Want to learn more about plants?
Explore our easy-to-read educational Blog
Signs of damage
Symptoms usually only start showing late in the growing season:
- Wilting and yellowing leaves. Leaves are the first to display signs of damage, starting with chlorosis.
- Dropping leaves.
- Discolored stems.
- Damaged fruit. Due to leaf loss, fruits become more vulnerable to sun damage.
- In trees, one large branch will begin to droop and brown, resulting in total death.
- Stunted growth.
- Death.
How to prevent
No fungicides control this disease, although soil fumigation with chloropicrin successfully reduces symptoms and incidence in several crops.
Practices like crop rotation and deep plowing are helpful since they help control the propagation of pathogens and accelerate the decomposition of infected debris. This fungus survives in the soil for a long time, so avoid growing the same species or related species in that space for at least 4 years at any sign of damage. If possible, choose resistant cultivars or similar species.
Proper care allows for plants’ resilience and optimal growing conditions, so pay particular attention to irrigation and fertilization.
Heal
Unfortunately, there are no treatments for this fungal disease. The best thing you can do is prune affected branches and dispose of too-damaged plants, except by decomposing them.
Go Premium to continue reading
Also you’ll get unlimited access to disease identification and all the other beneficial features
