Powdery mildew on gooseberries - measures to combat white bloom

Powdery mildew on gooseberries is a problem that affects every gardener. Often she is left without attention, manifesting herself not a single season. However, engaging in the cultivation of fruit shrubs, one cannot underestimate this disease. There are a number of effective measures that allow you to timely identify the ailment and begin treatment.

What is powdery mildew?

Powdery mildew (sferotek) is a fungal disease that is actively spreading by microscopic spores. They can be carried by birds, insects, as well as wind masses. The disease appears on the bush for several years in a row. If in the first season this leads to a decrease in productivity and a smaller fruit, then in subsequent seasons the lack of treatment leads to a slowdown in the growth of the bush itself, and later to its death.

What mildew looks like

Mushroom spores can cover flowers, ovaries, young shoots and leaves. After which they actively begin to develop their mycelium. If at the initial stage it looks like a thin cobweb, then with subsequent development a white coating on the gooseberry is observed. In the process of growth, the white color is replaced by brown, covering all the affected parts of the bush with a felt cocoon.

Powdery mildew lives on the plant until that time, until it leads to its death. When the fungus is affected by this fungus, the fruits fall off, and when the berries are damaged, they can turn white and stop growing.

In winter, the pathogen hibernates in fallen leaves and on damaged branches, which is why with the onset of spring, the disease becomes more active. At this time, a new number of spores matured during the winter are thrown out. Sferoteka presents the greatest danger at the beginning of summer, when the growing season and fruiting take place. When the fruits of gooseberries grow half, the harm from powdery mildew will be significantly reduced.

Gooseberry Brown

Symptoms by which the disease can be recognized

Powdery mildew, like scab on gooseberries, appears on the bush at the end of flowering. At this time, young leaves and shoots may begin to turn white. The appearance of plaque is characterized by a loose structure and can be easily erased from sheet plates.

You can also suspect a disease by the following symptoms:

• Loose white mold quickly turns into a brown felt crust.
• Damaged shoots bend, stop growing and dry out.
• Leaf plates begin to curl, gain a fragile structure.
• Berries can be covered with plaque, stunted and showered.

If powdery mildew on gooseberries is suspected, control measures should be urgently initiated. If untreated, the bush will die already in season 2-3. In addition, in the process of its development, spores are carried by insects and the wind, affecting an increasing number of crops.

Powdery Mildew Control Measures

Despite the complexity of this disease, gooseberries can be saved by an integrated approach.

Gooseberries infected with powdery mildew

Agrotechnical techniques

Agricultural technology is effective in the early stages of the development of the library. It implies the following activities:

• selection of gooseberry varieties resistant to this disease;
• regular pruning of infected branches in the spring and autumn;
• burning infected branches;
• spring cleaning of fallen leaves near the bush;
• removal of damaged shoots and leaves;
• before the swelling of the kidneys, treatment of the shrub with a hot solution of potassium permanganate;
• fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium compounds.

Chemicals

If the question arises: gooseberries were covered with white coating, how to treat and how to treat?

The following drugs have proven themselves well:

• HOM - contact action fungicide. It can fight fungus in combination with other chemicals.
• Rayek - a tool for the prevention and treatment of the sphere library. Valid for a week. It can not be washed off with watering or rainfall.
• Vectra is a chemical for treatment in the early stages of a disease. It can be used up to 4 times per season.
• Topaz - the drug is effective at the initial stage of infection. It involves spraying gooseberries with a repeat after 10 days.
• Cumulus is a sulfur-containing preparation used during the growing season. Effective in the fight against fungal diseases on fruit bushes and trees.

Gooseberry Spring Processing

Folk remedies

What to do if gooseberry berries are covered with white coating?

The following recipes are most in demand among gardeners:

• A solution of ammonium nitrate. To make it, you will need 50 g of this product per 10 liters of water. Spraying gooseberries to get rid of the fungus should be carried out once after flowering.
• Soda and aspirin. The composition includes 5 liters of water, 1 tab. aspirin, 1 tbsp. l soda and sunflower oil, 1 tsp. liquid soap. The solution is used to treat affected bushes with a frequency of 2 times per month.
• Hot water. Boiling water before the snow has melted, gooseberry bushes and the earth around them are watered.
• Infusion of wood ash. To prepare it, you need 10 liters of water and 1 kg of ash. The components are infused for a week with periodic stirring. At the end of the term, the infusion is filtered. They can be sprayed not only affected bushes, but also healthy for prevention.
• Kefir. For 8 liters of water you will need 1 liter of sour milk or a packet of kefir, as well as 10 g of detergent or liquid soap. The solution can water the gooseberries 2 times before flowering and 2 times after.
• Infusion of onion husks. 250 g of husk is added to a container with 10 l of boiling water. It is infused for 2-3 days, after which the gooseberry is processed. Spraying is recommended before and after flowering, as well as in early autumn.

How to prevent the development of the disease: prevention

The main task of preventing the sphere library is the regular observance of agricultural practices. In order not to wonder: how to handle white plaque on gooseberries, it is necessary to take care of prevention in advance.

Powdery Mildew Prevention

Events should begin from the time of purchase of planting material. Planting cuttings is best done in a well-lit and dry place, since the mushroom prefers a shady and humid area.

Such nuances are important in order to achieve good ventilation of the planting and drying of the earth. It is also important in choosing a place to be guided by the predecessors of gooseberries. It is not recommended to plant it after raspberries, currants and other berry bushes.

In general, prevention consists of the following measures:

• selection of gooseberry varieties immune to powdery mildew;
• regular weed removal;
• harvesting with subsequent burning of grass and fallen leaves;
• annual pruning of damaged and dry branches;
• loosening of the root territory;
• fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium compounds;
• soil mulching;
• spraying shrubs with infusions or fungicides.

Conditions unfavorable for the development of the disease

You can reduce the risk of developing the disease if you create unfavorable conditions for the pathogen in your garden.

• Provide the gooseberry bush with regular care appropriate to its grade. Weakened plants are more susceptible to fungal diseases, including the spherical library.
• Inspect leaves and shoots for white plaque and other symptoms.
• Avoid excessive soil moisture and water stagnation.
• Trim shrubs in a timely manner, removing damaged and old branches. An overly dense bush increases the chance of getting sick.
• Remove weeds and fallen leaves around gooseberries, as fungal spores can be stored in them.
• Each spring to dig the soil. This procedure improves the air exchange of the soil, which prevents the development of microorganisms in it.
• Eliminate the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Instead, phosphorus and potassium compounds can be used.

Gooseberry Varieties Resistant to Disease

Varieties with immunity

The following gooseberry varieties are resistant to powdery mildew:

• Grushenka is a medium-sized variety that does not have thorns. It is highly resistant not only to fungal diseases, but also to drought and frost.
• Commander is an early ripe compact variety with rare spikes.
• Salute is a high-yielding variety with high quality berries.
• Kuibyshevsky is a spherical gooseberry variety with a small number of thorns.
• Jubilee - compact bush with thorns. It tolerates drought and severe frosts.
• Harlequin is a high-yielding and frost-resistant variety.

Powdery mildew resistant variety

Varieties with less exposure to disease

The following gooseberry varieties have medium susceptibility to powdery mildew:

• Sirius is a high-yielding variety with medium resistance to fungal diseases. The branches have virtually no spikes. Pink berries have good taste.
• Leningrad is a medium-sized variety with a minimum number of thorns. Dark red berries grow large and are famous for their sweet and sour taste. It tolerates low temperatures.
• Black Sea is a vigorous, popular variety with rare spikes. Medium-sized berries can grow dark red and almost black in color. Pleasant and delicate in taste. Gooseberries tolerate frosty winters well. It has an average immunity to fungal diseases and, in particular, to powdery mildew.
• Minx is a medium-sized gooseberry variety with a complete absence of thorns. Berries grow small and green. It is characterized by medium immunity to powdery mildew. It tolerates low temperatures and drought.