crop losses from can reach 60%.
In order for the pockets not to grow, it is important to monitor the trees, especially in the first weeks after flowering. To combat the fungus, spraying with Bordeaux liquid is used in early spring before the formation of the first buds. After flowering, treatment with 1% fungicide solutions can be carried out. Before and after flowering, the trees are sprayed with Horus in a proportion of 2 grams per 10 liters of water.
Diseased fruits and shoots should not be ignored. They are collected and destroyed by burning. It is important to remove deformed plums from the tree before they appear white in summer. It is worth noting that pockets especially attack trees in wet weather.
What to do with plum plum
Sharka or plum pox infects the leaves. Their surface is covered with chlorotic annular spots, which stand out especially in the light. From the side, the sheet appears marbled. Also, the disease attacks the fruits. Plums become dense, the ripening process accelerates, deformations are noticeable on the peel. The flesh acquires a brown-red hue and loses its taste.
Sharka is caused by special viruses. To combat them, drastic measures are needed. Sick trees must be immediately uprooted and burned so that the disease does not spread to other plants. It is also important to observe quarantine precautions. You can protect yourself from smallpox by choosing resistant varieties of plums – all types of Renklod. Poor stability is noted in Mirabell Wangangheim, Zimmer and Nancy.
Video “Diseases of cherries and plums”
The most common cherry and plum diseases that affect these trees, leaves and their fruits are described in the video below.
