Red currant diseases: prevention is a must

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The most common red currant diseases are: anthracnose, powdery mildew, septoria. Consider them in more detail.

This berry bush is most affected by pseudo-pepper fungus. The peak of this red currant disease, called anthracnose, occurs in the middle or end of the summer season. The disease is caused by a violation of the physiological functions of the plant, which entails the inhibition of its development and, as a result, a decrease in the yield next year. From this disease of red currant, mainly leaves, occasionally cuttings or berries are affected. Very small, one millimeter in size, brown spots appear on the affected areas, which subsequently turn black. With a strong defeat, the bush reduces its growth by a third, and the yield by half.

The degree of disease of this horticultural crop with anthracnose depends not only on the weather, variety and age of the plant, but also on the infection of the area where the red currant grows. Diseases (photos of them usually depict almost naked plants) are expressed in the drying of the leaves and their premature fall. This can most often be seen withstagnant moisture, as well as in wet and cool weather, since the spores of the fungus are spread by rainwater. You need to fight anthracnose by spraying. The ideal medicine is a one percent solution of Bordeaux liquid.

The causative agent of such a disease of red currant as septoria is the organism of ribis Desm. On the leaves of a horticultural crop, rounded or angular spots are formed, at first brown, and then whitening. Brown streaks form along the edges of the lesions. The leaves dry up and fall off.

Agrotechnical and chemical measures to combat septoria are the same as for anthracnose. The microorganism spherotek morsuve can cause a red currant disease called American powdery mildew. The disease covers not only the foliage of the garden bush, but also its petioles, shoots, buds and, of course, berries. First, the symptoms of the disease are observed on the apical shoots. The underside of their leaves along the veins in the lateral lobes is covered with a powdery white bloom, gradually turning into a dense felt layer with a brown color. The degree of damage to the bush depends on the weather, varietal characteristics and infection of the site. From this disease of red currant, its winter hardiness is sharply reduced. In addition, the leaves become ugly, twisted. The spread of American powdery mildew is facilitated by mild winters with an abundance of snow, creating a greenhouse effect. With a dense planting, almost all other berries, such as gooseberries or raspberries, can die from this redcurrant disease.

Agricultural technicians recommend periodic prevention of this disease by feeding garden crops with nitrogen fertilizers. Of the chemical agents for combating American dew, a solution of soda ash with the addition of soap is most suitable. Spray twice, ten days apart, about fifteen or twenty days before harvest.

The fight against diseases of red currant should include their preliminary prevention.