Causes of brown spots on apple leaves and how to treat the disease

The appearance of brown spots on apple tree leaves is a common problem that occurs during the growing season. Defects in the green part of the tree crown can lead to further death of the plant and a reduction in the amount of harvest. Having discovered stains, you should understand the cause of their occurrence and perform a set of actions to save the fruit plantings.

Causes of brown spots

To get rid of darkening of foliage, it is necessary to correctly determine the cause of the disease. As a rule, small dots are formed due to the development of a disease or unfavorable environmental conditions, a fungus. Having found out what kind of disease or other factor has affected the leaves, all that remains is to carry out the appropriate treatment of the trees.

Fungal infections

The main cause of rust on leaves is a fungus. Darkening appears along with spores of nearby plantings. First, the tissue grows, and star-shaped outgrowths are formed, on which new spores are formed, carried by the wind to the fruit trees.

Sickness and lack of minerals

If a tree is damaged by copperhead or if there is an insufficient amount of minerals in the soil, the leaves become covered with a dark coating and fall off. Most often this happens when the wrong place for planting is chosen.

Scab

Development scab on apple trees This is facilitated by an unsuitable location on the site, excessive soil moisture and low temperatures.

The disease is more common on young seedlings that have not had time to adapt to environmental conditions.

Weather

Unfavorable weather often leads to the appearance of spots on the leaves of apple trees in northern regions. Prolonged frosts, large amounts of precipitation and insufficient lighting provoke the development of rust on trees.

Lack of feeding and fertilizers

For proper and healthy growth of trees, it is necessary to provide the soil with the necessary amount of fertilizers and vitamins.

Consequences of rust disease and its development cycle

Rust on an apple tree occurs in several stages. The development cycle includes the following steps:

1. At the beginning of autumn, fungal spores begin to germinate and form a mycelium.
2. With the onset of autumn, the mycelium forms teliospores, which spread on the leaves of the tree.
3. Spots appear on the surface of the leaf plates, which increase in the absence of protective treatment.

The consequences of rust are: drying and falling of leaves, reduced yield, deterioration in the taste characteristics of fruits.

The effect of rust on the growth and development of apple trees

In affected trees, photosynthesis and nutrient metabolism are impaired. Since the spores absorb the moisture the plant needs, the water balance is disrupted. When apple trees are infected with rust, they lack vitamin and mineral components, as a result of which development and fruiting slow down.

Tips: what to do, how to treat and how to protect the apple tree from damage by rust fungi.

To eliminate dark spots on the leaves and ensure further protection of the apple tree from negative impacts, a set of measures is required. To grow healthy trees and get a stable harvest, you should use fertilizers, do not neglect the rules of agricultural technology and create favorable conditions for growth.

Prevention of damage

To prevent the disease, it is recommended to plant apple trees away from coniferous trees. With the onset of spring, it is necessary to clean the affected areas until a layer of healthy wood appears. For preventive treatment, it is enough to spray the seedlings with a solution of copper sulfate.

Agrotechnical measures

The rules of agricultural technology require planting and growing apple trees, taking into account a number of conditions. In particular:

• the distance between should be more than 3 m for free formation of roots;
• plantings require an area protected from drafts, constantly illuminated by the sun;
• When planting, it is necessary to add fertilizer to the hole for the seedling.

Treatment of plants with chemicals

Chemicals have a more active effect on fruit trees and destroy sources of infection. When using chemicals to treat apple trees, it is important to follow the dosage so as not to harm the leaves and shoots.

Protection of apple trees with biological products

Biological products are an alternative to chemicals, but have a milder effect on plants. It is recommended to use products based on biological toxins to spray young seedlings in order to increase immunity, protect against diseases and eliminate the effects of rust.

Preparation of solutions of biological products

You can prepare a biological solution for treating apple trees yourself. To create a solution, no special preparation or knowledge is required, since it is enough to mix the components in the correct proportions.

"Trichodermin"

To prepare the Trichodermin solution, you need to use the powder of the same name and, having separated 50 g, dissolve them in 1 liter of clean water. The resulting mixture is stirred, filtered and the volume is adjusted to 5 liters with water.

"Planriz"

The drug Planriz contains rhizosphere bacteria that actively suppress the development of rot and form protection against harmful microflora. To water the plants, you need to dissolve 100 ml of the drug in 10 liters of water. Planriz is also suitable for pre-sowing seed treatment in a ratio of 10 ml of substance per 1 kg of seeds. The properties of “Planriz” are useful when applied to planting holes and periodically used during the growing season.

"Phytodoctor"

To use the drug "Phytodoctor" you need to dissolve the powder in water and treat the area around the roots. “Phytodoctor” is included in the category of biofungicides and stops the proliferation of fungus. The product is valued by gardeners due to the following advantages:

1. Long-lasting protection throughout the growing season.
2. Versatility of use (for disinfecting seeds, destroying infections, increasing plant immunity).
3. The properties of “Phytodoctor” help increase the yield.

"Fitosporin-M"

The product "Fitosporin-M" in powder form dissolves in water and is used for treating rust on apple leaves, processing of seed material and for preventive purposes. Trees can be treated with the drug in any weather, but it is worth considering that rain can wash away some of the beneficial components from the vegetation.

Traditional methods

In addition to chemicals and biological products, it can be used for spraying apple trees folk methods of protection. Various infusions and decoctions are suitable for this. The most common is a decoction of horsetail, for the preparation of which you need to pour half a bucket of plant material with water, boil the mixture and leave for 24 hours. The green part of the apple trees is sprayed with the strained solution.

Also among folk remedies, iodine solution has a beneficial effect. For 10 liters of water, you need to use 10 ml of alcohol tincture of iodine and spray the leaves at intervals of 3 days.