Blackberries and raspberries are considered unpretentious plants, besides, breeders have bred many varieties that are resistant to negative external influences. Despite this, the crop can be affected by diseases that threaten to leave the owner of the site without a crop, and sometimes destroy the shrubs. To prevent this from happening, every gardener must not only be able to recognize diseases of raspberries and blackberries, but also fight them.
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Major diseases
The most common problem affecting any climate zone is root cancer - pathogenic bacteria infect the root system, which causes brownish growths on it. Tumors 1-3 cm in size grow together in the form of tubercles, become rough, crack and damage the bark of the bush.
An infected weakened plant may not survive the winter, and if it succeeds, the disease spreads to the leaves, which turn yellow, and the berries become tasteless. Therefore, diseased specimens are recommended to be removed from the site and burned without planting raspberries and blackberries in this place for 2-4 years. If the infection has become widespread, then a new place should be chosen for the culture, having previously treated the soil and seedlings with a solution of copper sulfate.
Another common viral disease is ring spot, which can only be noticed in autumn or spring. It manifests itself in the form of yellow spots on the leaves and their twisting. As a result, the plants grow poorly, the leaves become brittle, thinner and break even from the wind. The disease is spread by nematodes living in the soil. Therefore, the soil must be disinfected with the help of special preparations - nematicides.
Dealing with other problems
If round brownish spots appear on the leaves of raspberries or blackberries, turning into blurry spots that are whitish with a purple border, it means that the culture has been struck by white spot, or septoria. This leads to the death of shoots and leaves, the loss of the ability to bear fruit. The disease can spread due to excessive and frequent application of nitrogen fertilizers. The affected areas must be removed and burned, the bushes should be sprayed with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux liquid.
The fungal disease anthracnose is most often found in places with a warm, humid climate. Raspberry and blackberry shoots are covered with purple spots, which gradually grow, acquiring a grayish-purple hue and turning into leaves. The berries of diseased plants dry out and become tasteless. To correct the situation, the affected areas are removed, the soil is loosened, then treated with copper oxychloride or fungicides.
Often, bushes of raspberries and blackberries are affected by mosaic - a virus that causes deformation, discoloration and shredding of plant leaves, which leads to a weakening of the culture and its subsequent degeneration. The mosaic is carried by ticks and aphids, it cannot be treated, so the bushes are dug up and destroyed. New seedlings are treated with Pentafag for preventive purposes.
Another fairly common fungal disease is rust. It is diagnosed by the presence of brownish-yellow bumps and gray ulcers with a red border on the shoots on the front side of the leaves. By autumn, a dark bloom forms on the back of the leaves, indicating the preparation of the spores of the fungus for the winter period. Sick areas must be destroyed, the soil must be loosened, weeds must be removed, the bushes must be sprayed with Bordeaux liquid or a special preparation Propi Plus.
Young shoots, buds and petioles can be affected by purple spotting when vague purple-red or brown spots appear on the plants. Gradually, they spread through the shrub, passing to the leaves, cracks form on the bark. The infected areas are cut out and the plant is sprayed with Bordeaux liquid.
If the culture is affected by gray rot, it is recommended to use fungicides, alternating preparations, so as not to cause pathological microorganisms to become addicted to them. Fitosporin-M is a popular remedy for most gardeners. Timely processing of the crop will help not only to protect it from death, but also to increase productivity.
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