What are the diseases and pests of physalis, why the leaves of the plant turn yellow and their treatment

Physalis is a member of the nightshade genus. Tomatoes and potatoes belong to the same genus. Therefore, the diseases of physalis may be the same as those of these crops. Physalis is a little more disease-resistant, but if it is planted in an area where potatoes or tomatoes were previously grown, it may become infected with late blight or other diseases. Damage may begin from the leaves, gradually affecting the entire plant.

Physalis diseases

In the wild it is rarely susceptible to disease.But cultivated varieties grown in a greenhouse or in open ground are more tender. And if plants grow too densely, they lack the strength not only to grow, but also to fight disease.

And if potatoes or tomatoes grow in the neighborhood, physalis will suffer along with them.

Diseases of vegetable physalis:

1. White or gray rot. All parts of the plant are affected.
2. Watery rot. Most often it affects fruits.
3. Late blight. The picture of the disease is the same as on tomatoes.
4. Alternaria blight. Characterized by the development of brown spots on the leaves.
5. Fusarium. Plants wither and dry out.
6. Penicillosis. Develops on damaged parts of the plant.
7. Mosaic. Leaves and fruits suffer.

Diseases are caused by infection from the soil, through pests or from contaminated seeds.

Physalis pests

The most common pests of this crop are slugs, caterpillars and mole crickets. The Colorado potato beetle does not disdain it, especially at the end of summer, when the potatoes dry out and a hungry period begins for them.

Aphids cause considerable harm to physalis. It not only extracts juice from plants, but also infects them with dangerous viruses.

Ways to combat diseases and pests

Treatment of diseased plants does not always have an effect, especially if time is lost. There are more benefits when disease prevention is carried out regularly. And it needs to start even before sowing.

Prevention includes the following points:

1. Treatment of seeds before sowing with special means or ordinary potassium permanganate. It is better to obtain your own seeds from healthy plants, or buy them from reliable suppliers.
2. Maintain crop rotation on your garden plot. Physalis should not be planted after other nightshade crops or next to it.
3. Regularly spray plants with Bordeaux mixture or special preparations available in agricultural stores.
4. Affected plants should be removed from the site immediately to stop the spread of the disease.
5. If plants are affected by pests, they must be treated with disinfectants, otherwise they will become a source of infection.
6. Regularly fertilize and water if necessary. This will strengthen the plants and give them strength to fight infection.

Pests also need to be controlled and not given the opportunity to reproduce. For this purpose, there are various drugs approved for use. In this case, you need to be careful and read the instructions carefully.

Why do Physalis leaves turn yellow?

Sometimes the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. This is an alarming symptom and must be addressed immediately.

There may be several reasons:

1. Most often, the plant lacks nutrients and needs feeding. This occurs on poor soils.
2. If a crop is planted too densely, it lacks light and nutrition. It grows poorly, turns pale, and then turns yellow and dries out.
3. Among diseases, mosaic causes such a symptom. In this case, it is necessary to urgently spray.

Regardless of the reason, yellow leaves are removed and burned.

Spots appear on physalis leaves

If the spots are dark brown, this may be the development of Alternaria. If measures are not taken, physalis will die without producing a harvest. To do this, yellowed leaves are removed, and the remaining ones are treated with Ridomil or Bordeaux mixture.

If the spots are brown, it is late blight. The methods of dealing with it are the same as for tomatoes.

Physalis has few diseases. But any of them can spoil the harvest or completely destroy it.Therefore, measures must be taken at the first symptoms and prevent further development. But it is better to take care of the condition of the crops on the site in advance and carry out regular preventive maintenance.