Contents
- Why did black spots appear on the leaves of the apple tree
- The leaves of the apple tree turn black at the edges and at the tips.
- Why did black bloom appear on the leaves
- Blackening of the leaves of the apple tree after processing
- What to do if the leaves turn black on young apple trees
- Preventive measures
- Conclusion
Apple trees turn black leaves for various reasons. Most often they are associated with fungal, bacterial or viral diseases. To solve the problem of planting, they are treated with fungicides, insecticides or other means. But some diseases are incurable, so it remains only to cut down the trees.
Why did black spots appear on the leaves of the apple tree
Often, black spots on apple leaves are associated with diseases. Some of them can be cured, especially at an early stage. Others are not amenable to treatment, so it remains only to get rid of the affected tree so as not to infect neighboring plantings.
Bacterial burn
If black dots appear on the leaves of an apple tree, this probably indicates a bacterial burn. The pathology is infectious and very complex, since it is practically not treatable. Foliage turns black at different times – in early spring, at the beginning of the flowering phase, or already in autumn.
The spots that appear quickly grow, merge together, after which the leaf becomes completely black and dries. Moreover, the foliage remains on the tree, falling off is not observed. The tree gradually discards the fruits and may die.
Symptoms of a bacterial burn
A characteristic feature is that not only the leaves become black, but also all other parts. From the side it may seem that the apple tree was on fire or struck by lightning. That is why the pathology is called a bacterial burn.
Basic treatment measures:
- Completely remove all shoots affected by the disease, capturing at least 5 cm of the healthy part.
- Treat the sections with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkle with charcoal powder.
- Treat with a powerful fungicide containing copper. It can be “HOM”, “Oxyhom”, “Bordeaux liquid”, “Ordan” and other means.
- After autumn leaf fall, it is necessary to treat the entire tree with a concentrated (50%) solution of urea.
destroyed
If the leaves of the apple tree not only turn black, but also curl, this indicates the development of a fungal scab disease. First, brown oil spots appear on the foliage. Then they begin to darken, after which the plate curls and dries. Further, the leaves fall from the tree, this is the main difference between scab and bacterial burn.
The affected tree may live for several more years, but it will grow worse, which will also have a bad effect on yields. Therefore, it is recommended to start treatment as soon as possible. Landings are treated with fungicides:
- “Abiga Peak”;
- “Bordeaux liquid”;
- “Topaz”;
- “Score”;
- “Ridomil Gold”;
- “Raek”.
“Abiga-Peak” – one of the best fungicides against scab
Spraying is done several times per season with an interval of two weeks. The last treatment should take place a maximum of 28 days before the onset of fruit.
ring spot
If the leaves are initially covered with yellow spots, the cause is associated with ring spot. After some time, the surface of the leaf plate begins to darken and expand. Black spots form on both foliage and fruits – these are necrotic areas in which plant tissues die.
Ring spot is a very dangerous disease that has a viral nature. Its consequences are noticeable already in the first season:
- the tree does not grow well, it is weakened;
- shoots look shortened;
- leaf plates decrease and turn black;
- yield drops.
If black spots on the leaves of an apple tree appear due to ring spot, it is difficult to treat the tree, there are no drugs for this disease. Therefore, the affected shoots are completely removed, and the apple tree is treated with means to stimulate immunity, for example;
- “Zircon”;
- “Epin”;
- Zdravin and others.
The leaves of the apple tree turn black at the edges and at the tips.
If the tips of the leaves on the apple tree turn black, this may be due to both diseases and improper care. The main reasons are described below.
Lack of nutrients
If the leaves turn black not only along the contour, but also at the tips, one of the possible reasons is the lack of manganese and magnesium compounds. This disease is not infectious in nature, it is called chlorosis. A characteristic feature is the blanching of the foliage, the loss of a rich green color. To fill the deficit, it is recommended to carry out foliar spraying with such solutions:
- magnesium sulfate (0,03%);
- manganese sulfate (0,05%);
- “Ditan” (20 g per 10 l) is an antifungal drug that contains manganese and zinc.
It is necessary to perform root dressing:
- dolomite flour;
- magnesium nitrate (0,1%).
The blackening of the leaves along the edges is associated with a lack of manganese and magnesium.
It is better to alternate treatments with an interval of 10-15 days. To fully restore the deficit, three top dressings are enough. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the apple tree – as soon as black leaves stop appearing, fertilizing is stopped. It is important to remember that overfeeding is worse than underfeeding.
Burn of the root system
If the young leaves of the tree turn black, this may be due to a burn of the roots. This is due to improper care, when apple trees are given fresh, unrotted manure or watered with a solution of urea immediately after planting. In such cases, it is recommended to completely replace the surface layer of the soil. You need to work carefully so as not to damage the roots of the plant.
Mosaic
Leaves may turn black due to mosaic, a viral infectious disease. First, bright yellow stripes and dots appear on them, after which they begin to blacken and die. Damaged foliage falls off (even in summer). The tree grows noticeably worse, and the yield can fall by half. If you start an infection, fruiting will completely stop.
For the prevention of planting, it is recommended to treat with “Epin” or another immunostimulant.
Why did black bloom appear on the leaves
If a black coating appears on the foliage of an apple tree, this indicates the development of an infectious disease. Also, the reason may be associated with dangerous pests – aphids or spider mites.
Black Cancer
Black cancer refers to fungal pathologies, due to which red or red-brown dots first appear on the foliage. Then they merge and form dark spots. If a black coating appears, resembling soot, this indicates an advanced stage of the disease.
Sheet plates are covered not only from the outside, but also from the inside. As a result, they dry out and begin to fall off. Because of this, already in the middle of summer the tree may remain bare.
When the first signs are found, all affected shoots and other parts should be cut and removed. Healthy fragments are treated with copper-containing preparations:
- “Bordeaux liquid”;
- “Oxychom”;
- “Copper vitriol” and others.
Slices are smeared with garden pitch, to which it is better to add “Fitosporin” or other fungicides. Processing should be carried out repeatedly, for example, 2-3 times with an interval of three weeks.
“Oxyhom” – a powerful fungicide against black cancer
sooty plaque
A dense black sooty coating may appear due to pests such as spider mites or aphids. Insecticides help with them well:
- “Inta-Vir”;
- “Decis”;
- “Aktara”;
- “Fitoverm”;
- Aktellik and others.
You can also prepare a copper-soap solution. To do this, 10 g of copper sulfate and 5 ml of liquid soap are diluted in 150 liters of water (you can use household soap, chopped on a grater instead).
Blackening of the leaves of the apple tree after processing
If the leaves on the apple tree turn black and curl after treatment with a fungicide or other drug, the reason may be due to a high concentration of the drug or the wrong choice of treatment time.
A high content of the active substance is especially dangerous in the case of copper-containing products. Therefore, when preparing the solution, you must carefully read the instructions. It is impossible to violate the dosage even to a small extent, especially if spraying is carried out in hot weather.
What to do if the leaves turn black on young apple trees
If the leaves turn black on young seedlings, the reason may be due to insufficient watering. Normally, apple trees are given water several times a season. But young seedlings should be watered at least once a week. If there is a drought, water is given at least twice a week.
When watering in a bucket, you can add “Zircon” or “Epin”. Excess moisture is also harmful. Therefore, it is necessary to control the condition of the soil. The surface layer should remain only slightly damp.
Sometimes the leaves of young apple trees turn black due to the fact that they have been infected with a bacterial, fungal or viral disease. Often this is observed in cases where seedlings were purchased from dubious sellers. Therefore, it is better to plan a purchase in a nursery or other responsible suppliers.
Blackened leaves on young apple trees may appear due to insufficient watering.
Preventive measures
To prevent diseases of apple trees and other reasons due to which the leaf turns black, certain rules must be followed. This is important at all stages – from buying a seedling to caring for an adult tree. The main preventive measures are reduced to regular top dressing, moderate watering, regular treatments and pruning.
Choosing the right seedling
To keep the leaves from turning black, apple tree seedlings are best purchased from nurseries or other reputable stores. When buying a plant, you need to inspect. All shoots and leaves must be healthy, without dots, spots and other extraneous signs. If possible, the root system should also be examined.
Cleanliness in the garden
Periodically, it is necessary to inspect the trunk circles and do weeding. You should also remove mosses and lichens that settle on trunks, branches and parasitize trees. In autumn, after pruning and leaf fall, all plant residues are carefully removed and burned. The soil in the root zone is dug up, at the same time the trunk can be whitewashed. Moreover, it is desirable to repeat this procedure in early spring.
Trimming
To prevent the leaves of the apple tree from turning black, timely pruning should be carried out. In early spring, dry, weakened and dried branches are removed. In the fall, you can make a shaping pruning. Slices are treated with garden pitch, a fungicide solution, or sprinkled with charcoal powder.
Additional fertilizing
To prevent the leaves from turning black, regular feeding should be carried out. In the spring, the trunk circle is dug up and humus or compost is added there. During the period of fruit formation, they give superphosphate and potassium. In the fall, a complex fertilizer is applied, for example, Autumn Kemira.
Preventive treatments
So that the leaves of the apple tree do not turn black due to diseases or pests, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatments with special preparations.
This should be done at different stages. Schemes depend on the choice of a particular tool.
For example, spraying with a Bordeaux mixture is carried out in this mode:
- in early spring – a solution of 3%;
- after bud break – 1%;
- after harvest – 1%.
To prevent the appearance of black leaves, apple trees can be sprayed with iron sulfate:
- in early spring – a solution of 5%;
- after bud break and after flowering – 1%.
Copper sulfate treatment schedule:
- in March-April – 3% solution;
- after bud break – 1%;
- at the end of flowering – 1%.
Conclusion
The leaves of the apple tree turn black due to infectious diseases. The most dangerous are viral and bacterial, since it is often impossible to destroy pests. Therefore, it is recommended to observe basic preventive measures and periodically inspect the plantings. If black plaque or spots are found, you need to determine the cause and immediately begin treatment.
