Grapes are a crop that requires high agricultural technology. Under unfavorable conditions, the plant’s immunity decreases and it becomes vulnerable to numerous pathogens: fungi, viruses, bacteria. One of the dangerous crop diseases is bacterial canker of grapes. The article provides a brief description of the external signs of the disease, the main methods of prevention and control.
Why is it dangerous?
The pathogen can remain hidden inside the plant for a long time. According to practitioners, the contamination of domestic vineyards with the bacterium reaches 80-90%.
The bacterium inserts part of its DNA into the DNA chain of the host plant, changes its genetic program and stimulates grape cells to divide irregularly. After this, the pathogenic process is able to develop without the participation of the pathogen.
As the disease develops, the pathways are blocked and the flow of nutrients stops. The disease can completely destroy individual vines, branches and even entire bushes. The thicker the trunk, the longer the bush will be viable. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely cure the plant.
Signs of bacterial canker in grapes
The disease affects the perennial woody part of the bush (trunk, vines, sleeves). The infection penetrates from the soil into the plant through wounds (from mechanical damage or frost). External manifestation - influxes of callus (tissue that heals the wound) with an uneven surface at the site of infection. At first, these growths are white and soft, but as they grow, they harden and become dark brown. The sizes of the formations vary from 0.5 cm to 10 cm or more in diameter. Since the pathogen lives in the soil, most often signs of damage appear at the base of the trunk, on the neck of the roots.
Manifestations and consequences
Symptoms of grape infection with bacterial canker develop gradually. A short period after infection, the gardener may see small white spots appear under the vine bark. They feel soft and crumbly to the touch. The number of tumors at the initial stage varies.
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The growth and hardening of the neoplasm provokes destruction of the cortex. The tumor itself acquires a brown tint and a lumpy structure. The diameter of the growth varies from a few millimeters to 30 centimeters. During the period when grape growth stops, the tumor cracks, and this phenomenon is observed on the eve of winter.
Due to the tumor, the vine becomes thinner and stops bearing fruit, which ultimately leads to the death of the crop. Even if the grapes bear fruit, the berries lose their taste and their size decreases.
Consequences of infection:
- vine growth slows down;
- the affected plant bears less fruit;
- the plant absorbs water and nutrients from the soil worse;
- grapes lose frost resistance;
- there is a high probability of plant death during drought.
A neglected plant infected with bacterial cancer dies, especially if the disease leads to the formation of large tumors in the root part of the crop.
When appears
Usually the disease appears in the spring on wounds and cracks into which the bacteria penetrates. At this time, the plant is weakened and cannot resist the disease. The greatest increase in influxes is observed in June-July with large amounts of precipitation and high air temperatures.
According to the observations of gardeners, grapes with weak immunity and growing in unfavorable conditions are more likely to suffer. A strong plant can be infected with a bacterium, but have no external manifestations of the disease and demonstrate good growth and productivity. Although growths usually occur on perennial wood, cases of their appearance on annual vines have also been noted.
Next, we’ll look at how to treat grapes for bacterial cancer and what preventive measures to take.
Causes
The disease can occur for several reasons, the main ones being:
- contact with contaminated plant, water or soil;
- the presence of injuries to the plant from exposure to weather conditions, animals;
- human activity - improper care of the plant;
- propagation of diseased seedlings, their collective soaking before grafting, which can lead to the spread of the disease from one infected vine to a large number of others;
- using the same area for growing grapes for a long time, which leads to the accumulation of bacteria and infections in the soil;
- a vine weakened by another disease requires treatment and care, as it may be susceptible to active canker bacteria.
How it spreads
Most often, infection occurs from particles of old tumors in the soil and through diseased bushes. In addition, the pathogen can survive in the soil for a long time. The bacteria can be introduced by dirty pruning shears when pruning, a shovel when digging the soil and accidentally damaging the roots, etc.
Once in the wound, the bacterium begins to move along the plant's pathways. Inside, the pathogen can remain viable for a long time, penetrating into the young parts of the bush. Therefore, there is a danger that bacterial cancer of grapes will subsequently appear on planting material, even if the cuttings seemed healthy in appearance.
Antibacterial drugs
The following remedies will help to influence plant disease at an early stage:
- "Fitoverm M". This drug gets into the soil by drip irrigation, improving its microflora;
- "Phytoplasmin". It contains a number of antibiotics. It is applied as a bactericidal agent during irrigation;
- "Gamair". It is used to eliminate bacteria that cause infectious processes, including fungal ones;
- "Fitolavin". Has a wide spectrum of action. In its focus, the drug is similar to Gamair.
Prevention
The main method of protecting a plant is to protect it from winter frosts, mechanical damage, stagnation of water, that is, everything that can damage the integrity of the grape wood. Preventive measures:
- removal and burning of all affected vines and branches;
- disinfection of all sections with copper sulfate;
- Thorough disinfection of tools after each bush.
When planting new bushes you must:
- carefully discard suspicious seedlings;
- do not purchase cuttings from infected vineyards (if it is possible to check this).
Disease Prevention
Preventative work consists of the following:
- In the fall, for subsequent wintering, it is important to lay the grapes so that wounds do not form;
- treating bushes by spraying;
- after the process of pruning the grapes, the pruning shears are treated with a special solution;
- providing a disinfecting effect on the soil by adding Nitrophen to it;
- selection of grape varieties exclusively with stable immunity;
- careful examination of seedlings to detect diseases;
- soaking the planting material in a special bactericidal solution for 40 minutes;
- use of competent agricultural practices;
- if bacterial cancer is detected, the grape roots must be uprooted from the soil without any residue;
- keeping the cuttings for 30-60 minutes in hot water at a temperature of about 55 degrees. Parasitic bacteria are not able to withstand such temperature conditions. With this method, the central buds die, but enough secondary buds remain.
Related article: Green grafting - Additional ways to grow grafted seedlings
Treatment of bacterial cancer
The most effective treatment for bacterial canker of grapes is excision of existing tumors. After removing the growth, the cut site is thoroughly washed and disinfected (for example, with a solution of copper sulfate). This procedure is long and labor-intensive.
Another way to combat bacterial canker on grapes is to remove the sleeve or vine along with the affected tissue, i.e. the cut should be below the growth that appears. In case of severe damage, the only remedy is to uproot the diseased bush. The wood is burned.
After uprooting the bush, experts recommend disinfecting the soil. It is even better before disinfection to completely remove the old soil from under the cut bush within a radius of 1-1.5 m to a depth of 30 cm. If possible, it is recommended to grow grapes in this place only after 3-5 years.
Spraying the affected bushes with a 2% solution of copper sulfate will help to somewhat reduce the spread of the disease. The operation is carried out during the dormant period, in the spring before the start of sap flow or before sheltering for the winter in the fall.
Antibacterial therapy
There is currently no effective antibacterial therapy to treat the disease. Drugs have been developed that can destroy Rhizobium radiobacter in the soil and on the surface of the plant. For example, products such as Paurin, Kazumin. However, the insidiousness of bacterial cancer is that the bacterium, entering the plant’s body, changes the genetic program of its tissues, after which the growths grow without the participation of the pathogen.
Therefore, the use of the above drugs is effective only for preventive purposes (spraying bushes in spring and autumn, treating cuttings before winter storage).
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