Mandarin diseases and how to deal with them
Since mandarin diseases can be different, it is necessary to identify the problem in time and take appropriate measures to eliminate it. Only then will the plant delight its owners for a long time with a beautiful view and fragrant mini-fruits.
Mandarin Diseases: Major Problems
Mandarin is prone to common diseases in fruit crops, as well as specific diseases typical of citrus plants. Most often, the plant is affected by pathogenic microbes: viruses, fungi, and also bacteria. Because of this, growths form on the fruits or on the tree, rot, spots, ulcers appear.
The main diseases of the mandarin tree:
- cancer;
- wartiness;
- anthracnose;
- gommosis;
- root rot;
- late blight;
- tristeza;
- malsecco;
- xylopsorosis.
The infection enters the tree through the wounds, spreads insect pestsusing the wind. To overcome any problem, you need to correctly identify the disease and choose the right drugs.
Some diseases can be transmitted through spraying, gardening tools.
Anthracnose: how to get rid of a similar problem
The disease is provoked by the fungus Colletotrichum glocosponoides Penz, which settles on foliage, branches and citrus fruits. It actively develops on tangerine at high humidity. First, light greenish spots appear on the leaves, they gradually darken. In humid weather, the mottling takes on a brown tint. Over time, the brown twigs turn grayish, they appear swollen. After that, the shoots die.
The flowers become covered with red dots, which wither and fall off after a few days. On fruits, this infection manifests itself in the form of brown spots, the skin becomes soft. Infected fruits taste bitter, acidic and give off an unpleasant odor.
The main reason for the appearance of anthracnose is excessive air humidity. To overcome the disease, the affected branches are cut off, the tree is sprayed with fungicides according to the instructions. Fitosporin is suitable for these purposes. It can be added to water when watering, and can also be used as a preventive measure.
To prevent fungal infections, you can spray the tree Bordeaux liquid... Apply a solution (1%) 3 times a season.
Wart: how to identify and get rid of it
This mandarin disease is also caused by a fungus. First, yellowish spots appear on the leaves, in place of which warts of a gray-pink hue are formed. Young twigs are the first to suffer, the growths grow strongly, because of which the shoot dies. If the wart affects the fruits, then they are covered first with orange spots, then brown. The ovary falls off quickly. The infection is actively developing due to high humidity.
To get rid of the disease, the damaged parts of the tree are cut, burned. If this is not done, the spores of the fungus will spread to other plants. Tangerine is sprayed from a spray bottle with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid: in March, after the tree has faded, and in July.
Hommosis of citrus fruits: causes of the problem
Hommosis can be recognized by the drops of resin that show through on the surface of the bark. The disease spreads along the main root and trunk of the tree. The bark gradually begins to flake off. With extensive damage, the supply of juice to the diseased part of the plant stops, it dies off.Infected citrus fruits turn brown rot.
Reasons for the appearance of gommosis:
- Poor drainage at the plant rhizome. To eliminate the disease, the plant is not watered until dry, then the irrigation is regulated.
- Too much nitrogen and at the same time there are few phosphorus compounds and potassium. It is necessary to make less nitrogen fertilization in the soil.
- Damage and trauma to the plant, which facilitates the penetration of the fungus.
- Excessive deepening of the tangerine tree into the ground.
At the first signs of mandarin infection, the wound on the bark is cleaned, treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. To prepare it, 30 g of vitriol and 100 g of quicklime are stirred in 1 liter of water.
The next step is to treat the protected wound with garden varnish. Such disinfection is carried out regularly until the disease recedes. If the tree cannot be cured, then it is burned along with the rhizome.
Citrus cancer: what is this problem and can you get rid of it
This is a mandarin disease that cannot be cured. The affected plant will have to be destroyed. The development of cancer is caused by bacteria. Signs of ailment are spreading spots. They can be brown or almost black.
Late blight: signs of the disease
The fungus loves to infect young trees or those that have been grafted onto orange trees. A sign of late blight is a brown, slightly oily spot that surrounds the tree. To save the plant, the affected areas are thoroughly cleaned and sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate. In this case, you should dig out a seedling and examine the rhizome. If the root system is also affected, then the mandarin will have to be destroyed.
Root rot: control methods
An insidious disease affects the rhizome, so it does not immediately manifest itself. If the mandarin begins to shed its foliage, then it is already severely affected. To save a tree, you need to dig it up and remove all affected roots. It is imperative to treat with a stimulant so that new roots form faster. Then transplant into fresh soil. The pot should be placed in a well-lit area, watered sparingly. At the same time, wipe the leaves with a wet cloth, or even better, hold the tangerine in the greenhouse.
Tristeza and Xylopsorosis
Tristeza is a viral disease that often settles on tangerines over 5 years old. The whole plant is affected at once. Signs of the disease are slow growth or even its termination, as well as a change in the color of foliage. From green they become dull, acquire a bronze tint, begin to turn yellow and fall off. Bare branches dry up. The formed fruits also begin to fall off. Only by examining the root system can the level of damage be determined.
Xylopsorosis is another tangerine virus. It can be dormant for up to 10 years, and then manifest itself in the form of deformation of the cortex.
Viral diseases of citrus trees are not amenable to treatment.
Malsecco: what is the cause of the onset of the disease
If kept indoors, mandarin can catch this infection during the winter months. The disease manifests itself in the fact that the leaves of the plant fade, begin to fall off, the branches become orange in color, gradually dry out. The tips of the shoots dry first, then these changes move closer and closer to the trunk, and then move to the base. You can't cure a tangerine. Phoma tracheiphila Petri spores are easily spread by the wind, get on plants, garden tools.
A beautiful but very delicate mandarin plant is often exposed to infections, especially fungi. Both individual parts of the tree and the entire plant suffer from diseases. It is important to recognize the disease in time and take measures to save the mandarin.