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It is quite difficult to treat cherry moniliosis, especially in the later stages of the disease. The danger of this fungal infection also lies in the fact that it quickly spreads to neighboring fruit trees. In the end, you can lose about a third of the total harvest if the cherry treatment is not started on time.
What is this disease of cherry "moniliosis"?
Moniliosis (monilial burn) is one of the most dangerous diseases of stone fruits caused by the fungus Monilia cinerea. The infection was most widespread in the European part of Russia and in Western Siberia.
Infection occurs in spring during flowering, when the spores of the fungus fall on the cherry blossoms. They penetrate into the pistil and germinate there, affecting the conducting vessels and spreading along the shoot, which leads to the gradual drying out of the tree. If the spores of the fungus remain on the cherry in the fall, they overwinter in mummified fruits and dried branches. In the spring, the fungus of moniliosis is again activated and will give rise to a new round of infection.
Signs of damage to cherries with moniliosis
It is very important to start the treatment of monilial cherry burn on time - the easiest way is to get rid of the fungus in the early stages of the disease. The onset of the lesion can be determined by the following signs:
- the leaves turn yellow and fall off rapidly;
- fruits stop developing, their skin darkens;
- the pulp begins to taste bitter;
- a grayish bloom appears on the shoots;
- leaf plates are also covered with light gray growths;
- flowers dry out;
- berries begin to rot and crumble.
As a rule, the first signs of moniliosis appear 1-2 weeks after the beginning of flowering.
Why cherries get sick with moniliosis
Most often, moniliosis affects cherries that are planted with serious violations of agricultural technology:
- the tree is located in a lowland where excess water accumulates;
- plantings are too dense;
- the level of the groundwater table is too high, etc.
In addition, prolonged rains at a sufficiently warm air temperature of 15-22 ° C contribute to the spread of the fungus.
Also, the likelihood of infection with moniliosis increases mechanical damage to the tree. Fungal spores can enter plant tissue through untreated pruning cuts or insect wounds.
Can felt cherry get sick with moniliosis?
Felt cherry is not immune to moniliosis, and therefore often gets sick with this fungus.The extensive damage to plantings is facilitated by the thermophilicity of felt varieties - high humidity in a warm climate is an ideal environment for the spread of infection. Over the course of several years, moniliosis can deplete felt cherries to the point that the tree eventually dies.
How to cure cherries for moniliosis
Cherry moniliosis behaves quite aggressively and quickly captures new territories, therefore, the treatment of the disease is carried out in a comprehensive manner. Chemical and biological means alone are not enough - they additionally carry out sanitary pruning of cherry trees, hilling the trunk circle, harvesting foliage in the fall, etc. In other words, spraying plantings is combined with various agricultural techniques.
How to deal with cherry moniliosis with folk remedies
Traditional methods of combating moniliosis include liming the cherry trunk in late autumn and spraying with iodine solution. The recommended dosage of the product is 10 ml per 10 liters of water. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed and the tree is treated with it about 20-25 days before harvesting. Later processing of plantings is prohibited, since the fruits can absorb a large concentration of iodine.
Young cherry seedlings are best treated for moniliosis with this solution in spring.
Re-spraying is carried out after 4-5 days.
Fight against cherry moniliosis with biological products
Biological drugs are more effective than folk remedies, however, they are still inferior in strength to industrial chemicals. On the other hand, they are much safer than the latter, due to which longer treatments are possible.
The most effective are the following:
- Fitosporin-M;
- Fitolavin;
- Alirin-B.
How to save cherries from moniliosis with chemicals
Systemic chemicals cope well with moniliosis on cherries, however, they can harm the plantings if the permissible dosage of the agent is exceeded. In addition, they should not be used less than a month before picking berries.
The following remedies are considered the best drugs for moniliosis:
- "Rovral";
- Topsin-M;
- Horus.
How to Treat Felt Cherry Monilial Burn
Moniliosis on felt cherry is fought according to the following scheme:
- First, the tree is processed "Zircon"when the buds open.
- The procedure is repeated after flowering. Zircon treatments can be alternated with spraying with the preparation "Epin-Extra".
- In the spring, all diseased and dried branches are cut from the tree. It is necessary to remove shoots before living tissue, even with the capture of a healthy area.
- After that, the planting is sprayed bordeaux liquid (1%).
- Treatment is continued with preparations containing copper. For these purposes, perfect fit "Nitrafen" in a proportion of 200 g of substance per 10 liters of water. You can process cherries for moniliosis in both spring and autumn.
As a prophylaxis of moniliosis in felt cherries, fertilizers with a high content of boron, manganese and copper are applied to the soil. All rotten berries are picked and burned. You can harvest the crop in a month.
Rules for processing cherries from moniliosis
Before proceeding directly to the treatment of cherries, it is necessary to prune the infected shoots. In the spring, the procedure is carried out until the kidneys open. In autumn, trees are pruned in October-November.
In order to stop the spread of moniliosis along the tree, the cut is made 10-15 cm below the place of drying out. Shoots are not cut exactly along the border of the infected area.
When to process cherries for moniliosis
The fight against moniliosis is carried out throughout the season. Conventionally, there are three main stages for spraying the garden:
- in spring - before the opening of flower buds;
- in summer - after flowering, when the tree forms ovaries;
- in the fall - after leaf fall.
At the time of fruiting, all work on spraying cherry trees is stopped.
How to choose drugs for cherry moniliosis
Traditional methods of combating moniliosis can temporarily stop the development of the disease only at the initial stage, as well as agrotechnical methods. In case of moderate damage, it is recommended to use drugs on a biological basis - they are quite strong, however, at the same time, they have a sparing effect on the tree. If the fungus of moniliosis has covered large areas, only potent chemical agents can help.
Individual protection measures
When working with strong chemicals and biological products, it is important to observe the following safety rules:
- When spraying the garden, do not eat, drink, smoke or remove protective equipment, even for a short time.
- In order to protect mucous membranes and skin from chemical burns, it is recommended to use rubber gloves or mittens, safety shoes and a respirator. If the latter is not available, you can use cotton-gauze bandages. As a last resort, cotton fabric folded in several layers is suitable.
- After completing all work, rubber gloves must be washed in a 3-5% solution of soda ash, without removing them. You can also use milk of lime. Then the gloves are washed in water.
How to treat cherries for moniliosis
Spraying fruit trees is best done in dry, calm weather. After the cherry has been treated, there should not be at least 2-3 hours for all the active ingredients to be absorbed into the plant fibers.
The frequency of treatments is different for each product - some drugs are used only once, while others are used repeatedly. On average, the interval between two sprays is two weeks.
The causative agent of moniliosis adapts quickly, so the chemicals are changed from time to time
Prevention measures
The complex of preventive measures against moniliosis on cherries includes the following procedures:
- Timely thinning of the crown. Thickening of the branches creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of a variety of insects, which are often carriers of the fungus.
- Avoiding mechanical damage. If the tree was nevertheless injured, all wounds are treated with garden varnish. The same is done with the places of the cuts after trimming.
- Autumn cleaning of the trunk circle. The fallen leaves are collected and burned away from the garden, and the trunk of the cherry is covered with whitewash.
- Regular treatment of the garden with copper sulfate. Copper prevents the spread of the fungus.
- Sanitary pruning. From time to time, it is worth inspecting fruit trees for damaged and dried shoots. At the first signs of damage, the branches are removed and burned.
- Periodic loosening of row spacings and near-trunk circle. For the winter, it is recommended to dig in the soil under the cherries.
Separately, it is worth noting such a preventive measure as the competent selection of a site for planting cherries. Trees should be placed on hills and flat areas, as excess moisture will inevitably accumulate in the lowlands - an ideal environment for the spread of the fungus. The groundwater level at the landing site should not be less than 1.5 m from the surface of the earth.
In addition, adherence to the planting scheme recommended for a particular variety helps to reduce the risk of moniliosis.On average, the spacing between two adjacent trees in the garden should be 3 m.
Cherry varieties resistant to monilial burn
The choice of a variety adapted to local climatic conditions and resistant to moniliosis will help to reduce the likelihood of disease to a minimum. In particular, the following varieties take root well in the Moscow region:
- Chocolate girl;
- Turgenevka;
- Cossack.
In the south of the mill, it is recommended to plant the following types:
- Spunk;
- Kharitonovskaya.
In the conditions of central Russia, the following varieties have proven themselves well:
- Novodvorskaya;
- Sap.
Of course, these varieties do not have absolute immunity to moniliosis, however, they get sick much less often than other varieties.
Conclusion
It is not easy to treat cherry moniliosis - it is one of the most destructive diseases for stone fruit crops. Already in the first year after planting infection, at least a third of the crop may become unusable, or even more if the disease is started. Moreover, if treatment is not started on time, the fungus will very quickly move to the nearest fruit trees: peach, apricot, cherry plum, plum, etc.
In addition, you can learn how to spray cherries for moniliosis from the video below:
