Effective measures to combat powdery mildew on currants with drugs and folk remedies

Growing crops is a complex and painstaking undertaking that takes a lot of time and effort. In this case, it is doubly offensive to lose the fruits of your labor without recognizing in time the disease that is sapping the strength of the plant. Currant bushes are no exception, and powdery mildew formed on it can destroy not only the crop, but the entire bush. Let's figure out what powdery mildew on currants is, why it occurs, and what measures exist to combat it.

Who is the causative agent of the disease

The disease, known in Russia as American powdery mildew, occurs due to fungal spores that are resistant to negative temperatures and bad weather conditions. Favorable conditions for the occurrence of powdery mildew:

• rainy spring and summer;
• strong wind carrying fungal spores from one bush to another;
• close planting of currants, due to which the disease from one plant quickly spreads to the rest.

Note! The spores are well tolerated by strong winds.

Main signs of the disease

The main signs by which one can determine whether a bush is infected are almost identical for white and red currants. The differences are minor, but worth considering. Also, do not forget that the disease affects each variety differently, and you must respond to it accordingly.

black currant

The following signs are observed in black currants, signaling the need for treatment:

1. Leaves, ovaries and shoots become covered with a white coating at an early stage.
2. The next stage will be the plaque turning gray, which indicates that the disease is advanced.
3. The leaves begin to die, changing color and curling.
4. The coating spreads to the berries, changing color to gray-brown.

Black currants are less resistant to infection, and if the fungus is not dealt with in time, more than half of the crop will become unusable.

Red

Red varieties cope with the disease more easily; Symptoms include:

• the formation of a plaque similar to flour;
• Cloudy, whitish drops, similar to dew, accumulate on the surface of the leaves.

It is because of these symptoms that the disease got its name.

Why is the disease dangerous for currant bushes?

Powdery mildew affects currants as follows:

• prevents the development of shoots, killing them;
• destroys the surface of leaves and berries, absorbing the carbohydrates contained in them;
• the berries become unsuitable for food and can cause allergic reactions;
• the culture quickly loses strength and dies within a few seasons, if the process is not intervened.

Which varieties are resistant to powdery mildew?

The following currant varieties are considered the most resistant to the disease:

1. Summer resident. The variety is created for conditions where only periodic care is provided. It is characterized by maximum resistance to pests.
2. Ilya Muromets. The name in honor of the epic hero was given for a reason. The bush has a truly “heroic” immunity that copes well even with powdery mildew.
3. Temptation. Another representative of the “strong ones”, which successfully resists infections.
4. Titania. The quality of the variety and its resistance is evidenced by the fact that it has been popular since the 60s of the last century.
5. Binar. Known for its original, slightly sour taste and strong immunity, which copes with diseases on its own.

Preventive actions

The main method to resist powdery mildew is disease prevention, eliminating all problems at the stage of their inception.The following preventive methods are distinguished:

• compliance with agrotechnical requirements;
• periodic treatment with light drugs that gently eliminate the problem without any consequences.

We comply with agrotechnical requirements

Following the following rules and techniques for plant care will reduce the risk of infection and strengthen the immune system:

1. The area where the crop is grown should not be too wet.
2. When fertilizing the soil, avoid amendments containing excessive amounts of nitrogen.
3. It is forbidden to water the bushes from above. Pour water closer to the roots.
4. Bad neighbors are roses, cucumbers or gooseberries.
5. Planting currants close to each other is not a good idea.
6. As a preventative measure, the tops of the shoots are pinched and destroyed in the fall. This is done in order to remove possible foci of infection.

Important! Leaves and berries that have fallen to the ground are collected in one heap in the fall and burned.

How to treat to avoid infections

Processing is permitted by the following means:

1. Bordeaux mixture.
2. Nitrophen.
3. Copper sulfate.
4. Boiling water. Yes, exactly boiling water. Treating the shrub with boiling water helps prevent the formation of powdery mildew. The procedure must be carried out until the buds open.

When processing any drugs, remember two rules:

• follow the dosage specified by the manufacturer;
• Do not treat the bushes during fruiting.

What to do if powdery mildew appears on currants

When it was not possible to nip the disease in the bud, and the infection begins to gain momentum, the following drugs will come to the rescue:

1. Biofungicides.
2. Copper sulfate.
3. Topaz.
4. Trichopolum.
5. Iodine.
6. Soda.
7. Potassium permanganate.
8. Mullein infusion.
9. Dry mustard.

They cope well with the disease, reducing it to nothing.

Control with biofungicides

Biofungicides are an excellent answer to the question of how to combat the disease effectively without affecting the crop. Advantages of the drug:

• safe for humans, currants and insects, which are considered natural pollinators;
• allowed to be used during the ripening period.

Minuses:

• difficult to store;
• in rainy weather it is quickly washed off;
• validity period is no more than three weeks;
• inferior in effectiveness to chemical preparations.

Chemicals against powdery mildew

If you prefer to treat the disease for sure and are not afraid of using chemicals to eradicate it, the following list is compiled especially for you.

It will indicate the most effective substances that help cope with the fungus.

Copper sulfate

A reagent that is hazardous to humans and requires increased precautions when handling. Wear rubber gloves, do not dilute the drug indoors and, if possible, use a respirator.

The following concentrations of the drug are distinguished, depending on the desired effect:

1. For feeding and prevention - a solution of vitriol with a concentration of 0.3%, which corresponds to 3 grams of the substance, diluted in 10 liters of water.
2. For medicinal purposes, the concentration increases and is 1%.
3. To destroy particularly dangerous diseases or large concentrations of mold, use a 4% solution. A plot of land treated in this way cannot be exploited to produce a crop for at least 1 year. Used in extreme cases! Direct processing of bushes in this way is prohibited.

Fitosporin

A safe remedy used to eliminate a huge number of diseases, including powdery mildew.Some modifications of the drug are aggressive for humans, and work with them must be carried out taking into account safety precautions.

Bees react poorly to it, and when processing the area, they must be removed to a considerable distance (up to 6 kilometers).

Topaz

A fungicide considered the most effective against dew and, at the same time, safe for humans. Pay attention to the expiration date of the drug, as a spoiled product will harm the bushes and crops. It fights the disease by stopping the germination of spores into the structure of the currant, after which it destroys them.

Trichopolum

A drug used to treat humans, but due to its properties it is used by summer residents as a means of combating various plant diseases, including powdery mildew. Cheap and effective remedy.

Colloidal sulfur

It penetrates the structure of the fungus and begins to release hydrogen sulfide, which has a detrimental effect on the parasite, destroying and killing it. It has a healing effect only on sunny days, since heat is needed to activate the process.

Treatment with folk remedies

If traditional methods are closer to you, and you are trying to get rid of the disease with them, there are a couple of recipes to combat powdery mildew, using which you can save the bush from death. Among them are:

• use of iodine;
• potassium permanganate;
• garlic-based infusion;
• use of dry mustard;
• treatment with boiling water.

Potassium permangantsovka

Helps cope with illness. To do this you need:

• 2.5 grams of potassium permanganate;
• 10 liters of water.

We mix and process the bushes several times, after which we take a break for a week.

Iodine

To create a solution you need:

• water – 9 liters;
• iodine – 1 milliliter;
• skim milk – 1 liter.

Mix and treat the bushes once every two weeks until the symptoms of the disease disappear.

Soda

Ingredients for the solution:

• baking soda – 2 tablespoons;
• water – 2 liters;
• vegetable oil or laundry soap - 1 spoon.

We treat the fungus in the morning or evening, with an interval of five days.

Dry mustard

We take:

• 2 tablespoons dry mustard;
• 1 bucket of warm water.

We dilute and let the solution cool, after which we treat the bushes.

Garlic infusion

Infuse half a bucket of garlic arrows in 10 liters of boiled water. We give the solution a day, after which we filter the liquid and treat the bushes with it. Try to treat both sides of the bush.

Mullein infusion

Fill a third of the bucket with cow dung and add water. Let the liquid brew for 4 days, after which we dilute it with water in proportions of 1 to 10 and treat the contaminated surfaces.

Important! Carry out the treatment in the evening so as not to burn the currant leaves.

Boiling water treatment

The easiest and safest way. To implement it, you just need to boil the required volume of water and treat the bush with it. Treatment is carried out in the spring, before the flowering period.

Basic rules and processing times

To cure a plant from a disease, it is important not only to use effective methods, but also to apply them in a timely manner. Then the procedure will be beneficial, and the disease will disappear quickly and without a trace. Processing is divided into periods:

• spring;
• flowering and fruiting;
• autumn.

In the spring

It is useful to treat the bush in the spring because the fungus, like the plant, has not yet awakened. This processing requires little effort and is harmless to the currant itself.

During the flowering and fruiting period

Processing should be carried out carefully and delicately, using preparations that will not harm either the bush or the crop. It is better to spray the bush in the summer, when the berries have already appeared. There is no need to treat the crop with strong agents, which can be deposited in the berries and enter the human body.

in autumn

Control treatment is carried out after harvesting. This way you will prepare the crop for winter and prevent the formation of new foci of infection in the spring. Burn fallen leaves and berries, even if they show no signs of disease.