Late blight on cucumbers and peppers. Methods of struggle. Varieties resistant to disease

Dacha crops are demanding of care and sensitive to diseases. Fungi, bacteria, pests attack day after day.

It is not surprising that sometimes one gives up in the fight against all kinds of diseases. Trying to protect the harvest, summer residents use different methods - chemical, biological, folk. But there are diseases that are very difficult to cope with. For example, late blight. We'll tell you what late blight is, why it appears on cucumbers and how to fight it, and photos will help you better understand the problem.

Late blight on cucumbers and peppers

The development of phytophora on cucumbers and peppers occurs gradually and at first it is even difficult to identify this disease. And once the fungus has reached the crop, it is difficult to change anything. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend taking preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of a dangerous disease.

Late blight is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans, which reproduces asexually. The spores tolerate temperature changes well and overwinter in the soil, and with the onset of stable heat of +17-+25 degrees they begin to grow rapidly. High humidity promotes good development of fungal mold, which is why strong outbreaks of late blight are observed after rains.

Causes of the disease

Fungal spores begin to actively develop at a temperature of 10-25 degrees and a humidity of 75%. There are many circumstances and reasons that provoke the development of the disease.

1. High soil moisture due to frequent watering or rain.
2. Changes in day and night temperatures.
3. Too dense plantings.
4. High air humidity at low temperatures.
5. When sowing, the seed material was not disinfected.
6. The soil contains a lot of lime.
7. Shaded area.
8. Poor ventilation in the greenhouse.
9. Tops and crop residues were not harvested for the winter.
10. The spores were brought into the garden from outside.
11. Poor soil and poor maintenance.

Signs of late blight can appear both in open ground and in greenhouses, greenhouses, even on a balcony or windowsill.

Signs of late blight on cucumbers and peppers

Late blight begins to actively appear at the end of summer. It looks like brown rotten spots on leaves and stems. If treatment is not applied, brown spots begin to cover the fruits.

The photo shows late blight on a cucumber

The photo shows late blight on pepper

Late blight looks like brown rot, which first affects the lower tier of leaves, and then rises up the stem to the fruits. Affected leaves shrink and dry out, so gardeners often do not attach importance to the problem and confuse it with a lack of watering. But here lies the main problem, since with increasing watering the humidity increases, which, in turn, contributes to the development of spores.

Is it possible to eat infected cucumbers?

Vegetables affected by late blight usually spoil very quickly. However, if you still manage to harvest the crop, you can eat such vegetables, since the disease does not affect human health.

However, such cucumbers have an unpleasant appearance and poor taste.

Gardeners advise not to use damaged vegetables for winter harvesting, since the processing process increases the acidity level. Such preparations quickly deteriorate and can lead to poisoning.

Reasons for the development of late blight

Even if late blight treatment was carried out successfully, it will arise again next year if the reasons why its active spread begins are not eliminated. The main reasons are:

• Close proximity of bushes and, as a result, disruption of free air flow;
• Neighborhood with potatoes or tomatoes;
• Lack of heat and differences in night and day temperatures;
• Increased precipitation;
• Excessive fertilization with nitrogen substances;
• Excess lime in the soil;
• Watering is carried out not under the bush, but on the leaves;
• Lack of beneficial microelements, resulting in weak immunity in plants.

Signs of bush infection

The disease can be recognized by the following symptoms:

• the formation of dark spots on the leaves of bushes;
• the leaves curl into tubes, turn yellow and gradually wither;
• the fruits turn black and begin to rot;
• the ovaries dry out;
• there are no ovaries;
• the plant stops developing.

The appearance of the disease can also be signaled by the formation of an unpleasant smell of rot in the beds. When rot occurs on vegetables, harmful insects can often appear, which are attracted by the smell.

Prevention of late blight

Preventative measures take some time, but it is better to spend it on preventing the disease than trying to save a rotting crop. The first thing to do when late blight is detected on your site is to destroy all affected leaves and stems after harvesting. It's best to burn them. The material that served as support for the bushes (wire, stakes, ropes) must either be processed or also burned.

Watering should only be done under the bush. If you water from above on the leaves, the spores penetrate better into the stomata of the plants. Excessive watering is also not necessary, since high humidity promotes the development of fungus. This also applies to seedlings in a greenhouse. It should be noted that the greenhouse especially needs good ventilation, since the air there is prone to high humidity.

Also, soda or soda solutions are used as bait. Soda has an antibacterial effect on fungi and plants become more resistant to attacks by various fungal diseases.

Description and photo of late blight

The disease is caused by the fungus-like protists Phytophthora. About a hundred species of this pathogen have already been described, but it is believed that there are many more undiscovered species.

The photo shows one of the signs of late blight in cucumbers - yellow leaves. First, small brownish-brown spots appear on them and the stems, surrounded by a dark green border. Then the leaves curl, turn yellow and fall off. Other signs indicate late blight of cucumbers:

• growth slowdown;
• black stains on stems;
• white coating on the underside of leaves, especially in wet weather;
• cessation of ovary formation;
• on the fruits there are soft, slightly depressed spots of a brownish color, their gradual growth, the spread of rotting;
• browning of the bush;
• unpleasant odor from rotting areas.

Late blight on cucumbers usually appears in mid-July. The most favorable conditions for it are temperatures of 10-25 °C and high humidity (from 75%).

The source of cucumber late blight can be contaminated plant residues, compost

Methods to combat late blight

The use of fungicides is the main control measure against late blight at the active stage, when most of the plant is affected. They effectively act on the source of infection, destroying fungal spores. They can be used a limited number of times, as they contain toxic substances that can accumulate in the fruits. And this, in turn, is very harmful to humans. The processing procedure itself also requires attention and full compliance with safety measures. It is imperative to protect the skin and try to avoid contact with chemicals on the mucous membrane. Prepare all formulations strictly observing the proportions and adhering to the description, since a small amount of the substance may not work, and abuse is fraught with negative consequences.

Seeds for seedlings are soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they water it after planting in the ground, when the seedlings have sufficiently taken root and taken root.

Suitable preparations for processing cucumbers and peppers are Arcedil (50 g per 10 l of water), Ridomil RC (25 g per 10 l) and Oxychom (20 g per 10 l). For spraying leaves, Ditamine (20 grams per 10 l of water), Fitosporin (10 g per 10 l), copper oxychloride (40 g per 10 l of water) and cuproscat (25 g per 10 l) are used. A positive effect also occurs from copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture or potassium permanganate solution.

Using furatsilin is a simple and effective way to get rid of phytosporosis. The solution is prepared in the proportion of 10 furatsilin tablets per 10 liters of water. Spraying is carried out 3 times: before flowering, at the first ovaries and at the beginning of the appearance of cucumbers or peppers.

Is it possible to eat infected cucumbers?

To date, there is no evidence that fruits affected by late blight are dangerous to human health. However, there is no evidence that it is safe.

Fungal plant diseases are not transmitted to humans, but some people are allergic to fungal spores and therefore can provoke an acute allergic reaction by eating contaminated cucumbers.

In any case, fruits with traces of late blight are not as tasty, have a slightly putrid odor and are not attractive: the decision whether or not to consume such a product is up to you.

Description of folk remedies

Folk remedies have proven themselves well, the advantage of which is that they are safe to use for humans. They are less effective for the advanced stage of the disease, but at the very beginning of its development they will help get rid of late blight. Summer cottages can be treated using the following folk remedies:

1. Garlic solution is prepared from 10 g of garlic and 10 l. water. The composition should be allowed to brew for a day, then strain and can be sprayed. Sometimes potassium permanganate is added.
2. Sour milk and kefir are dissolved in water (1 liter per 10 liters). Let it brew for several hours, filter and spray the soil.
3. Boil 100 g of horsetail in a liter of water and cook for 30 minutes. After cooling and filtering, dilute it in 5 liters of water and treat the bushes.
4. For 10 l. take 1 kg of water. hay and a handful of urea. Let it brew for 3 days and treat the plants every 2 weeks.
5. An infusion of tinder fungus is also an effective remedy. It is poured with boiling water and allowed to brew.
6. To prevent late blight from spreading so much among the cucumber bushes, wood ash is sprinkled between the rows.

How to treat the soil after cucumbers infected with late blight

After damaged cucumber bushes are removed from the soil, most of the spores remain. In order to reduce the re-development of the disease, it is necessary to properly and timely treat the soil. Soil treatment can be carried out with the following preparations:

• a solution of copper sulfate, which is used to water the beds and carefully dig them up;
• a weak solution of manganese, you need to mix 2 grams of manganese in 10 liters of water and water the bed;
• scatter wood ash around the area and dig it up;
• Fitosporin solution, 10 grams of substance per liter of warm water.

See also

What to do if holes appear on the leaves of cucumbers and what to treat them with for treatment

Read

Before treatment, all damaged bushes and leaves are removed, the soil is dug up and thoroughly dried.

Important. Preparation and disinfection of the soil is carried out in the autumn, so that the methods have time to take effect. Otherwise, re-infection with late blight may occur.

Varieties resistant to disease

The earliest varieties of cucumbers resistant to late blight:

• Thumb Boy;
• Masha;
• Gherkin Primadona.

Early ripening cucumbers:

• Martin;
• Nightingale;
• Princess.

Medium varieties of cucumbers:

• Pasadena;
• Natalie;
• Octopus;
• Goosebumps;
• Phoenix Plus;
• Lancaster.

Late cucumbers:

• Darling;
• fontanel;
• Leandro.

Preventive measures

It is easier to prevent any problem than to fight it. To prevent late blight in cucumbers, the following measures are taken:

1. Treat seeds with fungicides before sowing; do not use material from infected fruits.
2. Follow the recommended planting pattern for a particular cucumber variety, excluding thickening.
3. Regularly weed the beds and destroy plant debris.
4. Do not plant cucumbers next to nightshades, and when sowing after them, carefully prepare the soil.
5. Mulch the beds.
6. Ensure air permeability of the soil by regular loosening.
7. Apply fertilizers in a timely and competent manner. Use nitrogen in moderation, maintain a balance of copper, potassium, and phosphorus.
8. Avoid moisture stagnation and ensure moderate watering of cucumbers. The best method is sprinkling.
9. Ventilate greenhouses regularly.
10. Already a few days after planting in the ground, begin preventive treatment with fungicides.

Comment! If at least a bush affected by late blight is found on the site, other plantings should be treated with fungicides for prevention.

Reviews from gardeners

Sergey:

I always take preventive measures to avoid late blight. I use only folk remedies because I don’t want to poison my family with chemicals. I fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. I sprinkle the beds with ash. I soak cucumber and pepper seeds in potassium permanganate and take only resistant varieties.

Vasilisa Sergeevna:

Phytophthora destroyed my cucumber crop and it looked terrible, so I started taking preventive measures in the fall. I read a lot of reviews on the Internet and began to adhere to a certain technique. I burned all the plants and sprayed them with Furacilin. Then in the spring I also carried out additional processing. I definitely feed it with useful fertilizers that increase the immunity of plants.

What kind of disease is this

Late blight is popularly called rot. The causative agent is Phytophthorainfestans, a rapidly progressing fungus that leads an active parasitic life on country crops. Translated as “destroying plants,” which is what it does. If you do not prevent its appearance, during its development it can completely destroy the crop. The danger also lies in its survivability: once faced with infection, it will take years to remove it. It either subsides or gains strength again.

There are at least one hundred species of this fungus. It reproduces by spores, withstands wintering in the soil, prefers a moist, warm environment and windless weather. Therefore, late blight most often appears in greenhouses and greenhouses, where suitable conditions are created for the development of this fungus: the air temperature is not lower than 10 degrees, humidity is about 75%. In the early stages, infection is difficult to detect because not all plants become infected at the same time.

Specifics of activities when growing cucumber beds in a greenhouse

Use garden sprayers to spray the compounds.
They are designed to save time. Indoor soil requires special attention. This is due to the limited space and temperature and humidity parameters. Before planting cucumbers:

• remove dirt, plant debris and weeds;
• fumigate the room;
• The greenhouse structures are treated with Fitosporin.

Ventilation is required, especially during the period when the first affected bushes appear. If there are no preparations for treatment, dig up the soil shallowly. This will reduce soil moisture. By adding humus to the soil, you will complete preventive measures in the greenhouse.

Advantages and disadvantages of chemicals

Advantages:

• Large selection of drugs on the market;
• Highly effective in the fight against late blight fungus and its spores;
• Some drugs have not only medicinal, but also stimulating properties.

Flaws:

• If used incorrectly, some chemicals can seriously threaten human health and pollute the environment;
• Personal protective equipment must be worn when using some fungicides;
• Some chemicals are expensive.

Agrotechnical methods that reduce the spread of fungus

Carefully and regularly inspect cucumber bushes to take timely measures.
The appearance of spots on the leaves is a signal to start the fight. Measures taken in the spring can protect cucumbers from late blight in the summer months. For summer residents, it is allowed to use substances of the 3rd hazard class. These are drugs that contain copper among their components. Earth in spring:

• treated with a solution of copper sulfate (1-3%);
• dig up;
• spilled with Fitosporin.

“Fitosporin” (1 tablespoon) is diluted in a bucket of water and consumed per 1 square meter. meter of area. Actions are carried out in early spring so that the substances have time to decompose before the time when the vegetables are eaten. Sulfur bombs are used in the greenhouse. During prevention, follow safety precautions! In autumn, remove the 5-centimeter top layer of soil.

Methods of control, treatment regimens and recipes

Late blight on cucumbers can be treated in the initial stage of the disease. The more serious the stage of infection, the less chance of cure. We will tell you in more detail how to fight the disease in a greenhouse and open ground.

Chemicals

In specialized stores for summer residents there are many chemicals to combat late blight.

But they should be used with caution and if it is impossible to fight with milder means. After use, do not eat the fruits for a month to avoid poisoning

The most effective means:

1. "HOM" is a fungicidal drug. Refers to contact pesticides of inorganic origin. Used for spraying. To do this, 40 g of the drug is diluted in 100 ml of water, and then, with constant stirring, the water is added to 10 liters.
2. “Oxychom” (copper oxychloride + oxadixil) is a contact-systemic fungicide against late blight. Dilute 1 packet (4 g) per 2 liters of water. Plants are sprayed as necessary up to three times with an interval of 10-14 days.

Biological methods

Biological drugs have a milder effect on the environment and humans. However, they are not as active against fungi.

Treatment is carried out in the initial stages of the disease:

1. "Fitosporin-M" is a biofungicide in the form of a dark brown paste, liquid or powder. Powder or paste is used in gardening. For spraying, dilute 10 g of powder in 5 liters of water or 3 tsp. pasta in 10 liters of water.
2. Copper sulfate. Helps well when spraying. 2 tbsp is enough. l. for 10 liters of warm water.

Folk remedies

If you manage to identify the first signs of late blight, folk methods can also cope with the onset of the disease.

They are completely safe:

1. Yeast. 100 g of yeast are diluted in 10 liters of warm water and the affected plants are watered with the resulting solution.
2. Garlic and potassium permanganate. Grind 100 g of garlic into a pulp, pour a glass of water and leave to brew for a day. Afterwards, the tincture is diluted in 10 liters of water and 1 g of potassium permanganate is added. Spray the affected plants with the resulting solution every 10 days until fruit sets.
3. Wood ash. A week after planting the seedlings, but before the fruit sets, the row spacing is sprinkled with ash between watering the plants, leaving time for the ash to absorb excess liquid.
4. Milk serum. Dilute the whey from sour milk with water in equal proportions and spray the resulting solution on the seedlings in July.
5. Table salt. Use simple, coarse salt, not extra. Dilute 1 glass of salt in 10 liters of water and spray the green fruits once a month.

Processing cucumbers in open ground and under cover using garden sprayers

Summer residents who grow cucumbers for their own needs use garden sprayers to reduce the cost of time and effort. They are designed to create excess pressure. With its help, liquid is sprayed onto cucumbers. At the same time, the active components of the solution penetrate into hard-to-reach places, which facilitates the fight against late blight .

The use of sprayers is also appreciated by lovers of greenhouse cucumber cultivation. What criteria do gardeners take into account when choosing a “helper”?

How to speed up the ripening of tomatoes

At the very end of July, top the tomatoes. Cut off all the tops of tall varieties and hybrids to stop their further growth and direct all the plant’s forces to growing the fruits that have already set.

Low-growing tomatoes are not topped because they end their growth with a flower cluster and do not grow higher. At this time, all buds and flowers should be cut off from all tomatoes so that the plant does not waste its energy on them. The fruits from them do not have time to grow even the size of a hazelnut. It is better to let the plant grow the already set fruits.

For faster fruit ripening, in addition, it is necessary to create a stressful situation for the plant: to sharply reduce the flow of nutrients. To do this, just tear off part of the roots - strongly pull each plant vertically upward, holding it with your hand by the lower part of the stem. Drastically reduce watering and stop any fertilizing. In a stressful situation, any plant strives to leave behind offspring as quickly as possible, so the accelerated ripening of fruits begins.