What is the importance of caring for the bark of apple trees? The fact is that it not only performs the protective function of a tree trunk, but also itself is exposed to adverse environmental influences. And, in addition to insect pests or animals, the enemy can also be a bacterial or fungal disease of the bark of an apple tree. In the hot season and severe frosts in those places of the trunks where it departed, the trees get severe burns, which inexorably slows their growth, the flow of internal juices. This affects not only the bearing, but also the longevity of the plant itself. A thrown tree will inexorably quickly approach its death! But if you pay attention to the apple bark disease in a timely manner, do not remain indifferent and take therapeutic measures, then the plant can be saved.
Causes of Disease
The cause may be mechanical damage, due to which the tree trunks become bare. These are lacerations or shallow cuts. Such trees are most susceptible to diseases of fungi and bacteria. The bark can also crack from severe frosts, such places on the trunks of apple trees look like cracks, they are called "frost warriors". From the severity of snow, bifurcations of skeletal branches can be torn to bare the trunk. In places of cracks and other exposed areas, bark beetles and other insects can easily start. Bacterial lesions, of course, are most difficult to cure and are quite common. We list some of them:
1. Cytosporosis is a fungal disease of the bark of the apple tree, which begins to spread from dry dead branches to healthy ones. The action of this fungus is poisoning with toxins, due to which the drying process occurs. Such a disease has the appearance of an expanding wound. Most often, the disease is activated on poorly fertilized soils with a heavy structure.
2. European cancer - a fungal disease of the bark of apple trees, is spread by spores. It has the appearance of a growth that is trying to cover the wound. Under the influence of this fungus, the branches of the tree dry out, the plant bears little fruit.
3. Black cancer is the most dangerous apple bark disease. It shows itself in the form of branches, as if covered with black soot. The onset of the disease is in the form of reddish-brown dents that appeared due to fungal spores. It is at this stage that the plant can still be cured, because the disease progresses very quickly. Occurs in weakened trees.
4. Common cancer - due to this fungal disease of the bark of apple trees, the plant may die. It is provoked by a lack of batteries or vaccinations with dwarf rootstocks. It looks like a cracked wound with peeling bark.
5. Bacterial cancer is a lesion in the form of dents from brown to pink, framed by a border of purple. In early spring, spots become blisters, which then, of course, burst and expose the cambium. All leaves are diseased with brown spots. The cause of the lesion is the accumulation of bacteria in the near - trunk circle, their defeat of the exposed sections of the trunk.
Control Methods and Treatment
Elimination of mechanical damage. Shallow and small-in-width cracks are covered with garden putty, in extreme cases, clay with cow manure (50x50). Large wounds are cleaned and treated with a solution of iron sulfate. Putty is applied on them, and then wrapped with rags. Damaged bifurcations of skeletal branches are pulled together with wire over fabric, felt or the like to soften so that it does not cut into the bark.
Black Cancer Treatment. First, the sources of infection are cleaned: fallen leaves are burned, where spores survive even winter, leaves can also be buried in rotted compost. Tree pruning is carried out annually with tools processed in copper sulfate. The diseased branches are trimmed carefully so as not to touch the healthy ones, and then they are treated with copper-containing preparations.
Treatment of cytosporosis and European cancer. The patient’s site is carefully cut with a sharp knife and treated with a solution of copper sulfate (1%), then we cover it with garden putty and bandage it with a rag.
The treatment of bacterial cancer. Removal of affected branches along with 10 cm of healthy areas. The tool is pretreated in a 10% formalin solution. Cut branches are burned outside the garden. Then cut the treated areas with copper sulphate and medicinal garden putty.
Preventative measures
Whitewashing of trees with diluted thick (like sour cream - 2-3 kg per 1 bucket of water) freshly slaked lime mortar. Whitewashing should be done in early spring and even at the end of February, it will serve as a good protection against sunburn.
Annual cleaning of old bark and branches. Under the tree, you need to lay old paper or rags and clean the sticking out and easily lagging bark from the trunk with metal scrapers or brushes. This should be done as carefully as possible. Waste is burned immediately, as they can contain various viral fungi, and everyone knows that they tend to spread quickly through any healthy tissue.
Affected by fungi and probably bacteria, the stumps remaining in the garden should be uprooted and burned outside the garden. The root zones are treated once a season with 1% sulphate in the form of a spray to prevent insects or wind from entering the tree trunks. That's all the diseases of apple trees. The tree bark will be in excellent condition if you periodically inspect it.