Various diseases of red currant and their control

Berries of red currants can be called a source of health, since the content of pectin in them is very high. Red currant is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, as well as to reduce the risk of various neoplasms and inflammatory processes. That's why most gardeners consider her a queen of berries and are happy to grow on their plots.

With proper care, the shrub reaches a height of 1.5 m, it can bear fruit up to 25 years. The plant is not particularly demanding for irrigation, but it refers to photophilous bushes, it needs constant thinning and circumcision. Like other garden crops, red currant is susceptible to many diseases. The fight against currant disease should be conducted in a timely manner. Otherwise, a shrub can die.

Fungal red currant diseases and control

Spheroteka (powdery mildew) develops after the shrub buds. The tops of shoots are affected, leaves and still immature berries. They have a characteristic white coating, then the drying and dying of the affected areas occurs. As soon as the first signs of this disease appear, the plant should be sprayed with the following solution: 50 g of soda ash and 50 g of soap per 10 l of water. Spray should be 2-3 times, the interval between procedures is 10 days. If the bush is already strongly affected, then a solution of copper sulfate (10 liters of water - 300 g of vitriol) is used. And you need to spray not only the plant itself, but also the soil near it. All fallen leaves should be collected and burned.

Septoria (white spotting) affects shoots and leaves. They appear round spots of gray color, in the middle of the spots - dark dots. The affected plant must be treated with a Bordeaux mixture (1% concentration). The first treatment is done before flowering, and the second - just after harvesting. Pathogens can safely spend the winter on fallen leaves, so they should also be collected and burned.

Anthracnose affects the stems, leaves and shoots, which then dry up and crumble. Fight this disease should be the same as with septoriosis.

Viral diseases of the red currant and their control

Reversion (mahrovost) - this disease is mainly susceptible to black currant, but recently it is observed on the red currant. In diseased plants, the leaves become shallow, narrow, purple. In addition, they lose their characteristic odor. Makhrovost can be brought in by infected saplings, it is also transported by aphids and a mite. The most effective method of fighting this disease is prevention. To do this, in spring, before the buds are dissolved, the plant should be carefully inspected. If the kidneys are infected with a tick, they are enlarged in size and round in shape. Such kidneys must be cut off and burned. But if there are too many of them, then the whole escape is cut off and destroyed. After that, the bush is sprinkled with colloidal sulfur (50-100 g per 10 liters of water), it should be done before the flowering begins. The second spraying takes place after the flowering of the currant. Another excellent effect is the treatment with carbophos (75 g per 10 liters of water), tinctures of tobacco, garlic and dandelion.

Pests that cause red currant diseases and their control

A cobweb is another cause of a bush infestation. They are quite often affected by red currants. Diseases and pests in general are very closely interrelated, since the latter are direct pathogens. The spider mite lives in the lower part of the mature leaf. Especially actively it multiplies in a dry, hot weather. The leaves affected by this pest are covered with cobwebs on the underside, and light points appear on the upper side of them. To fight apply infusions of tobacco, garlic or onion husks. Spraying is carried out before flowering. Pay special attention to the inside of the sheet. In autumn all the fallen leaves should be removed and destroyed, and the ground around the plant to dig.

Aphids are another pest of red currant. If you find that the currant leaves are affected by aphids, then they need to be cut off and burned. And with a strong defeat completely removed and destroyed shoots. To avoid the attack of aphids, it is necessary in the spring, even before bud blossoming, to process the plant with tinctures of garlic or tobacco. The procedure must be repeated after 10 days.

Currant glass and narrow-bodied grass are another pest of red currant. If you notice that shoots on the bushes dry for no reason, then most likely your plants are affected by these insects. This is easily seen by cutting dry shoots along. Discover the presence of larvae - then the bushes are affected by pests. To get rid of them, you need to spray the shoots with an emulsion of carbofos (emulsifying concentrate). This should be done 20 days after the currant blossoms.

After all this, you might think that red currant diseases and fighting with them are too troublesome. But in fact, everything is much simpler. Currant is a unpretentious and productive crop. Pay attention to it in the spring and autumn, treat for prevention, and your plants will please you with a constant, abundant harvest.