Description of diseases and pests of currants, treatment and control of them

Many gardeners grow berry bushes such as currants on their plots. The fruits of this plant are often used in medicine and cooking to create delicious jam. Sometimes people encounter currant diseases that affect currant bushes and lead to their death. It is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the characteristics of the main berry diseases, as well as the methods of their treatment.

Causes of plant diseases

Before treating diseases, it is necessary to understand the causes of their occurrence. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the two main groups of pathologies that most often appear in plants.

Infectious

Infectious diseases can be caused by the following organisms:

• bacteria;
• fungi;
• viruses;
• weeds.

Infection of healthy bushes occurs due to an infectious process, during which pathogens begin to interact with a healthy plant. The infection does not immediately penetrate the cells, since they are protected by a strong membrane that is difficult to overcome. Most often, this protective wall is destroyed by bacterial enzymes, which allow the infection to penetrate the tissue.

Non-infectious

Such diseases appear only if the plant is grown in unfavorable conditions. The main reasons for their appearance include:

• high humidity;
• unsuitable soil;
• improper care of planted seedlings;
• unfavorable climate.

To reduce the likelihood of currant bushes becoming infected with non-infectious pathologies, you must follow the recommendations for planting and growing them.

Terms and rules of preventive treatment

One of the most reliable methods of protecting berries is carrying out preventive treatment of seedlings. Before protecting currants from pests and diseases, you need to understand the rules and timing of such prevention.

in spring

Spring treatment is carried out with various preventive agents. Among the main ones are:

• Boiled water. Spraying with hot water helps get rid of such a dangerous pest as the kidney mite. It affects the buds of the plant, which is why they do not open and dry out. Also because of this, the yield of berries decreases significantly. To prevent the bud mite from appearing, at the beginning of March all currant bushes are scalded with heated water.
• Chemicals. Many gardeners use Karbofos, Chlorophos and other similar preparations during prevention. The seedlings are sprayed with the working mixture in mid-April.

In summer

In the summer, when the berries are ripening, the bushes are sprayed with solutions that cannot harm humans. Therefore, gardeners do not recommend treating shrubs with dangerous chemical solutions.

A solution made from wood ash and mustard is considered an effective and safe remedy.

To create it, two kilograms of ash are mixed with 80-90 grams of mustard powder, after which the mixture is poured with ten liters of heated water. Before spraying, the solution is infused for 2-3 days and filtered. The plant is sprayed 1-2 times in early July.

in autumn

After harvesting the ripe crop, the bushes and row spaces are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. To independently prepare the mixture for processing, one hundred grams of copper sulfate is mixed with the same amount of lime and 8-10 liters of water. The solution is stirred until the liquid turns turquoise.

A properly prepared mixture destroys pathogens of infectious pathologies and helps eliminate insects that can harm the bushes.

Diseases of black and red currants and their control

Many gardeners whose currant bushes are sick are interested in the diagnosis. It is difficult to independently determine the type of disease, especially for beginners.

Therefore, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to study a detailed description of common diseases.

Varieties of currants resistant to diseases and pests

There are several varieties of berries that suffer from diseases less often than others. These include:

• Kipiana. The variety was bred by Russian breeders in the early 2000s. Its advantages include high yield and immunity to powdery mildew mites.
• Katyusha. Belarusian high-yielding variety that does not suffer from anthracnose and powdery mildew.
• Kupalinka. Another variety of Belarusian currant with immunity to common fungal infections.

American powdery mildew

The presence of the disease is indicated by a brown coating that appears on the berries and light spots on the leaves. The chemical preparations Funzadol and Topaz will help get rid of powdery mildew.

Septoria

A fungal infection that occurs due to lack of lighting and high humidity. The main symptom of septoria is considered to be brown spots on the leaves. To prevent further spread of the pathology, infected leaves are cut off and burned.

Anthracnose

When anthracnose develops, mold appears on the bushes, and the leaves become covered with spots with a red tint. Over time, the spotting darkens and spreads throughout the bush. Alirin or Bordeaux mixture will help eliminate the symptoms of anthracnose.

Scab

After infection with the disease, the bushes become covered with brown spots. If the scab is not treated, the currant will wither and die. Therefore, when the first signs of infection appear, it is necessary to spray the plants with Akrex, Dnok or Karatan.

Reversion

One of the most dangerous pathologies that cannot be cured. On plants that are infected with reversion, the leaves dry out and deformed flowers appear. Experienced gardeners advise getting rid of affected bushes so that the virus does not spread throughout the entire area.

Striped mosaic

Premature yellowing of the leaves indicates the development of a striped mosaic. First, yellowness appears near the leaf veins and gradually covers the entire plate. Striped mosaic cannot be treated, and therefore infected currant bushes will have to be burned.

Glass rust

After the appearance of goblet rust, yellow or brown spots can be seen on the surface of the leaves. Leaves that have turned yellow curl and fall off. Fitosporin and other fungicidal medications will help eliminate signs of pathology.

Columnar rust

The disease affects berries that are planted near coniferous trees. Red dots appear on the branches and trunk of infected currant seedlings, which gradually increase in size. To quickly get rid of columnar rust, the bushes are sprayed with fungicides or Bordeaux mixture.

Blackcurrant striped mosaic

The disease appears due to mites and aphids, which often settle on currants. To detect the disease in a timely manner, you need to carefully examine the leaves. Patterned spots with a yellow tint appear around the largest veins. Among the effective treatments are the drug "Hom" and a solution of vitriol.

Nectria drying

A dangerous infection that leads to premature drying of shoots and branches. If nectar dieback is not treated, the shrubs completely dry out and die. Bordeaux mixture and solutions prepared from fungicides will help preserve infected seedlings.

Leaf marginal necrosis

A non-infectious pathology that appears due to a large amount of chlorine in the soil. A characteristic feature of marginal necrosis is that the edges of the leaflets darken and dry out. Plants can be cured with “Fitosporin” or “Alirin”.

Pests and treatment measures

Those who eat and grow currants often encounter pests that worsen the yield of berries. Every gardener must figure out in advance what dangerous insects there are, what to do to eliminate them, and what folk remedies to use to combat them.

Bud moth

This pest affects only white and red currant bushes. The bud moth becomes active in mid-spring, when the buds on the bushes, on which it feeds, swell. To protect the bushes from the pest, you will have to use preventive measures in advance:

• spraying with boiling water;
• fungicide treatment.

Also, the above methods will help free planted plants from moths.

Ognevka

Butterflies attack bushes in early summer, when flowering begins. They lay eggs on the leaves, from which caterpillars grow and eat the leaves and fruits. To protect against moth, seedlings are sprayed with Fufanon, Iskra and other insecticides.

Currant aphid

Black or slightly dark spots with a reddish tint appear on the leaves of plants that have been attacked by currant aphids. Experienced gardeners advise using boiling water or the drug “Decis” when fighting aphids.

Kidney mite

If currant bushes are affected by bud mites, their leaves will become covered with swollen spots in which the pest lives. Without timely treatment, mites will move to the fruits and begin to feed on them. Therefore, in spring and summer, shrubs are sprayed with insecticidal solutions.

Glassware

The glassworm is a white, fluffy caterpillar that feeds on young currant leaves and shoots. All bushes affected by the caterpillar gradually dry out. To protect currants from death, they are sprayed with fungicides once a week.

Shchitovka

This is a dangerous pest that is capable of completely sucking out cell sap not only from shoots with leaves, but also from berries. When a scale insect appears, measures must be taken immediately to combat it in order to preserve the seedlings. Colorado, Tanrek and Apache are considered effective remedies for scale insects.

Moth caterpillars

The larvae and caterpillars of this pest are able to completely gnaw off green leaves. To combat moths, they use folk remedies and medications. Among the insecticides that will help you quickly get rid of pests are “Lepidocide” and “Bitoxibacillin”.

Downy-backed caterpillars

The hairy downy back, like other worms, feeds on stems and leaves. Such caterpillars appear on bushes in May, when it gets warmer outside. Folk remedies do not help get rid of the downy back and therefore you have to prepare solutions from insecticides.

Mower grooved

This small bug is very dangerous, as it damages all areas of the bushes. The furrowed mower feeds on young buds, stems and leaves. For prevention, experts advise treating shrubs with Actellik or Kemifos.

Leaf gall aphid

The gala disease infects currant seedlings whose leaves have been eaten by swarms of aphids.After the appearance of this pest, small holes and swellings, colored yellow or reddish, remain on all leaves. In summer, aphids are found on the grass, and by early autumn they return to currants to lay eggs on them. Hot, boiled water will help get rid of laid eggs.

Blackcurrant berry sawfly

Some gardeners consider sawflies to be the most dangerous pests, as they completely eat leaves. Because of this, the growth of berries slows down and the yield deteriorates. The most effective preventative against sawfly is Lepidocide.

Rose leaf roller

Leaf roller caterpillars wrap leaves with cobwebs and roll them into a tube. Then they eat away their edges, which leads to yellowing and drying of the leaves. In summer, when flowers appear on the bushes, they feed on flower petals. To drive the leaf roller away from the berries, just spray it with boiling water.

Red tick

Red bugs appear on currant stems in early June. At first they feed on the leaves located below, but gradually they move to the upper ones. Insecticidal mixtures and folk remedies made from copper sulfate will help get rid of ticks.

Gardeners' tips for treating and caring for bushes

To prevent currants from getting sick and suffering from pest attacks, you need to properly care for them. Therefore, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with tips on growing berries in advance so that care for beginners does not seem too complicated. When growing currant bushes, they regularly practice:

• Watering. Experts recommend watering the bushes generously at least twice a month. If the berries do not have enough moisture, their ripening will slow down significantly.
• Feeding.It is necessary to add mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil 2-3 times in the spring so that the plant has enough nutritional components.
• Weeding. The area where currants grow is regularly weeded and cleared of weeds.

Conclusion

Gardeners often grow currant bushes in their summer cottages. To protect them from dangerous insects and diseases, you need to familiarize yourself with preventive measures and methods of combating common pathologies and pests.