Garden strawberries, better known as strawberries, are a favorite berry for millions of people. This is no accident: it combines a remarkably pleasant taste, soft texture, pure natural beauty and the benefits of living vitamins. That is why the berry is grown in almost every garden and summer cottage in any corner of our country. And it’s very disappointing when the crop disappears or it doesn’t happen at all, which happens due to the attack of some harmful microorganism. Therefore, it is important to recognize
strawberry diseases and treat them in accordance with the correct diagnosis. As you know, the right path choice is half the success.
Strawberry Diseases and Their Treatment
To visualize information about the most common troubles that occur with a berry, it is better to look at the illustrations.
Strawberry Disease in Pictures
Fusarium (Fusarium wilt)
A malignant disease that affects the entire bush, from the root system to leaves and stems that change color, wither and eventually dry out. The source of the problem is a parasite fungus that feels especially well in hot weather. It remains in the soil for several years and is transmitted to strawberries from the beds that were previously occupied by infected vegetable crops.
Treatment
Prevention is the main way to protect seedlings: they must be healthy, adapted and planted in areas clean from parasites. If the symptoms have already manifested, then you will have to use the chemistry: “Fundazol” or “Benorat”.
Black rot
The disease affects the berries. From the name it is clear what the infected fetus looks like: it is covered with black spots, which are clusters of fungal mycelium. High temperature and relative humidity play into the pathogen's hand.
Treatment
Prevention of the problem is the cultivation of crops under shelter, on high or vertical beds, where a raw microclimate will not be created. With the development of the disease - spraying with drugs "Ordan" (in the fall) and "Euparen" or "Switch" (in the spring).
Late blight
Another name is leathery rot. It affects berries at any stage of the formation of a growth point. Dripping moisture contributes to the development of the pathogen: rain, dew. Berries become bitter, unfit for food, and then mummify.
Treatment
Before flowering, seedlings are sprayed with "Metaxilum", "Ridomilum", "Quadrice". You can prevent the problem by planting healthy bushes, observing crop rotation and using annual strawberries.
Gray rot
In warm and humid weather, it deprives the gardener of 30-60% of the crop. On any part of the bush or on the berries soft brown spots form, covered with gray fluff - a coating of mushroom spores.
Treatment
During spring growth, they are sprayed with Switch, Derozal, Topsin M or Euparen preparations. On a rainy summer, the operation is repeated after flowering.
Powdery mildew
On the green part of the bush there appear patches of a gentle, almost imperceptible white coating, turning into an abundant, mealy color.
Treatment
In the initial stages, Trichoderma is effective, with severe damage - broad-spectrum fungicides.
Strawberry diseases and their treatment is not an easy topic. It is often difficult to distinguish the work of one parasitic fungus from another. However, we can confidently say which diseases are caused by the fungus, which - by a bacterium or a virus. And on this basis, choose adequate therapy with an appropriate broad-spectrum drug.
You can avoid the invasion of pathogens by knowing the basic diseases of strawberries. And their treatment will be more successful, and you will only have to rejoice in good harvests. Moreover, healthy material will produce strong, high-quality seedlings next year.
When choosing how to treat strawberries from diseases caused by a fungus, ask your gardeners who are familiar with which drugs best help them. The meaning of this information is that in certain regions, pathogens are resistant to specific active ingredients of drugs, which means that the use of this chemistry will not be useful.