Black spots on apple leaves - what are they and how to treat them

Scab on an apple tree: how to get rid of blackheads and how to treat them

When infected with various infections, a whole range of symptoms appear.
The appearance of black spots or dots is typical for several types of diseases. Greater attention should be paid to the problem and the most effective method of dealing with it should be found. Otherwise, the quality and quantity of the harvest will decrease, and in some cases the problem can lead to the death of the tree. Less often, the appearance of black spots is associated with improper care. The symptom appears when there is a lack or excess of micronutrients or when the watering regime is improperly organized.

It's time to harvest, and there are black dots on the apples. What is this and how to deal with it? Black dots can be small and large, numerous and rare, they can be not only on apples; but the main thing is that black dots not only spoil the appearance, but it is their fault that the harvest suffers.

What are these blackheads and how to deal with them. Let's figure it out.

If you look at the picture, you will see that there are several reasons for the appearance of various dark (black, brown) spots on apples.

I will only talk about three, but the most common ones.

Lack of iron.

It’s interesting: apples are a fruit that can replenish the lack of iron in the human body, but it turns out that they may also lack iron. With a lack of iron, the apple tree can develop chlorosis: the leaves become pale green and then turn yellow, first black dots appear on the leaves, then on the fruits.

The apple tree needs to be fertilized with fertilizer with a high iron content: for one apple tree, dilute approximately 300 grams of iron sulfate powder in 10 liters of water and water after the leaves have fallen; In the spring during the growing season, dilute and spray 50 grams of powder per 10 liters of water.

Scab.

The most common disease of the apple tree looks like black (dark brown) spots on the fruit with clearly defined edges.

Scab is difficult to get rid of. This is a fungal disease transmitted by spores of the fungus Venturia inae-qualis, that is. he's flying apart! The disease may appear first on the leaves, and then on the fruits. And if it is still damp and humid for more than 2 days, then the scab will definitely spread - this is heaven for it. If you notice signs of scab, be sure to take action.

In the fall, collect all the leaves and carrion and burn them or take them far beyond the site. After leaf fall, treat the apple trees and the soil under them with a 10% ammonium nitrate solution or a 7% urea solution.

But the main scab treatment awaits you in the spring.

Apple trees, and indeed all fruit trees in general, need to be treated with 3% Bordeaux mixture against scab. This is done before the buds open and during their swelling.

And then, once every two weeks, spray with “Skor” and “Chorus” preparations, alternating them! The drugs are good, they help! And most importantly, they can be used in any weather.

I read somewhere on a forum: “If you don’t need a beautiful presentation of apples, then spit on the scab - you can eat them and the taste of the apples will not change.” Only, there is one “but”: although the scab itself will not rot the apples, this disease will help other parasites penetrate the fruits. That is why apples with scab are not stored for a long time. So, it’s up to you to decide whether to fight the scab or leave everything as it is.

Flycatcher.

This is the same fungal disease; fungi Leptothyrium pomi Sacc. and L. pomi Sacc. var. Majus Mass.

This disease spreads in the same way as scab and appears under almost the same conditions: high humidity, neglected crown.

If next to yours there is an abandoned plot with an old apple orchard, then both of these diseases - scab and fly beetle - will definitely “visit” you.

Therefore, preventive measures to combat these diseases need to be done every autumn and spring.

Remember: apple trees with a thick crown, without the necessary ventilation and sufficient light, overfed with nitrogen fertilizers and with tinned areas under the trees will be most susceptible to scab and fly beetle disease.

Black dots on apples may also appear for other reasons; they are indicated in the picture above, but in any case there may be fewer of them or they will disappear completely only with proper and careful care of the apple orchard. For heavily infected trees, preventive spraying with approved preparations can be carried out 6 to 10 times per season.

The plumpness of apples. After short storage, the fruit pulp turns brown, becomes loose, mealy, and the skin is easily pressed through with a finger. Such apples lose their taste and quickly rot. The reason is a lack of calcium and excess nitrogen. Sometimes plumpness affects apples picked too late.

Solution. The recommendations are the same as for glassy apples. Next year, reconsider your fertilizer application schedule: very often, excess nitrogen is the result of excessive fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, and a lack of calcium can be caused by excessive intake of magnesium and potassium. Harvest apples on time, do not let ripe fruits remain on the apple tree for a long time.

Pimpling, or subcutaneous spotting, manifests itself as small, 2-3 mm, depressed spots on the skin of the fruit. The flesh under the skin tastes bitter, which is why this problem is sometimes called bitter pitting.

Solution. This apple condition is also caused by calcium deficiency; To correct the situation, the same methods are suitable as for combating swelling.

Sampling of apples. Light spots up to 1 cm in size appear in the pulp, which gradually turn brown, and the structure of the pulp begins to resemble a cork. Dry, crusty spots may appear on the skin. Gradually they swell and become deformed. Suberization is a characteristic sign of boron deficiency. Even before harvesting, it can manifest itself by thickening and darkening of the leaves, suberization of their veins; with acute boron starvation, the leaves fall off and the top of the tree dies. Apple and pear trees are considered high boron crops, so similar problems may occur in pears.

Solution. Foliar feeding with boric acid: 10-20 g of powder per 10 liters of water. Treatment is carried out in the evening, after sunset. The first time is at the beginning of leaf dissolution, the second time is after 5-7 days. Feeding with boric acid at the root is carried out only in case of severe and obvious boron starvation. The drug is diluted at the rate of 0.1 - 0.2 g per 1 l;

Scab. The skin of the fruit cracks and becomes covered with brown-black growths that look like mold spots, the fruits become deformed, and lumps and dents appear. 2-3 weeks after the buds open, scab appears on the leaves in the form of velvety olive spots, which then turn black. As the disease progresses, the leaves fall off and blisters appear on young branches.

Solution. If diseased fruits are found in storage, they are immediately removed. In autumn, carrion, fallen leaves and mummified fruits must be removed. Dried branches are cut out, the trunks are cleared of old bark and wrapped with lutrasil. All plant residues must be burned; putting them into compost is unacceptable.

After leaf fall, eradicative spraying of the crowns of fruit trees is carried out with a 3-5% solution of copper sulfate. In the spring, before the buds open, the trees are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture or Fitosporin solution. Preventive treatments with immunostimulating drugs, such as potassium humate, are also useful.

There are many reasons for the appearance of black spots on apple tree leaves. Most often, the symptom is associated with infection of some kind. The causative agent is fungi, bacteria or viruses. Other signs may appear at the same time. It is important to establish the correct diagnosis immediately after identifying the problem and begin the correct treatment. Preventive measures will protect the fruit tree from re-infection.

The apple tree is affected by a number of fungal, bacterial and viral infections, reacting to them

We suggest you read: Why pumpkin dries out the skin

Black spots or black dots on apple leaves are characteristic of several types of diseases, so they should be considered not as a separate sign, but comprehensively.

You should be attentive to the appearance of such symptoms, because any disease on the apple tree will lead to a decrease in the quality of the harvest. And some can even destroy trees.

Cause

There are black spots on the leaves of the apple tree - what kind of disease is this? The most common causes are diseases such as:

• Scab;
• Black cancer;
• Bacterial burn of apple trees.

These diseases differ in external signs and require an individual approach to treatment.

Before you start fighting black spots on leaves, you need to figure out what causes them.

Conduct a thorough visual inspection of the entire tree and directly affected areas, paying attention to associated symptoms. You should note:

• Structure of spots;
• Do the shoots turn black?
• Is the bark damaged?
• Leaves fall or remain hanging withered on the tree.

This will help determine the nature of the disease.

Usually, a novice gardener, having discovered some m on an apple tree, does not pay special attention to it.

He cannot even imagine that soon this bark will turn black and crack, revealing blackened wood. The disease quickly spreads to the branches and entire crown of the apple tree - after which the tree lives for a maximum of 4 years.

Moniliosis

In the case of moniliosis, the fight is divided into three stages: prevention, active treatment and protection from spread.

Often moniliosis is not a cause, but a consequence. Since it primarily affects fruits affected by pests, pest control should be carried out. For prevention, both herbal and chemical preparations can be used. Infected fruits should not be left on the branches. Those apples that have fallen need to be collected and burned.

Root cancer

Root cancer is a bacterial disease. Swells and growths of different sizes form on the roots of the tree, which begin to rot. The bacterium penetrates through soil pests.

Appearance of root cancer

Root cancer on an apple tree seedling

They look like whitish tumors, soft in structure. The growths can reach 12 cm in diameter, compacting to a hard wooden state.

It is noted that the diseased tree sharply increases in growth, after which it begins to sag.

Root growths create a nutritional deficiency for the tree, reduce its resistance to the environment and durability, and also delay sap flow, reducing productivity.

READ ALSO: Body skin rash - how to treat? Causes and treatment of skin rashes

Measures to combat root cancer

• Before planting seedlings, they must be carefully examined for defects or external signs of disease.

If growths are found, they should be removed and the root area disinfected.

It is better to plant seedlings of new trees in place of grain or legumes. It is this soil that will provide a good basis for growth. Also, planting mustard next to the apple orchard is a good prevention against root cancer.

Apples are watery and transparent

This is the glassiness of the fruit. The apples seem literally transparent, the flesh looks watery when cut. There is a misconception that this is an indicator of particularly high quality fruits. In fact, there is no reason for joy here: the glassiness of apples indicates a severe lack of calcium. It forms the walls of cell membranes; With calcium deficiency, they become fragile, the cells are damaged and lose juice. Such apples do not store well and quickly lose their taste.

Solution. Glassy fruits found in storage should be consumed as soon as possible. They are also removed from the tree immediately after discovery and stored separately from other apples. In the future, it should be taken into account that a lack of calcium may be associated with acidification of the soil. To restore balance in the fall, dig up the tree trunks of fruit trees (after all, not only apple trees suffer from a lack of calcium) and add dolomite flour at the rate of 4-5 kg ​​per hundred square meters.

Dolomite flour is preferable to other soil deoxidizers (fluff lime and wood ash), as it additionally enriches the soil with magnesium. Next year, closer to harvest, spray the trees twice with a 1% solution of calcium chloride: the first time five weeks, the second time three weeks before harvesting the fruits.

Treatment: use of chemicals

The disease must be treated immediately as soon as small black dots begin to form on the foliage. The most effective are products containing chemical components. Recommended fungicides for scab treatment:

• "Raek." The components of the drug penetrate into all parts of the tree, destroying the fungus and its spores. The product lasts from 3 to 4 weeks. Doesn't wash off in the rain. During the season, "Rayek" can be used no more than 4 times.
• "Horus." The advantage of the fungicide is that it can be used at temperatures up to +30. Not washed away by precipitation. Duration of action – 3 weeks. Spraying with Horus is carried out twice - before the buds open and after flowering.
• "Strobi" is a complex fungicide. Valid for a month. Protects the tree from scab and a number of other diseases.
• “Skor” is effective for 2 weeks; the product can only be used 2 times per season.
• "Fitolavin" is a drug containing antibiotics. During the season, 4 sprayings are allowed with an interval of 14-20 days.

When working with chemicals, the gardener must wear personal protective equipment.

Fungicides must be used correctly, only then will they give the desired result:

• The use of chemicals must be alternated, otherwise the fungus will develop resistance to the same fungicide over time.
• On garden plots it is allowed to use only drugs of hazard classes 3 and 4. Industrial products are strictly prohibited.
• Chemical mixtures must be applied evenly to the trees using a special sprayer.
• Spraying with chemicals must be combined with preventive measures.
• Spraying is carried out in dry, windless weather.

Black spots on fruits and leaves are a sign of scab. Getting rid of a fungal disease is difficult. An integrated approach is required using chemicals and following correct agricultural practices. Preventative work plays an important role, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of scab occurrence.

Planting trees with a low susceptibility to scab does not completely guarantee the absence of the disease unless the garden crops are provided with proper care.

Every experienced gardener knows that dacha work is not easy. Diseases of fruit trees, especially apple trees, are becoming a serious problem for summer residents. Instead of juicy fruits, we get sick trees with healthy pests.

Diagnosis by apple harvest: what happened to the apples?

The condition of apples stored in storage can tell a lot about problems in the garden that are not visible at first glance. When inspecting apples in storage and discarding spoiled ones, take a minute to analyze the reasons for the spoilage of the crop. So what happened to the apples?

• Apples are watery and transparent
• The apples have become loose, brown and tasteless
• There are black spots on the apples, the taste of the fruit is bitter
• Apples are hard, tasteless, have hard crusts on the skin
• The apples are very small
• Apples rot
• Apples dry out and wrinkle
• The apples have turned brown
• The apples have darkened inside
• Apples have black spots, cracks, crusts and dents
• There are caterpillars in apples

Why apples rot right on the tree: we understand the reasons and save the harvest

Now the apple trees have begun to bear fruit, and every gardener begins to count the days until the moment when they can pick the first apple and enjoy its wonderful taste. But very often these plans are disrupted by unpleasant circumstances in the form of diseases, when apples spoil and rot right on the tree. It’s not so bad if you lose a few apples from the tree, but it also happens that most of the fruit is destroyed. We will look into the possible causes of such unpleasant events and give detailed instructions on how to prevent them in a timely manner and protect the future harvest.

The apples have turned brown

Browning or tanning of apples. The skin turns brown, but the quality of the pulp is preserved. Such apples are poorly stored and are susceptible to rot. The reason for browning is unfavorable growing and storage conditions. Excess moisture and nitrogen in the soil and shading of apple trees make the fruits potentially susceptible to sunburn, and high humidity and temperature changes in storage trigger this process.

Solution. Review your garden care methods: watering and fertilizing rates, pruning methods. Try to create conditions in the storage that are not conducive to apples turning brown.

The apples are very small

Potassium deficiency. The fruits are unusually small compared to the norm for their variety and previous harvests, and are poorly stored; at the same time, flowering could be unusually abundant. If, in addition, the orchard suffered from frost in the winter, and in the middle of summer the leaves were wrinkled, curled and died along with the petioles, we can talk about potassium starvation of the plants. Potassium deficiency is often characteristic of light and especially peaty soils.

Solution. The next time you dig up the soil in autumn, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (azophoska, nitroammofoska or special autumn fertilizers). Industrial fertilizers can be replaced with ordinary wood ash. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizing not only replenishes the deficiency of microelements, but also increases the frost resistance of fruit trees. Remember that potassium is an antagonist of calcium and displaces it from the soil, so strictly follow the dosage of fertilizers.

Prevention in the garden

Before starting treatment, you should think about preventative measures that can be taken to prevent scab from returning to the garden again.

The basis of prevention is competent agricultural technology. Here is a list of simple techniques that will significantly reduce the possibility of re-infection of an orchard with scab:

• Already at the stage of planting a garden, it is necessary to correctly plan the planting sites for apple trees. It is important to maintain distances between trees: at least 3-5 meters for apple trees on dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks and up to 8 meters between apple trees on regular rootstocks.
• When buying seedlings, it is better to choose scab-resistant varieties.
• It is important to carry out preventive pruning of trees in a timely manner to prevent thickening of the crown. Cut out diseased and dried branches in a timely manner so that there is enough light and air in the crowns.
• It is better to abandon a solid fence, which disrupts air exchange in the garden and creates favorable conditions for various fungi and rot.

Autumn work in the garden

To prevent apple tree scab from becoming rampant in the garden next year, just like this year, you need to start fighting it in the fall. Firstly, after harvesting the apples, it is necessary to collect all the dried, underdeveloped fruits. Under no circumstances should fallen leaves be left under trees, but collected and burned. As a last resort, the foliage can be buried or composted. The main thing is to prevent fungal spores from overwintering and scattering throughout the garden again in the spring.

The soil under the tree should be dug up in the fall, and during the summer it should be cleared of weeds and mulched, for example, with mowed grass.

The mycelium can also overwinter in the bark of trees. Therefore, the trunks of apple trees, especially old ones, need to be cleaned and whitened in the fall.

Scab resistant apple trees

Our famous academicians N.I.Vavilov and I.V. Michurin, back in the first half of the last century, came to the conclusion that the surest way to fight diseases was to develop immune, resistant varieties. This is especially true when the main goal is to obtain an environmentally friendly harvest.

Selection work is currently being carried out both in Russia and abroad. It should be noted that so far scientists have not been able to obtain apple trees that are 100% resistant to scab. But now breeders have created over 150 varieties based on the Vf gene, which have very low susceptibility to scab and practically do not require fungicide treatments. Among them: Orlovim, Freshness, Zaslavskoye, Skala, Bryanskoye, Aelita and others.

Apples rot

Bitter fruit rot. Brown spots with clear outlines appear on the fruits, then they stratify into dark and light, slightly pinkish, concentric circles. The pulp becomes bitter and has an unpleasant odor, apples quickly deteriorate, and rot easily spreads from diseased fruits to healthy ones. Storing apples in the cold does not protect against disease, since rot can develop even at temperatures around zero.

Solution. The fungi that cause the disease settle on open wounds after improper or careless pruning and gradually move to the fruits. Trim fruit trees strictly according to technology, disinfect tools when moving from tree to tree, be sure to cover large cuts with varnish or Rannet paste.

Black fruit rot. Concentric circles of gray velvety growths appear on the apple, and the fruit quickly turns black.

Solution. Preventive measures are the same as against bitter rot.

Plant scab. Scab of apple, pear and other fruit trees

Learn the signs of scab on apple, pear and other fruit trees. Choose for yourself the best methods to combat the disease.

Fruit tree scab is caused by various types of phytopathogenic fungi. On apple trees, the disease is caused by the fungus Fusicladium dendriticum, pears are affected by Fusicladium pirinum, cherries by Fusicladium cerasi, and almonds by Fusicladium carpophilum. Peach, apricot and plum are also affected by scab - in them the disease is caused by the fungus Cladosporium carpophilum. This means that the causative agent of apple scab does not affect pears, etc.

Scab infection occurs on the tree. Fungal spores infect young leaves, shoots, flowers, stalks and fruits. Fruits affected by scab do not rot during storage, but they lie worse and may wither. Their presentation is not important. A “cosmetic defect” does not make apples and pears look appetizing; they have to be peeled. With severe damage, up to 50% of the harvest can be unmarketable.

Pear affected by scab

Apple scab

Leaves are affected. In apple trees, scab affects leaves mainly on the upper side. Yellowish spots appear first. Then an olive-colored coating forms on them, and they become like velvet. Sometimes the spots turn black and blur. The number of spots may vary. In addition to the surface of the leaves of the apple tree, the petioles of the leaves are severely affected. Affected leaves partially fall from the tree. The bark of the shoots is affected. On the territory of Russia, shoots affected by scab are observed only in Siberia, especially on wild apple trees. First, the bark becomes covered with small cracks and seems to peel off. Small swellings may appear, which subsequently rupture. Such shoots are stunted and often die. Sometimes scab on an apple tree is also found on the bud scales. The stalks and flowers are affected. In apple trees, the stalks and flowers are severely affected by scab. As a result, the affected flowers do not set fruit, and the affected fruits that have set fall prematurely. The fruits are affected. Dark brown, almost black spots appear on the skin of the fruit. A velvety coating, similar to a coating on leaves, may appear on their surface. The edges of the spots are clearly outlined with a gray border. The shape of the spots is often round, sometimes irregular. An olive-colored corky layer forms under the spots, deeper than which the fungus does not penetrate into the fruit. Cracks appear in places on the spots, opening access to other infections, for example the causative agent of moniliosis (fruit rot). Fruits affected by scab may become deformed. With early damage, the fruits become one-sided. With late lesions, the spots may be small, brown and almost invisible. During storage, such stains appear - they increase in size and become more pronounced. In production, such scab is called “warehouse” or “barn” scab. Reinfection does not occur between fruits during storage.

The branches are drying up

Withering. Wilting of apples is manifested in the fact that the skin wrinkles, the pulp becomes tasteless and loose. For an apple that has been stored for a long time (especially if the variety is not a shelf-stable variety), this is the norm; If apples that were picked quite recently fade, this may be a consequence of mechanical damage during picking: skin injuries lead to accelerated loss of moisture.

Solution. Remove fruits for long-term storage as carefully as possible. Do not store damaged apples; it is better to eat them immediately. Remove fruits with signs of wilting from storage immediately, as they can become sources of rot.

Examine the black spots carefully.

If the trunk of an apple tree turns black and the branches dry out, how to cure it is the second question.

Before treatment, it is necessary to clean all affected areas to healthy tissue:

• Cut off the bark to a length of 1-2 centimeters;
• Cut the branch down 10-15 centimeters below the affected area;
• Do the same with the barrel.

Attention! In the case of black cancer, it is better to play it safe and remove the excess. All cut parts must be removed from the site and burned.

Thoroughly disinfect the places of cuts and cuts with a 3% solution of vitriol (both copper and iron are suitable) and after a couple of times cover them with garden varnish - after the wound has dried. This is where the treatment ends - the tree can only be maintained with proper care.

If the trunk of an apple tree turns black and the branches dry out, how to cure it is the second question.

On gardening forums, as well as from the mouths of people themselves, you can hear various formulations and descriptions of a similar problem: “apples rot right on the tree”, “rot and crumble”, “rot but do not wither”, “turn brown and then turn black”, etc. similar. The cause of all these troubles is a fungal disease - moniliosis (also known as fruit rot), which affects apple fruits, leading to their rapid spoilage. Unfortunately, the disease is too widespread, and almost every gardener has encountered it.

When affected by moniliosis, the apple acquires a characteristic brown color and is covered with a gray coating - fungal spores

It is not difficult to recognize the onset of the disease. A small brown spot appears on the apple, which spreads over time and covers the entire fruit. If you look closely at the affected apple, you can easily notice numerous gray dots on it - these are fungal spores that mature as the disease develops. They are easily transferred to healthy apples by the wind, and birds and various insects also contribute to this.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with: The best varieties of gooseberries

Another case is when black dots appear on apples. There are three reasons for their occurrence:

1. Lack of iron. Oddly enough, apples are a source of iron, which is so necessary for the human body, but they themselves may experience a lack of it. In this case, chlorosis develops on the tree. First on the leaves - they turn pale, turn yellow and become covered with black dots, and then on the apples.
2. Scab. One of the most common diseases of apple trees, along with moniliosis. Externally it appears in the form of black spots with outlined edges. Like chlorosis, scab first attacks the leaves and then the fruit. Since this disease is fungal in nature, high humidity and heat are favorable conditions for its spread. However, humidity alone is enough.
3. Another fungal disease that develops especially well in a humid environment is the fly beetle. If the apple tree has a thick, poorly ventilated crown, this will only worsen the situation. This disease, like scab, often dominates old apple orchards. Therefore, if there is one in your area, be on the lookout.

Apple tree diseases: 4 most common and dangerous

The appearance of unsightly tubercles, black spots on branches, rot on fruits, death of the bark of the apple tree - all this may be the cause of more than just excessive watering or too hot weather. These may be apple tree diseases caused by factors beyond human control. Most amateur gardeners who have, say, inherited a plot of apple trees rarely think about the fact that most plants are susceptible to a huge number of diseases, among which you can even find cancer!

The most common diseases of apple trees and how to combat them

1. The most common apple tree disease is scab. This is a fungal disease that can be caused by excess humidity and stagnant air inside the tree crown. Scab occurs on the leaves of trees, after which it moves to the fruits.

A characteristic sign of scab is small greenish-brown spots on the inside of the leaf. On fruits, this disease appears in the form of light brown or dark brown spots, not large, but numerous. Their texture is reminiscent of kiwi skin.

Measures to combat scab include spraying the tree crown and treating the soil with organic and inorganic solutions:

• Treatment with urea solution in autumn and spring (0.5 kg per 10 liters of water), approximately 5 liters of water are spent on the tree.
• Treatment with copper oxychloride (40 g per 10 l); 2 stages: early spring before flowering and after fruit set.
• Use of Bordeaux mixture (300 g of lime and the same amount of copper sulfate per 10 liters of water).

A mandatory preventive measure is to remove excess branches on the apple tree in the spring.

2. Another common fungal disease of apple trees is powdery mildew. The disease affects young shoots, foliage and inflorescences of the tree. It looks like the appearance of a whitish coating, which gradually turns brown. Under the influence of the disease, the leaves curl and fall off, and the same happens to the fruit ovaries. The last stage of the disease is the appearance of small black dots.

The fight against this apple tree disease comes down to spraying with solutions of colloidal sulfur (a mixture of 70% concentration is diluted in a ratio of 80 g per 10 liters of water). Trees are treated 2–3 times in the spring: when the first leaves appear, then another 1–2 times every 2 weeks.

Also, the drugs “Skor” and “Topaz” have shown themselves to be effective in the fight against powdery mildew.

3. The most serious apple tree disease, difficult to cure, is common cancer. Its causes lie mainly in weather conditions: excessive cold or heat. Cancer can also appear due to injuries caused to the tree: rough removal of branches, lack of subsequent treatment of wounds.

Apple tree cancer is a lesion of the trunk or powerful skeletal branches with deep cracks and growths, leading to the drying out and death of the affected branches. Advanced cancer can lead to the death of a tree.

You can avoid the occurrence of such a disease if you properly care for the tree. If the tree does get sick, you should immediately begin treating it:

• First, all affected branches are removed, and the bark around the wounds is cut out.
• Then the wood is treated with antiseptic agents.
• Cover the wounds with garden pitch, preferably without drying oil or rosin.

4. Fruit rot. An unpleasant disease that is more a consequence than an independent disease. Rot appears where other diseases, such as scab, have occurred. Rot affects only the fruits, without touching the foliage or branches of the apple tree. When rotten fruits appear, it is very important to promptly remove them and burn them or bury them far from fruit trees.

When fighting diseases of apple trees, you need to burn the affected branches and foliage! And this should be done as far as possible from garden trees and shrubs.

The apples have darkened inside

Wet low-temperature burn. Sharply defined brownish spots appear on the skin, the flesh underneath is slightly damaged. A similar problem is low temperature fruit decay, where dark spots first appear on the flesh and gradually spread until only a thin layer of healthy tissue remains under the skin.

Solution. Carry out all garden work on time; try to improve the conditions in the storage. Follow the garden pruning schedule and technology.

There are caterpillars in apples

Apple codling moth. Black spots with a hole in the middle are noticeable on the fruits; after cutting, gnawed passages and caterpillars are discovered. Apples quickly deteriorate and rot. The pest can also attack other fruits stored nearby: pear, quince, and less often plum. One codling moth caterpillar can damage up to 5 fruits.

Solution. The fight against the codling moth requires comprehensive measures. In spring and autumn, remove old loose bark from fruit trees: this is a favorite wintering place for codling moth pupae. Be sure to remove the carrion, as the caterpillars leave the fallen fruit and move along the tree trunk into the crown. From the moment the first carrion appears, apply sticky trapping belts to tree trunks and renew them periodically.

Plant tomatoes and other plants that repel insects (nasturtium, garlic, wormwood, etc.) in the orchard. Once a season, treat fruit trees with chemical insecticides (Iskra-M, Fufanon, Kinmiks, Arrivo, etc.). The optimal period of treatment is the period of mass hatching of caterpillars from eggs;

it occurs 8-12 days after the peak of butterfly flight. The first peak occurs approximately during the flowering period, the second - at the time of shedding of the excess ovary. Preparations that affect the growth and development of insects (Herold, Match, Insegar) perform well: they are used at the very beginning of the peak summer of butterflies. Fitoverm is used among biological products against codling moths; treatment is carried out during mass hatching of caterpillars.

Codling moth caterpillars that end up in storage along with harvested fruits can pupate and overwinter there. To prevent the reproduction of the codling moth in storage, apples are stored in boxes without cracks, lined with corrugated paper: caterpillars that have left the fruit hide in it. The paper is changed periodically and the used paper is burned. The boxes must be mechanically cleaned and scalded with boiling water.

Apple codling moth. Black spots with a hole in the middle are noticeable on the fruits; after cutting, gnawed passages and caterpillars are discovered. Apples quickly deteriorate and rot. The pest can also attack other fruits stored nearby: pear, quince, and less often plum. One codling moth caterpillar can damage up to 5 fruits.

You can treat the garden with chemical insecticides only at the beginning of summer, when there are no fruits yet. In the future, for safety reasons, it is recommended to use only biological products or folk remedies.

Fruit tree pests and their control

A common insect pest in gardens is the green apple aphid. Entire colonies form on the foliage and shoots, eating the greenery and covering the habitat with honeydew. There is a natural enemy of aphids - the ladybug. But there are not enough of them to overcome the huge breeding ground of harmful insects.

As an effective way to help get rid of aphids, gardeners choose spring spraying of the plant with a solution of Karbofos (3%) on dormant buds. If the eyes have already opened, the concentration of the substance is reduced to 2%. Green growing shoots are treated using a one percent solution of the drug. Also used to treat wood:

• Phosfamide;
• Zolon;
• Fitoverm.

The inhabitants of apple trees are caterpillars of various insects. Parasites settle on various parts of the tree, feed on them and undermine the health of this crop. In the spring, when spider nests of caterpillars are discovered, they are cut off and destroyed by fire. At the same time, make sure that the pests do not spread. During the period of bud break, the following solutions are used to treat wood:

• Karbofos (7%);
• Chlorophos (3%);
• Nitrafen (3%).

Apple moths often lay their larvae on young branches. The emerging caterpillars eat the buds and foliage. After which they form a web dome and live under it in colonies of 50–70 individuals. The new generation is destroying even more greenery. They fight such pests with the same drugs as in the previous case.

Ants are considered the real scourge of any garden. They appear with the arrival of spring and eat the buds. Insects do not disdain fruit juice, so they often harm the tree at the fruiting stage, destroying the harvest. Radical measures are used to combat them, since they also leave behind aphids. In addition to Karbofos, Aktara, Actellik and other insecticidal substances are used. These drugs will rid the garden of aphids.

Ants are more difficult to control because aerosols will not produce good results. Experienced summer residents set traps containing poison inside. The insects feast on the destructive agent, return to the colony and infect their relatives.

Another way is to install a metal ring on the trunk of the apple tree. The smooth surface of the metal will become impassable for insects, so they will not harm the crop.

With the onset of warmth, leaf rollers awaken in the bark of the apple tree. Pests eat away buds, buds and produce cobwebs. In July they create pupae, which are quite difficult to see on the leaves. Before the caterpillars damage the plantings, in the spring the crown is treated with Nitrafen, and in the future it is sprayed with Chlorophos.

Destruction of mites, moths and silkworms

Many fruit crops suffer from red mite. Insect larvae overwinter in the bark and then cover young leaves, forming a peculiar reddish coating. During the season, mites reproduce up to 5–6 generations, which parasitize stems and foliage. If the damage is serious, they resort to spraying the apple trees until the buds open with Nitrafen or Olekuprite. At the stage of bud ripening, the following is used:

• Karbofos;
• Metaphos;
• Phosfamide;
• colloidal sulfur.

Another no less dangerous parasite is the codling moth. The insect wraps itself in a thick cocoon and spends the winter in the bark of trees. After flowering, insect butterflies lay their offspring on apples and leaf tips. Caterpillars eat the middle of the fruit, destroy young shoots, as a result of which the branches dry out and break. To get rid of the moth, spray with Chlorophos or Metaphos. The procedure is carried out twice, the second treatment is carried out 14 days after the first.

Silkworm caterpillars infest leaves, buds and fruit ovaries. In June, the bark of the apple tree already contains cocoons of pests, from which butterflies emerge in July, laying more than 1000 eggs. A massive invasion of this insect leads to the complete destruction of the green part of the plant. Having discovered silkworm oviposition, they are treated with the Virin-ENZh substance. Medicines used to control other insects will also help.

What kind of disease is it when black spots appear on the leaves of an apple tree, how to treat it and what to do

Apple trees get sick quite often, and the diseases can be fungal, bacterial, or even viral. There are also many different insect pests that affect not only fruits, but also leaves, shoots, bark and even roots. It is often difficult for a gardener to understand what kind of problem has arisen on an apple tree, what are the reasons for the lack of flowering or shedding of fruits. Helping you find the answer in any situation is our task.

There are many possible diseases for apple trees. They are mainly fungal, bacterial and viral in nature.

Moniliosis

Moniliosis affects all pome and stone fruit crops. It has two forms. The first is a monilial burn. Infection and development of the disease occurs in the spring during flowering. Fungal spores enter flowers with the help of bees and other insects. Leaves and shoots are also affected, which subsequently wither and turn black, creating the illusion of a burn.

Monilial burn affects the leaves and shoots of the apple tree

At this time, you need to cut out the affected shoots, capturing 15-30 centimeters of healthy wood. After this, the crown is treated with fungicides (a group of drugs to combat fungal diseases). Horus helps well - it can be used even during flowering, as it is safe for bees.

Chorus can be used even during flowering, as it is safe for bees

In summer, moniliosis causes fruit rot. This usually occurs during cool, rainy times. Affected fruits rot and fall off. The active phase of the disease occurs during the ripening of apples. Rotting fruits must be torn off, collected from the ground and destroyed.

Fruit rot often affects apple trees in damp, cool weather.

For treatment at this time, Strobi is considered the most effective drug. Its active substance, kresoxim-methyl, quickly stops the course of the disease and blocks its further spread. The duration of the protective effect is up to two weeks, the waiting period is three weeks. The concentration of the treatment solution is 2 grams per 10 liters of water.

Strobi quickly copes with Moniliosis and other fungal diseases

Prevention of moniliosis and other fungal diseases consists of performing the following simple tasks:

• Collecting and destroying fallen leaves in autumn.
• Deep digging of soil around tree trunks.
• Cleaning the bark and whitewashing the trunks with a solution of slaked lime with the addition of 1% copper sulfate and PVA glue.
• Treating the crown and soil with a 3% solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

Rust

The fungus that causes the disease has a two-year development cycle - one year it develops on juniper, and by autumn it infects apple and pear trees with spores, on which it will actively develop in the next season. In spring, small yellowish-green spots appear on the leaves, which by mid-summer acquire a bright rusty-orange color.

By mid-summer, the spots on the leaves acquire a bright rusty-orange color.

If possible, you should avoid planting apple and juniper trees together and do not forget to carry out preventive work. Treatment is carried out with fungicides Horus, Skor (at an early stage), Strobi. The drug Abiga-Pik, which is a 40% solution of copper oxychloride, has proven itself well. It is used in an amount of 40-50 grams per 10 liters of water and sprayed on the tree 3-4 times with an interval of 15-20 days. It is low toxic to bees and does not accumulate in soil and fruits.

We suggest you read: How to quickly get rid of fruit flies

Abiga Pik is an effective domestic fungicide

Leaf curl

Leaf curl is a rather dangerous disease. It is most often found on peach trees, but sometimes affects apple trees. The fungus becomes active in early spring, infecting young leaves. This occurs if preventive treatments were not carried out in early spring. The leaves curl, become lumpy and curly.

The disease spreads quickly, the branches become bare and the fruits stop growing. At this stage, it will no longer be possible to save the harvest - you need to take care of saving the tree. For this purpose, fungicides Horus, Abiga-Pik, Strobi are used. After stopping the spread of the disease, new leaves grow after a while.

Leaf curl is more common on peach trees, but sometimes affects apple trees as well.

With this fungal disease, small brown spots form on the leaves. It differs from other similar diseases only in the name of the causative fungus. The consequences (withering and falling of leaves, the appearance of spots on fruits), preventive and treatment measures do not differ from the previously described fungal diseases.

Phyllosticosis (brown spotting) is a fungal infection

Sooty fungus

This fungus does not appear on its own. It is preceded by damage to the apple tree by aphids or copperheads. Both of these insects secrete a sweetish liquid called honeydew. It is a breeding ground for sooty fungus. He, in turn, also excretes excrement in the form of a grayish-white coating on the leaves and fruits of the apple tree. Over time, this coating becomes black, and the affected parts of the plant look as if they are stained with soot.

Sooty fungus appears as a black coating

Prevention of fungus is timely control of these insects, and treatment consists, as usual, of treating with fungicides (Horus, Skor, Quadris, etc.). Before treatment, it is advisable to wash off the plaque with a strong stream of water from a hose. At the same time, parasitic insects are also washed away.

Fusarium

This is an insidious and dangerous fungal disease. It spreads and lives in the soil, affecting the roots of almost any plant. The Fusarium mushroom can remain in the soil for years, waiting for favorable conditions. And the conditions that suit it are: loose, breathable soils with an acidic or slightly acidic reaction, high humidity and a temperature of 25-28 °C.

Fusarium does not develop on heavy clay soils. But these are precisely the conditions that a gardener creates for his plants, including apple trees. If an infection occurs, the fungus attacks the roots, they begin to hurt and die. And above the surface of the earth, the gardener observes withering leaves and drooping shoots.

Having decided that the tree does not have enough moisture or nutrition, it waters and fertilizes. Meanwhile, Fusarium is progressing rapidly. It is especially dangerous for young trees, which can die within a season. Often the disease completely destroyed plants in nurseries. As a rule, after discovering a disease, all that remains is to uproot and burn the apple tree in order to save other plants.

Prevention of fusarium in apple trees:

• Careful adherence to agricultural technology. Strong and healthy plants can resist fusarium.
• Purchase seedlings only in reliable, trusted places and nurseries.
• Soil deoxidation with dolomite flour.
• Fight against insects that carry fungal spores. These are aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, etc.
• Destruction of diseased plants.

The causative agent of scab, the marsupial fungus, is common in temperate climates. A wet and cold spring creates favorable conditions for it. Velvety brown-olive spots appear on the affected leaves. The spots on the fruit are hard and dark. The fruits themselves become small and take on an ugly shape.

Apples affected by scab develop hard, dark spots.

The following are recommended as additional preventive measures:

• Growing disease-resistant varieties.
• Preventing planting density.
• Maintaining the tree crown in a ventilated, well-lit state through timely thinning pruning.

To combat the disease, fungicides are used, as well as numerous folk remedies.

Black cancer

A healthy and strong tree is rarely affected by black cancer. It usually occurs on weakened plants in bark cracks and frost holes. Trees growing in the southern regions are more often susceptible to this disease. Branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits can be affected. But the most dangerous damage is to the tree bark. At first, brown spots appear on it, the bark cracks, becomes covered with tubercles, and turns black.

The most dangerous thing is that black cancer affects the bark of a tree.

Timely treatment consists of stripping the affected areas to healthy wood, disinfecting the wounds with a 3% solution of copper sulfate or other fungicides, and covering them with a protective layer of garden varnish.

This disease came to Russia after 2009 from Europe. It is observed in the Kaliningrad region and in the southern regions. Carried by insects, birds, and wind. Penetrates into the plant through flowers or through damage to leaves and bark. Distributed throughout the plant through sap-conducting channels. Moniliosis, damaging plant tissue, facilitates the penetration of bacteria. Often these two diseases occur simultaneously. Characteristic signs of bacteriosis:

• Reddish spots between the veins of the leaves.
• The ends of the young shoots dry out, and they themselves wither. The phenomenon spreads from top to bottom, sometimes rapidly.
• White discharge appears on the bark, which subsequently darkens. The bark becomes sticky and wet.
• Buds and flowers dry out and die, but remain on the branches. Their color becomes dark brown.
• The fruits are first covered with sticky secretions, then mummified and turn black. They remain on the branches for a long time, sometimes more than a year.

With bacteriosis, leaves and shoots turn black and wither

Mummified fruits provide a haven for overwintering bacteria, so they must be carefully collected and destroyed. Do the same with other affected parts of the plant. The damaged bark is stripped down to healthy wood and treated with antibiotics, then covered with garden varnish. Antibiotics are also used to spray the crown at any time during the growing season. The following drugs are commonly used:

• Ampicillin - one ampoule per 10 liters of water.
• Fitolavin - 20 ml per 10 liters of water.
• Gentamicin - one ampoule per liter of water. Used to treat wounds.
• Ofloxacin - two tablets per 10 liters of water.

Cause

These diseases Oddly enough, but

• Either all parts of the tree above the wound die;
• Either the wound stops growing and healthy wood grows around it.

• If it is a branch, 2-3 cm closer to the trunk.
• If you cut down the trunk, a few cm closer to the root.
• Pieces of bark are cut out to include 2-3 cm of healthy bark.

Moniliosis

Prevention of diseases and insects

Caring for the condition of apple trees, competent and regular care, and timely preventive measures will help preserve fruit plantings. For proper care, you should follow these recommendations:

1. In spring and autumn, fallen leaves and fruits lying under the tree are removed. Apples that have mummified on the branches are also removed.
2. Twice a year the bark is cleaned and the trunks are whitewashed. To do this, use lime with clay and copper sulfate.
3. The entire garden is treated with copper sulfate at the first appearance of aphids or other insect pests.
4. Carry out pruning.
5. The necessary fertilizing is systematically applied.
6. Maintain the desired watering regime.
7. Plants are treated with biological products that stimulate the immune system. Such procedures will be especially necessary for high yields.
8. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied carefully, strictly following the indicated dosage.

Preventative spraying is carried out in early spring in calm weather. They treat not only the crown, but also the soil around the apple tree. In the summer, trees are protected from fungal infections by products containing copper with the addition of liquid soap. The last irrigation (urea) is carried out in the fall. It will help destroy insects hiding in the bark for the winter.

Useful videos

Now you know why apple tree trunks turn black and how to prevent it.

Basic moments:

1. Don’t be lazy to check the bark on your apple trees more often. This is especially true for an old orchard, the trees of which bear fruit irregularly and are thereby additionally exposed to the risk of infection.
2. Regularly prune dry and withered branches, regardless of the season. Healthy trees are not afraid of any pruning, but it is necessary to get rid of the breeding ground for infection in a timely manner.
3. Rejuvenating pruning of an old orchard not only improves its productivity, but also makes the trees healthier. Cancer is a disease of old and weak apple trees.
4. Do not neglect early spring preventative treatment of the garden with Bordeaux mixture or other fungicides - prevention is easier than cure.
5. Treat insect pests in a timely manner; they also carry spores of pathogenic fungi.
6. The most important preventive measure against black cancer is whitewashing the standard part of the apple tree and the lower stem branches.

Protect apple trees from pests.

Necessarily! In late autumn and before spring, whiten the trunks and large branches for the second time to prevent sun and frost burns - the sun's rays reflected from the surface of the snow cause the formation of non-healing cracks.

It is important to remember that only weakened trees get sick. Help them not get sick.

Black spots on apple tree leaves are not always a harmless symptom and can lead to irreparable consequences. It is necessary to notice the development of a particular disease in time.

Don’t forget about prevention – destruction of plant residues, proper water regime, timely fertilizing, because the healthier the tree, the less likely it is to be affected by infections and harmful insects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLvDzEbDN-Q

And it’s all the more likely that you won’t see the leaves on your apple tree turning black.

Tags: do, why, spot, black, apple

About the author: admin4ik

« Previous entry

Fruit rot - why did it appear and what to do?

Fruit rot of apple trees is one of the most common diseases of fruit trees in general. The scientific name is apple moniliosis.

Apple fruit rot or maniliosis

Rot is several times more harmful than scab because it tends to infect trees en masse.

READ ALSO: What a boil looks like photo – 63 pieces

Signs

Foci of the disease appear in several places at once, spreading over the surface of the entire fetus. The fruit pulp becomes soft and unsuitable for eating. After a week, the brown spots transform into blurry yellowish circles. These are the oppressive spores of the fungus, through which the infection entered the garden.

Branches and rotten fruits left on the apple tree are also sources of infection. If the sanitary treatment of the tree is not carried out properly, then the damage to the fruit increases. Later, the formations harden, and bacteria subsequently multiply in them. Fruit rot can visit your garden several times a season.

Causes

• Damage and cracks in the tree bark;
• The relationship of infected fruits with healthy individuals;
• Damaged apple peel;
• The presence of other diseases in the apple tree;
• Susceptible varieties of apple trees.

How to deal with this problem