If the cherry looks like after a fire, and its berries are covered with a coating resembling powdered sugar, this is a rather dangerous disease - a monilial burn (moniliosis). It is necessary to understand what cherry moniliosis is, how to treat such a disease, are there folk remedies or is it treated only with chemicals.
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Signs and symptoms of cherry moniliosis
Cherry disease appears due to the spread of the microscopic marsupial fungus Monilia on trees. The fungus propagates by spores and division of the mycelium.
Signs of a Monilial Burn
You can suspect a disease if the flowers, young shoots, and after them more mature shoots begin to dry quickly. Flowers instantly fly around without forming ovaries, leaves acquire a brownish-brick hue and become lethargic.
If the disease cherry already bears fruit, then the berries become rotten, and then mummify. On the fruits, and also on some part of the bark, you will see sandy or grayish tiny warts: these are the spores of the fungus that have just appeared.
Caution! Moniliosis feels good on any fruit trees. One diseased tree can lead to the death of the entire garden.
Conditions contributing to the appearance of mongiliasis
The following conditions help the onset of the disease:
- wounds on the bark, if the fruit or bark was taken by birds;
- the spread of harmful insects, for example, cherry longsucker;
- high humidity due to constant rainfall;
- lack of sun, especially when buds appear and flowering begins;
- weak cherry, for example, after winter.
The spores of the fungus are very light, there are many, they cannot be seen with the eyes. Spores are carried by the wind, they fall into the wounds on the cortex. When flowering, they can get on the pistils, and if the cherry is weak, then it can not cope with spores.
Preventive measures against the appearance of gray rot
Moniliosis is a very common disease of trees growing in the Central region of Russia, since the weather here is quite changeable in spring.
To treat a fungal disease, it takes time, money spent on the purchase of funds for moniliosis. Because of this, carefully care for cherries to prevent illness.
Prevention measures:
- buy seedlings that are suitable for growth in your area;
- purchase seedlings only from trusted suppliers;
- constantly inspect cherries;
- cut off sick, frostbitten, dried, broken branches and cover the wounds with garden varieties;
- collect fallen leaves and be sure to burn it;
- treat cherries with copper sulfate or Bordeaux liquid for prevention. These are strong fungicides, they quickly eliminate any fungal diseases.
In early spring, when the buds have not yet blossomed, trees are sprayed with 0.5% solution of copper sulfate, that is, they pour 40 g of copper sulfate in a ten-liter bucket of water, mix and spray. Almost also, a solution of Bordeaux liquid is made, but in addition to copper sulfate, another 100 g of lime is added to the solution. It only needs to be remembered that you need to separate separately 50 g of vitriol in half a ten-liter bucket of water, and in half of another bucket of water - 100 g of lime, and only then mix them.
Monilial Rot Treatment
Mechanical destruction of affected plants
It is required to cut off all the sick and dead parts of the cherry. As a rule, a cherry is inspected in the fall after all leaves have fallen from it. Sick and dried branches are cut off, and the resulting wounds are lubricated with garden varnish or paint. Burn cut branches and collected leaves. Then spray the cherries with a 6% solution of iron sulfate (dilute 300 g of iron sulfate in a ten-liter bucket of water). Whiten the trunks and branches of adult cherries with lime, and young plants with chalk, as they can cause burns from lime.
The same thing is done in early spring, when the buds are not yet swollen. And after the buds are swollen, you can spray the trees with 1% Bordeaux fluid. After the buds open, carefully examine the cherries. If you see dry branches, cut them and sprinkle the cherries again with Bordeaux liquid.
Fungicide use
Attention! Cherry with a disease of moniliosis is sprayed with: Hom, Nitrafen, Horus, copper sulfate, Bordeaux liquid, Oleuprit.
Complete deforestation in the event of illness
This is a bad decision. Yes, with the cutting down of cherries, moniliosis will also disappear. But, when you plant seedlings of cherries, the risk of the disease again arises. Cherry is required not to cut down, but to cut its branches. At the same time, fungicides are sprayed.
We treat moniliosis with folk remedies
Unfortunately, there is no simple cure for a monilial burn, from which the disease immediately passes, but, you can take measures that help not only to cure, but to prevent the disease.
If in the past season the tree was sick with moniliosis, then carefully cut all the diseased, dry, broken branches (before cutting the healthy part of the branch by 10 cm) before blooming the leaves in spring, and grease the wounds with garden varnish or kuzbasslak.
It helps to eliminate liming molyliosis (it is better to do this if the earth has acidic characteristics, since lime reduces the acidity of the soil), you can use fluff lime or dolomite flour. Sprinkle 400 g of lime per 1 m².
Make an iodine solution, this will inhibit the spread of rot (drip 40 drops of iodine into a ten-liter bucket of water). But, spray the cherries evenly with the solution when the cherries are pea-sized.That is, a month before the collection of cherries. And after 3 days, re-spray.
Monilioz resistant varieties of cherries
There are varieties of cherries that are resistant to moniliosis. True, even they do not have complete immunity to the disease.
Chocolate Girl
This is a self-made variety that produces high yields. Up to 12 kg of fruits are harvested from cherries. The variety is very frost-resistant. It is quite resistant to moniliosis. This is a low tree, up to 2 m high, the crown is not dense. The foliage has an obovate shape, it has a sharp lower part. This is a well-known variety. The fruits are tied for 4 years after planting in the ground. By taste and external data, the berries are very similar to cherries. Berry weight 3.5 g.
"A toy"
The variety is resistant to all fungal diseases. Cherries are tall, up to 7 m high. They have an oval-shaped crown and brownish rather thick branches. Cherries are self-fertile, so other sorts of cherries should be planted nearby. The tree begins to bloom and set fruit for 3 years after planting in the ground. Cherries ripen by mid-August. The berries are large, weighing 9 g. They have the most delicate and sweet flesh. The variety is resistant to frost.
"Turgenevka"
The berries have a large amount of iron, bioactive substances, vitamins of group B. Scarlet cherries have a dense flesh, they are heart-shaped, their mass is up to 5 g. On the palate there is acid and sweetness. Cherries bloom for 5 years after planting.
"Bystrinka"
Cherries are undersized; they are resistant to a monilial burn. In height up to 2 m. Crown in the form of a ball has an average thickening of foliage. The branches are medium in thickness, they have a brownish tint. In inflorescence of 4 flowers. Cherries in the form of ovals, their weight is up to 3.5 g.
"Night"
The variety is bred by crossing cherries and cherries. The tree is tall, it has a dense crown and large leaves. The berries are dark cherry in color, their mass is 7 g. Flowering begins 4 years after planting. Cherries ripen by the end of June.
Novella
The sound of trees is easy and simple to care for. They are frost resistant. They give high yields. Cherries are blackish-burgundy, their weight is 5 g. The variety is resistant to a variety of fungal diseases. The buds open at the end of May, the berries are tied for 4 years. Cherries ripen from July 15. Up to 15 kg of berries are harvested from cherries. The variety has its own minus - the buds do not tolerate spring frosts, they fall.
"Minx"
Cherries grow very fast. They need to be planted in fertile soil. Berries are burgundy, their mass is up to 6 g. The flesh is tender.
Cherries are not completely immune from moniliosis. Therefore, laying a garden should be carefully thought out and buy varieties resistant to the disease.
