Content
- 1 What gray rot looks like on strawberries
- 2 Reasons for the appearance of gray rot on strawberries
- 3 How to treat strawberries from gray rot during fruiting, after harvesting in the fall
- 4 How to protect strawberries from gray rot
- 5 Gray mold resistant strawberry varieties
- 6 Conclusion
Often the cause of the loss of a significant part of the crop is gray rot on strawberries. Its pathogen can be in the ground and, under favorable conditions, begins to develop rapidly. To prevent damage to plants by a fungus, it is necessary to know not only the rules of dealing with it, but also preventive measures.
What gray rot looks like on strawberries
Signs of gray rot on strawberries are easy to spot. Initially, rapidly growing brown spots appear on the leaves, stalks, buds, ovaries, berries of the affected plants. Then they become covered with spores, forming a gray bloom. The leaves turn yellow, the fruits become watery, gradually dry out and turn into dark, hard lumps.
In one season, gray rot carries out up to 12 reproductive cycles
Reasons for the appearance of gray rot on strawberries
The causative agent of gray rot on strawberries is the mold Botrytis cinerea (gray botrytis). It overwinters well in plant debris and soil, after which it forms spores that are easily carried by wind and moisture.
The main reasons for its development include:
- High air humidity.
- Excessive watering or prolonged rainfall.
- Low air and soil temperatures.
- Thickening of plantings.
- Lack of proper ventilation of the bushes.
- Direct contact of berries with soil.
How to treat strawberries from gray rot during fruiting, after harvesting in the fall
The disease develops rapidly and it is not safe to fight it during the fruiting period with the help of chemicals. At this time, you can only stop the spread of infection by manually picking damaged parts of strawberries or traditional processing methods, which are considered more gentle and harmless. In the fall, after harvesting, the bushes are sprayed with strong chemicals that are guaranteed to get rid of fungal diseases.
Berries infect each other very quickly.
Preparations against gray rot on strawberries
The preparations with which plants are treated against gray rot are divided into chemical and biological. The former can only be used before flowering and after harvest, since the recommended waiting time for them is about thirty days.
Biological preparations penetrate into plants and help to increase their immunity, the production of substances that prevent fungal infection. The waiting period for them is up to five days.
In order for the use of remedies for gray rot on strawberries to be effective, a number of requirements for the procedure must be fulfilled:
- Spray plants only in the evening, morning hours or during the day in cloudy weather.
- In rainy days, they are carried out more often (after 5-14 days).
- Only one fungicide is used for a single procedure.
Copper sulfate from gray rot on strawberries
Copper sulfate is used to destroy gray mold before the beginning of the growing season of strawberries. When the rosette of new leaves has not yet appeared above the soil surface, it is sprayed with a solution of the drug. To do this, 5 g (one teaspoon) of copper sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water.
In autumn, copper sulfate is used as a microfertilizer.
Trichopolum from gray rot on strawberries
Trichopolum, or Metronidazole (Trichopol, Metronidazolum) is a reliable and inexpensive remedy. It is designed to fight bacterial infections in humans. Gardeners use it to treat strawberries from gray rot - they dilute from ten to twenty tablets in 10 liters of water and spray the plants. Treatment must be carried out after every rain. To enhance the bactericidal effect, a bottle of brilliant green (10 ml) is added to the solution.
Metronidazole is cheaper than Trichopol
Horus
A modern pesticide is aimed at combating fungal diseases. The active substance inhibits the biosynthesis of amino acids, which leads to disruption of the life cycle of pathogens at the time of mycelium growth. Strawberries are processed with Horus no more than two or three times per season - at the beginning of the growing season and three weeks before harvesting. To obtain a working fluid, 3 g of granules are dissolved in 10 l of water.
After spraying, part of the preparation remains in the upper layer of plant tissues.
Teldor
A few hours after treatment with the drug, a moisture-resistant film forms on the foliage, which does not allow pathogens to penetrate into the plants. The difference between Teldor is that the composition includes fenhexamide, which has a systemically localized effect.
The work is carried out on a clear day, with little or no wind
Fitosporin-M
Natural biofungicide containing live hay bacillus spores. The hazard class is the fourth. Strawberries are sprayed from gray rot in the phase of protruding peduncles, opening of buds and the beginning of ripening of berries. The consumption of the working fluid is 6 liters per one hundred square meters.
Fitosporin - gray or white powder
Alirin
The drug is not only able to fight gray rot on strawberries, but also restores the microflora of the soil. The biological agent acts immediately after treatment and lasts about two weeks. It is used both for spraying and watering at the root. The consumption rate is six to ten tablets per 10 liters of water.
Alirin is incompatible with antibiotics and bactericidal agents
Chistoflor
The biological product is effective in combating gray mold and powdery mildew. It can be sprayed both before flowering and after harvesting. The waiting period is twenty days, two treatments are required.
A stimulating effect for plants is possible from the use of Chistoflora
Folk methods of dealing with gray rot on strawberries
To get rid of rot, you can use time-tested folk remedies. They are safe for humans, insects and the environment.
Gray rot yeast on strawberries
The yeast solution not only helps to protect the berries from gray rot, but also increases the fertility of the soil and improves its structure. For its preparation, 1 kg of pressed yeast is diluted in warm water (5 l), and immediately before watering the strawberries, diluted 10 times.
To replenish potassium in the soil, ordinary ash is added to the yeast.
Strawberry gray rot soda
When brown spots appear on strawberries, they are treated with a soda solution several times with a break between procedures per week. To prepare a solution in 10 liters of settled water, add 40 g of baking soda.
Together with soda, add 2-3 tablespoons of liquid soap to the water
A mixture of soda, garlic, soap
A mixture of 100 g of chopped garlic, 35 g of soda, 70 g of mustard powder, 15 g of tar soap, one tablespoon of pine needles extract and 8 liters of warm water has a greater effect. Processing is carried out at a stage when the berries are still green.
Mustard improves soil composition
Iodine
The iodine-based solution is used in the spring, before flowering.The frequency of procedures is three times before the ovaries appear. To prepare the liquid, mix fifteen drops of iodine, one glass of whey and 10 liters of warm water.
Iodine can kill fungi and other protozoa
Potassium permanganate
To prevent infection and repel pests, a solution of potassium permanganate is often used with the addition of a few drops of boric acid. The water should be hot (50 ° C), and the color of the liquid should be bright pink.
The solution must be mixed very thoroughly.
How to protect strawberries from gray rot
In combination with treatments, it is necessary to use preventive measures in order to minimize the possibility of developing gray rot. Among them:
- Laying a strawberry plantation only on loose soil.
- Choosing a well-lit area for planting.
- Timely thinning of plants.
- Moisture control.
- Using mulch to avoid contact with the ground.
- Weeding regularly.
- Removal of diseased and affected berries.
Gray mold resistant strawberry varieties
There is another way to avoid fungal infection. In the photo - varieties of strawberries that are resistant to gray rot. When grown, the risk of fungal infection is significantly reduced:
- Early varieties (Alba, Honey, Medovaya, Clery, Elvira).
- Medium early ripening (Crown, Tago, Slavutich).
- Later (Symphony, Mice Schindler).
Conclusion
Gray rot on strawberries is very common. To combat it, you can use any of the methods or several in combination. The use of prevention methods and a timely response to the appearance of a fungus will certainly give a positive result.
