Rust on currants: how to fight, photo

Blackcurrant is rightfully considered a favorite of gardeners. Its berries are a valuable source of vitamins (C, B, P), as well as minerals and organic acids. The main feature of the fruit is to keep up to 80% of vitamin C in its juice even after six months of storage. That is why the currant has won universal love. This shrub is unpretentious in care, but is sometimes affected by rust. The disease is caused by fungi. Ugly brown spots from the leaves quickly spread to different parts of the plant, which leads to dehydration and death of the currant. There are many ways to remove rust on currants, but the main thing is not to start the disease.

Varieties of rust

To many gardeners, rust on currants seems the same. But there are several types of this disease. Each type has its own differences and the time of plant damage.

Rust on currants can be:

• Goblet. At risk are currant bushes growing near coniferous trees. The spores of the fungus first settle on them: they fall on the branches and eventually penetrate under the bark, where they begin to multiply. In spring, the bark is covered with growths in the form of bubbles, which turn into red spots. And then currants are also affected by spores. Currant goblet rust (pictured) is carried by wind and insects. The most dangerous time starts in May and lasts until the first half of June.

  

• Columnar. Yellow spots appear on the upper part of the leaves, and on the reverse side the leaf plate is dotted with orange specks, in which fungus spores are collected. Be especially careful in July and August.

  

Causes of Rust

A beneficial environment for the fungus is a moist and warm environment. If the summer is dry, currants are rarely affected by rust. The disease spreads rapidly in low-lying areas with dense plantings.

Sources of rust spores can also be:

1. Leaf aphid. The inside of the leaf is covered with microscopic black dots. Insects suck the juice from the plant, depriving it of vitality. Leaf plates are covered with brown tubercles. Bushes slow down in growth and soon die.

   

2. Spider mite. The pest also settles on the leaves. Gradually, they become covered with rust-colored blisters. The disease discolors the leaves, and they crumble.

   

3. Currant gall. This pest lays eggs on currants. Soon, rust spores infect the entire shrub.

   

Signs of rust on blackcurrant

The condition of the bushes must be carefully monitored. Regular inspection of foliage and branches will help to quickly identify rust spores, preventing them from spreading to the entire plant. Alarming calls are the yellowing of currant leaf plates, the appearance of red spots and stripes on them.

What is dangerous rust on currants?

In the cold season, the pathogen does not manifest itself. Spores hibernate near the currant bush, without showing up in any way. When the weather becomes wet and warm, the fungus becomes active. Rust gradually affects the entire bush completely.

The detrimental effect is manifested:

1. Profuse loss of leaves. In summer, the plant loses ¼ of its crown, and in autumn the leaves fall off completely.
2. Almost no new shoots appear.
3. Yields are halved.
4. The immunity of the shrub is greatly weakened. The plant becomes vulnerable to disease and frost.
5. Without proper treatment, currants cannot be saved.

How to deal with rust on currants

A disease noticed in time is a guarantee that the bush can be cured. For the treatment of rust on currants, various means are used. Specialty chemicals are sold in stores. But you can use the old folk ways.

Chemicals

The following remedies help to cure currants from rust:

1. Previkur (15 ml / 10 l of water). A popular fungicide with a wide range of effects. The drug protects not only from rust on white currants, but also from root rot. In addition, it acts as a powerful growth stimulant and strengthens the immune system. Water is poured into the preparation in a thin stream and mixed well.
2. Speed Refers to contact fungicides. It is used for preventive purposes, as well as for the treatment of both indoor and garden plants. The tool is convenient in that it can be used even at the stage of flowering or fruiting. It is most effective against rust at an early stage. Before use, Skor is diluted in water (2 ml / 5 l).
3. Phytosporin. Successfully fights any kind of fungus and bacteria. Available in paste, powder or liquid form. The drug does not affect the ovary of fruits and their quality. To prepare a solution for currants, you need to dilute 5 g of the substance in 10 liters of water. Treat currants from rust on the leaves only when there is no sun. Under the sun’s rays, the active ingredient quickly disintegrates.
4. Topaz. The drug inhibits the germination of rust spores, which means that the fungus is not capable of further reproduction. The composition is quickly absorbed and can be used in rainy weather. It is also resistant to high temperatures. To prepare the solution, you will need a 10-liter container with water and 4 ml of the product.
5. Bordeaux liquid. The most effective measure in the fight against rust on red currants. It is an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide and copper sulfate (100 g of each substance + 10 l of water). Bushes are sprayed with this composition during bud break. The procedure is carried out only 3 times with an interval of three weeks.
6. Kuproksat. This drug belongs to the copper-containing. It fights fungi perfectly, penetrating the spores and destroying them. For 10 liters of water, take 50 ml of the drug and spray with this solution.

Processing currants from rust in the spring has its own characteristics. To get a positive effect, you need to follow some rules. So, all parts affected by the disease are cut off from the bush. Branches and leaves should be immediately raked into a heap and burned. Otherwise, the spores will penetrate the ground and re-infection will occur. Holes must be made in the soil to drain excess moisture.

Folk methods

Those who have a negative attitude towards chemicals try to get rid of rust on currant bushes by such means:

1. Baking soda. Powder (2 tablespoons) is combined with liquid soap (3 tablespoons) and mixed well in 5 liters of water. When all the components are completely dissolved, the liquid is poured onto the bush.
2. Manure. Ordinary mullein is also used as a rust-fighting agent. A 10-liter bucket is filled a third with manure and completely filled with water from above. The mixture is infused for three days. After it is diluted in a ratio of 1:10. The solution is ready for use.
3. Garlic. A glass of peeled teeth is poured into 2 liters of water and left for three days. Next, the solution is filtered and sprayed with currant leaves. It is also useful to plant this crop near currant bushes. Essential oils contained in garlic repel many pests.
4. Dairy products. Homemade whey, kefir or yogurt will do. For 1 part of dairy products is 10 parts of pure water. Processing is carried out only in the evening or on cloudy days.

Agrotechnical measures

There are many ways to protect currants from rust on the leaves. First of all, you should not plant bushes in the immediate vicinity of coniferous trees. The second step is to get rid of the sedge on the site. Approximately 0,5 km of adjacent land must be cleared. The soil should always be sufficiently loose and well-groomed.

Preventive measures

The best way to deal with rust on currant leaves is prevention.

A number of simple actions will help keep currant bushes healthy:

1. Leaves that have fallen from the bushes should be burned immediately.
2. The area around the currant should be regularly cleared of weeds.
3. The soil is loosened approximately twice a year.
4. In autumn and spring, the earth must be dug up.
5. Shoots that are more than five years old are pruned. The cut sites are treated with special antiseptic agents.
6. A complex of fertilizers saturated with potassium and phosphorus will help strengthen the plants.
7. Until the buds have blossomed, you can heat the currants. 3 liters of boiling water poured onto the bushes will become a reliable protection against various types of fungi.

Sustainable varieties

There are some currant varieties that successfully resist rust:

1. Katyusha. It is a tall, medium-branched shrub with pubescent leaves. The berries are large and tasty, with a small number of seeds. The skin is thick and glossy. The variety is resistant to diseases and frosts, gives high yields.

   

2. Grace. Differs in juicy tasty fruits and rather early terms of maturing. This variety has strong immunity and is rarely affected by pests (powdery mildew and bud mites).

   

3. Black veil. Tall bushes, decorated with a scattering of beautiful large berries. The fruits ripen early and tolerate drought well. Currant pleases with a plentiful annual harvest.

   

4. Belarusian sweet. Spherical bushes look very aesthetically pleasing. Every year, basal sprouts grow from the base. In adult bushes, powerful roots grow. Fruits tend to change color: from a greenish tint to a deep purple tone. The taste is sweet with pronounced sourness. The fruits are resistant to diseases and pests. They must not be allowed to overripe.

   

5. Semiramis. Valued for very large and tasty berries. The shrub is not affected by rust and is resistant to powdery mildew. It will delight with excellent harvests and incredibly large fruits resembling cherries.

   

The listed varieties are hybrids. Initially, they have strong immunity. Due to care errors, plants often weaken and become easy prey for pests that carry fungal spores. You can get rid of them in any of the ways described above.

Conclusion

The easiest way to remove rust on currants is with chemicals. Modern means effectively destroy fungi without harming the crop. Berries remain clean and do not lose their properties. Some gardeners are skeptical about chemicals. Rust can also be treated with natural remedies. The main thing is to choose the safest and most effective of the proposed range.

Currant is a real healer. It helps to resist colds, has a beneficial effect on the heart, blood composition and lymphatic system. The leaves make a delicious and refreshing tea. You can get the maximum benefit and taste only from healthy bushes. Proper agricultural practices and careful soil care will help protect black, white and red currants from rust on the leaves.