Diseases of apple trees and their treatment

With the active development of the disease, the apple tree may not only not yield a harvest, but even die. Before planting apple trees in your garden, you should carefully study not only the characteristics of varieties for cultivation, but also the diseases that the plant can become infected with and methods of dealing with these ailments, so as not to lose the entire garden. In this article, we will consider the most common and well-known diseases of these trees, which arose after physical, infectious and mechanical damage. It is definitely not worth it to spontaneously take up the treatment of apple trees, this can lead to the fact that the harvest will not be suitable for consumption, or even more harm to the apple trees, after which you can no longer talk about the consequences. With a timely detected problem and timely, correct treatment, you can protect your garden and delight yourself and your loved ones with a tasty and large harvest.

Spring branch diseases

In principle, spring diseases can develop in winter, but their manifestation and symptoms appear after the snow has thawed and warm weather has been established. Consider the most unpleasant and known such branch diseases, and also analyze the methodology for dealing with them:

- Grebenshik.

The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that settles on the branches and trunk, often weak and frozen, can cause the appearance of stem rot. Likes to settle often on deciduous trees, as well as on fruit trees and shrubs. After infection, fruiting bodies are formed on the bark of the tree, which look like thin leathery caps with a whitish-gray tint and rather bright zonal stripes. A huge number of these caps are formed, they are attached to the trunk or branches sideways. Stem rot grows very rapidly and the apple trees dry out as a result. The fungus is stored in fruit bodies and infected tree bark. To save them from them, they take the following measures: cut out and dispose of by burning fruit bodies, clean the bark, remove dried branches and the same trees. Disinfect injuries and cuts with a 1% solution of copper sulfate and cover them with oil paint on vegetable drying oil. In addition, every year, for the purpose of prevention, trees are treated even before the foliage bloom, in the form of spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or its analogues.

- Drying of branches, or otherwise tuberculariosis.

The causative agent of this disease is a fungus. Often the disease occurs on shrubs and deciduous tree bark, which causes the death of the apple tree bark. At the time of vegetation, foliage and shoots actively acquire a brown tint and dry out. On the infected bark, a huge number of pads are formed from sporulation of a red brick color and a diameter of about 2 millimeters, after a while they begin to darken and dry out.The fungus develops due to the death of the bark, as well as individual parts of the branches and shoots. Tubercular necrosis is considered the main disease of such a bush as red currant, therefore, most often the infection of other trees comes from this culture. The fungus is stored in the infected shoot bark. The methods of dealing with this scourge are the same as those of the ordinary cancer described below.

Lichen diseases of apple trees.

These diseases very often bring harm to absolutely all types of berry trees and bushes. Often, the cause of these diseases is a rather large thickening of the plantings, insufficient illumination, and a low level of ventilation. Thanks to all these factors, high humidity can arise, which is an excellent habitat for various microorganisms of a pathogenic nature, due to which various kinds of rot of the trunk and root system, as well as necrosis of the trunk bark, can occur. The result is a great place for the development of moss and lichen. And they, in turn, covering the plant, are the reason for the very weak formation of shoots in it, the crown of the plant becomes sparse. Moreover, an important feature of lichens is a fairly rapid spread, therefore, having arisen on one plant, very soon the lichen will appear on the plant's neighbor. The lichen is able to retain moisture on the surface of the bark of the tree, due to this, frost holes are formed in the winter period of the year, and various pests often survive the winter under the lichen. In the presence of moss and lichen on the site, the apple trees weaken quite a lot. It is necessary to fight this scourge like this: regular cleaning and removal of lichens from the main trunk and branches of the plant, and in the fall, mandatory treatment in the form of spraying with a solution of ferrous sulfate, about 300 grams per 10 liters of water.

Cytosporosis, or otherwise infectious drying of the bark

The causative agents of this disease are fungi. This disease is revealed in the form of acquiring a brown tint and further dying off of the bark of boles and branches. On the damaged area, a huge number of convex stroma are formed, which look like tubercles of a gray-brown hue. The infected bark shrinks and takes on the appearance of small tubercles from the sporulation of the fungus, but it just does not move away from the bark, it only gets wet. The causative agent of the disease appears in the plant through mechanical damage, and after that, from the bark, it begins to disperse into the cambium and the tree bark itself, causing the branches to dry out. Often, the defeat of this fungus occurs when the plantings are thickened and during the formation of the crown, due to frequent pruning. Due to low air temperatures, the plant weakens very much, this can also lead to the spread of this disease, as well as with sunburn of the tree and damage to the mechanical nature of the plant bark. The fungus is stored in infected branches and in the stem bark. It actively spreads when using a sick, infected and low-quality seedling. The methods of dealing with the disease are the same as the treatment for black cancer described below.

Moniliosis

It is a disease of seedlings, because it often attacks young plants in the first two years after planting. Well, on mature plants, it prefers to attack new and fresh branches that have not yet been protected by bark. Three different fungi are considered the causative agents of this disease. The first of which forms a burn. Because of which the flowers acquire a brown hue and dry out, as well as with them fruit branches, ovaries and leaves, although this may not fall off for a long time. The next fungus forms fruit rot. On the tissue of the plant, which decays after a while, a large number of spore pads of gray color appear, in the form of concentric circles. Spores are transmitted by wind, insects, rain, and infect other nearby fruits.These fruits later turn black and dry out. And due to the fact that they continue to hang on the tree, they are an infectious source all the time. When fighting, they take the following actions: Remove all dried fruits, do pruning dry branches and treated trees. And they do this in the spring before the flowering time and after it expires, with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid and its analogues. If the infection is very strong, then a third treatment with the same drugs is carried out, about 12 days after the last treatment.

Diseases in which the leaves are curled.

— Powdery mildew - a disease of the apple tree, as a result of which not only the leaves curl, but also dry out quite quickly, and the shoots stop growing. The causative agent is a fungus. In May, spots with a whitish-gray bloom are formed on young inflorescences and foliage, the spores of which begin to infect the growing shoots and foliage. Infected foliage curls and dries up, and plant shoots stop growing and deform. The buds that have become infected cannot form fruits, and if the infection occurred later, the fruits are covered with a rusty mesh of cork tissue. Most often, the disease occurs with heavily thickened plantings, as well as with poor ventilation and illumination of the plants. It happens that the disease attacks not only the apple tree, but also the pear, but less often and in a weaker form. The fungus is stored in fruit bodies on infected foliage, bark, and also mycelium in the buds of plant shoots. It is from them that the defeat of young foliage is formed. To combat this disease, follow a number of measures: properly and correctly carry out the cultivation and care techniques, remove heavily infected shoots from young plants in time, as well as remove fallen leaves and compost it. For prevention purposes, be sure to treat trees when there are primary signs of infection with this disease.

Diseases of the trunk and bark of apple trees

The main diseases of the trunk and bark of fruit trees come from the formation of various fungi, which can be combined into one group and give the name cancer. Consider the description and characteristic features of these diseases of the bark of trees:

- Black cancer.

Often it begins its development at the forks of tree branches. At first, depressed spots of scarlet color with a brown tint are formed, later they turn black and on the bark a large number of fruit bodies of a very dark color are formed, otherwise pycnidia. With such an infection, the bark of a tree begins to turn black and turn into bumpy, goose-like skin. After a while, the bark cracks and dries up, then begins to exfoliate from the wood in large layers. On the foliage and fruits of the apple tree, dark brown spots are formed, similar to black rot. If the stem is infected, then the tree will dry out completely after 2 years after the onset of the disease. With too dense plantings, the disease can very quickly move to nearby growing trees. Infection of the bark looks a little different. The cracks themselves are much deeper at the edges, and the dead bark does not darken, it is just that a lot of cracks form on it, and it begins to crumble quite easily. If the disease has spread to not young trees, then every year it is necessary to cut down the shriveled branches, which is why the crown of the tree gets an ugly, even ugly look. The fungus is safely stored in the tops and the affected bark of the tree. The main method of combating this disease is the use of a healthy and strong seedling when planting, as well as the correct observance of all cultivation and care agrotechnics. For prevention purposes, it is required to treat trees every year with one percent Bordeaux liquid, or its substitutes.You should also cut off dried branches in time, clean the affected bark, remove dried trees, and treat the cuts and wounds with one percent copper sulfate, and then lubricate them with oil paint, only on natural linseed oil.

- European apple cancer (or common cancer).

Symptoms of this disease are the formation of long brown spots on the bark of the plant, shrinking and cracking later. And under them are callus tissue ulcers with slightly raised edges. Over time, these ulcers become larger, not only in width and length, but also in depth. As a result, the wood of the plant begins to die off. If the plant is infected with this disease at a young age, then it dies after 3 years maximum. The open form of this cancer reveals itself on the trunk of a tree, in the form of rather deep ulcers, and the closed form of this disease often occurs on the branches, in such a way that the ulcers grow together, leaving a gap in the bark. Although with mass infection, deep ulcers are also found on the branches of the plant. At the edge of the ulcer in the infected bark, sporulation begins to develop, which look like light cream at the beginning, and after dark pads. These spores can quickly infect both nearby leaves and branches. Infected leaves acquire a chlorotic appearance, necrosis forms on them in the form of brown spots, then the foliage dries up and falls off the tree. Near the stalk, in the fruit, brown spots are also formed, due to which a fairly quick moment of decay of the fruit occurs. This fungus can survive in the tops and in the wood itself. This disease is quite common on fruit and berry plants and all tree species. If you have a very thick planting, then you can expect regular re-infection. Very often, the disease appears due to severely weakened seedlings, as well as damaged tree bark. To combat this terrible ailment, the following measures are used: Plant only a healthy and high-quality seedling, without any damage, ulcers and necrosis on the bark and on the shoots. High-quality implementation of all agricultural techniques for growing a plant. If the branches are damaged, they must be urgently removed and disposed of by burning. Small individual sores are treated with a 1% solution of copper sulfate, and then they are smeared with oil paint, only on natural drying oil. Mandatory spraying of the bark of the plant every year in order to prevent the Bordeaux mixture, but this must be done before the foliage blooms.

Apple tree stem diseases

The most famous disease of the apple tree trunk is root rot and, no less important and common disease, scab. Before starting treatment for these diseases, you need to know everything about them. Let's consider them in more detail:

- Scab.

The causative agent is a fungus. The disease manifests itself in the formation of dark green velvety spots, which subsequently turn brown on the upper side of the foliage, after which the foliage begins to turn yellow and subsequently fall off. If the infection of the plant occurred in the spring or in the first month of summer, then the spots on the foliage are large, and later, with repeated infection, the spots are very small, even barely noticeable. Spores infect ovaries more often than young shoots, and the fruits of the plant cover spots, as a result of which they cannot be eaten. With a strong infection and spread of this disease, the commercial characteristics of the fruits of the plant, as well as the frost resistance and decorative qualities of apple trees, decrease. The best weather conditions for the successful development of this disease are cold and rather humid spring and rainy summer. The main difference between the causative agent of this disease is that it infects only apple trees, without spreading to other trees and shrubs. The fungus is stored in the tops.To combat this dangerous disease, cleaning and removal of infected fallen leaves are used. Treatment of trees in the form of spraying during the green cone period, and if necessary, also in summer, with preparations, depending on the duration: one percent Bordeaux liquid, rayok, or HOM. It will be easiest to look at the periods: before the moment of flowering and after the moment of flowering.

- Root rot.

Another name for this disease is honey fungus. The causative agent of this disease is a fungus that forms peripheral rot of the tree bark. The habitat of root rot is, respectively, the roots of bushes and fruit trees, and can also be found on stumps. Under the infected bark of the base of trunks, roots and shoots, the fungus forms a rhizomorph (a net of flat cords of a very dark color). Thanks to them, it develops very quickly. The fungus is stored in the bark and in the ground, in the infected tops. This fungus makes its way into the root system of a bush and fruit tree, due to which the tree bark dies off at the trunk and roots, which is why this infection is called peripheral rot. How does this disease manifest itself externally? First of all, this is the appearance of various annular spots along the whole trunk, which are covered with a brownish tint. To avoid this ailment, first of all, preventive treatments of branches and trunks are carried out. This is done in the form of spraying with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid, or its analogues. When infected, infected trees are removed along with the roots and disposed of by burning. At the initial stage of the disease, the soil under the trees should be watered with a solution of preparations containing copper. During industrial breeding in a specialized nursery, the roots and butt part must be treated with a tank mixture (HOM and foundationol).

Diseases on the foliage of apple trees

Diseases on the leaves of fruit trees can form as a result of mechanical, infectious and temperature ailments. How to deal with these ailments and what measures to take to avoid their occurrence, we will consider further.

- Chlorosis of foliage.

If your apple tree has the same change in foliage to a yellow tint between the veins, then this is a deficiency of incoming nutrients to the developing leaves. The main reasons for this are frost cracks and the death of the tree bark, as well as various rot of the trunk and roots, as well as necrosis. If the plant is quite severely affected by this disease, then the foliage begins to acquire a brown tint and dry out, and the trunks and branches die off. The best method of dealing with this disease will be the timely identified cause of the disease. Mandatory prophylaxis by treating apple trees in the spring, and before the foliage bloom, with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid or its analogue, such as HOM. Even with frost cracks and mechanical damage, removing the fruiting bodies of fungi and pruning, disinfect all places of cuts, cracks and chips with a solution of one percent copper sulfate, and then treated with oil paint, only on natural drying oil.

- Brown spotting.

The causative agents of this disease are two fungi. When infected with one fungus, large angular spots of a dark yellow hue appear on the foliage, with the paler center and a thin rim of brown color. When infected with a second fungus, spots on the foliage are round or angular in shape, having a diameter of about 6 millimeters and a light yellow color, without edging. After some time, small dotted fruiting bodies of a very dark shade are formed in the necrotic tissue, the wintering stage. With this disease, the foliage begins to change its color to a yellow tint and accordingly fall, which greatly affects the maturation of the wood of the shoots, as well as their endurance to frost and cold.Fungi are stored in infected fallen leaves. To combat this scourge, spraying of apple trees in the spring period before flowering and after the end of this period is used with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid or its analogues, such as HOM, as well as mandatory cleaning of fallen leaves.

- Rust of apple trees.

The causative agent is considered to be a fungus that most often affects foliage, and after that fruits and shoots. It manifests itself as follows: on the outside of the leaf, cushion-shaped spots of a round shape and red-orange color with very small very dark specks are formed, and on the inside, ecias emerge in the shape of a cone and an orange hue, which after a while acquire a brown color. Although the fungus lives and feeds on this tree, it spends the winter and develops on another plant - the Cossack juniper. In the spring, brown outgrowths with mucus of the same shade form in the cracks in the bark, and the spores begin to infect the foliage of apple trees. With significant infection, the foliage of the tree changes color to yellow and subsequently falls off. The fungus is stored in juniper plantings. They struggle with this scourge by treating apple trees before and immediately after the period of giving color, with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid, or its analogues.

- Ascochitous spotting.

The causative agent is also considered to be a fungus that affects both the apple tree and the pear. It makes itself felt by the appearance on the foliage of spots of a round shape and a grayish shade without edging, which merge with each other. After a certain period of time, scattered fruit bodies of black color are formed in the necrotic tissue, the wintering stage. Infected foliage turns yellow and falls off. The fungus is stored in the infected tops. For the fight, use exactly the same measure as for brown spot.

Apple fruit diseases

- Proliferation.

Or, as they call it, witch's broomsticks. These are diseases that damage the ovary of a plant during the period of bud formation. The causative agent is phytoplasm. The disease begins to show itself from the middle to the end of the summer period. On the infected shoots, the buds that have been dormant begin to wake up in large numbers, and very thin and erect lateral shoots, which have rather short internodes, grow back. The leaves on them are very small, have short petioles and large stipules, which have very large and sharp denticles at the edges. On the affected branches, very small fruits are formed on elongated stalks, having a dense shape with absolutely no taste. Infected apple trees begin to bloom much later than others, their flowers are deformed and green, and leaf buds begin to open very late, the color of the foliage changes to yellow and disappears earlier. Usually, root shoots begin to develop near the stem. Infected seedlings are quite compact, due to the low growth rate and bushiness of the apple tree. The disease can occur through grafting, seedling, budding and seeds. Together with the apple tree, quince can also become infected. This infection is stored in infected shoots. To prevent infection, it is required: to use only healthy and good seedlings, proper adherence to agricultural cultivation and care techniques. Timely pruning of infected branches and removal followed by burning of rather heavily infected young plants. Mandatory disinfection of garden tools with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. This is done after working with an infected plant.

Diseases of apple trees with twisted leaves

There are also such diseases of these fruit trees, which are accompanied by twisted leaves. It is advisable to notice this feature as soon as possible, since this disease threatens other cultures as well. Consider these diseases, as well as the reasons for their manifestation and how to deal with them.

- Tobacco necrosis virus.

This disease makes itself felt as a necrotic systemic reaction. On the foliage, a necrotic spot of an unusual shape is formed, concentrating and necrotic, the veins turn black, and the foliage dies off prematurely. There may also be leaf deformation, a complete lack of flowering and low plant growth. The infection attacks industrial, vegetable, decorative flower and fruit and berry plants. It can be transmitted with plant sap, as well as zoospores. Control methods are: The use of only healthy and strong seedlings, full compliance with the cultivation and care agrotechnics. It is necessary to cut off foliage and branches with infectious symptoms in time, remove and further burn sufficiently seriously damaged trees. Disinfect garden tools in alcohol, as well as a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, immediately after contact with infected plants.

- Pestalocious spotting.

Fungal disease. It comes out in the form of spots on the foliage of a grayish-brown shade and a round shape, eventually merging with each other. After a while, a large number of black spore pads are formed on the necrotic tissue. Infected foliage turns yellow and dries up. The fungus is stored in infected fallen leaves. For the fight, treatment is used in the spring period of trees before the color period and after this period, with a solution of one percent Bordeaux liquid or its analogues, as well as cleaning and further burning of fallen leaves.

Diseases of the bark of young apple trees

Diseases of apple trees at a young age are often of a mixed nature, since they have several different pathogens. The most dangerous of them are diseases of the bark of a young plant, which develop successfully most often after an unsuccessful winter. With a disease of the bark of a plant in adulthood, this disease spreads more slowly than that of a young plant, so the gardener has every chance to have time to cure the tree. In a young plant, the situation is worse, and it can die in just a few days. Let's take a closer look at these dangerous and well-known infections.

- Bacterial cancer.

The causative agent of this disease is a bacterium that forms bacterial necrosis on seed and stone fruit cultures. Outwardly, the disease looks like a burn. It all starts in the spring season, then there is a change in the shade of the bark of branches and buds to brown, as well as darkening and drying of young leaves and shoots. Very dark spots are formed on the foliage, which crack along the edges of the leaf. The infected bark begins to swell and form blisters that look like soft blisters, often depressed spots with a cherry-purple border. The tree bark of boles and branches begins to rot with the formation of a harsh and sour aroma of the juice that has already fermented, the trees eventually die. Most often, linear necrosis of the cortex leads to bacteriosis, and then turns into wide stripes. If the disease has become a chronic cancer, then regularly increasing sores form on the trunks and branches of apple trees. Of these, gum begins to stand out very strongly. Infected wood begins to turn brown and die off, and ulcers dry up. If you make a cut in the bark, you can see cavities that are filled with gum formations and mucus. The infection itself is stored in infected branches, and the bacteria can spread through insects, wind, and garden tools and, most often, through infected seedlings. To prevent disease, first of all, use healthy and strong seedlings, also follow all the rules of agricultural cultivation and care. Infected branches and dried trees should be cleaned and burned in time.It is also important to disinfect small sores and bark necrosis on boles. This is done with a solution of one percent copper sulfate and further lubrication with oil paint on drying oil. Carry out prophylaxis every year in the form of spraying plants in the spring, before the leaves bloom, with a solution of Bordeaux liquid or its analogues.

Diseases of a non-infectious nature.

- Mechanical damage. It often happens that branches and shoots cannot withstand the weight of a large amount of snow or sleet and break. Although there are times when branches can also break off under the weight of hanging fruits, or rather strong winds. It can also happen when planting an apple tree, transporting it. That is why, in autumn, young trees should be tied with a rope or twine, and also regularly shake off the snow cover from them. After planting, an unripe apple tree at first requires additional support, which will help keep the apple tree trunks from fractures and curvatures. In case of various mechanical damage, as well as sections of trunks and branches, it is imperative to disinfect with a solution of one percent copper sulfate and then coat it with paint on drying oil. This is done because it is in the areas of chips and cuttings that the wood can crack and die off, and the apple tree itself, accordingly, slowly dries out.

- Damage caused by low air temperatures. As a result of sufficiently low temperatures in winter, rather constant thaws and a low level of snow cover at apple trees, not only damage to the bark, but also of the tree bark of the trunk and cambium, as well as the formation of frost cracks on boles and branches can occur. During rather sharp daily temperature changes (this is when the bark of a tree, heated by the sun in the daytime, thaws, and at night it freezes again), the plant receives frost-sunburn. Whitish spots with an irregular shape are formed along the southwestern and southern sides of the trunk. In the spring, buds open very slowly, and in the summer there is a rather weak growth and drying of the shoots. By the end of summer, the bark cracks and begins to fall off, and the wood of infected boles and branches dies off. As a result, a bacterial and fungal infection forms on rather weak plants. It so happens that infected plants begin to dry out at the beginning of summer, which means that the root system is completely frozen, and this is quite common.

- Corking of the peel of the fruit. Refers to a non-infectious ailment of apple fruits, as a result of which slightly depressed spots of a brownish-colored tissue are formed on apples, often with slight deformation. Late spring frosts during the flowering period have a very bad effect on the development of flowers, young leaves and ovaries. Ovaries and flowers exposed to freezing change their shade to brown and crumble prematurely, the foliage changes its shape and dries up, and the peel of slightly damaged fruits grows corky when growing. To avoid this, it is necessary to make a fire and create a so-called smokescreen with the expected decrease in air temperature during the flowering period. Newly planted apple trees and bushes can still be covered with lutrasil or spadbond.

Conclusion

Before you start planting any apple tree, you should study not only its characteristics, but also the diseases to which it is susceptible. If your tree is still sick, you should first familiarize yourself with the symptoms and identify what kind of disease affected your plant, and only then start treatment. Otherwise, you can accidentally only worsen the condition of the tree. But everyone knows that the best medicine is prevention. Therefore, do not neglect the rules of agricultural cultivation and plant care.Examine the apple tree regularly in order to recognize the ailment in a timely manner. Have a good harvest.