Do you want to know how powdery mildew behaves on zucchini? At the same time, control measures must be not only drastic, but also precautionary, that is, preventive.
It is always joyful in the soul when spring comes, the first greenery begins to appear and the gardens begin to bloom. A little more, and you can plant seedlings, sow heat-loving crops with a quick growing season, which include zucchini, by direct sowing into the ground. But joy is always overshadowed by something: either the lack of warmth, rain, or pests and diseases that by this time have already woken up or are beginning to wake up.
Likewise, powdery mildew is a widespread disease of country crops. At the same time, one variety of powdery mildew, specializing in a specific plant species or family, is not capable of infecting another. She will wait for her day and hour, she will wait for her culture or a family close to her. This is a particularly dangerous disease that produces several generations before leaving for the winter. And the next year, due to the accumulated harmful stock, it strikes with redoubled force. Therefore, it is important to deal with it in a timely manner.
What does it look like on zucchini?
Powdery mildew, which is a fungal infection, has the following characteristics:
- It looks like white streaks that cover flowers and the tops of leaves.
- It looks like the plants have been sprinkled with flour.
- In the absence of control measures, the disease spreads to the stems.
- Over time, the white spots turn brown, indicating that the process has progressed very far.
Attention! Most often, signs of powdery mildew appear in the first days of summer. It is at this time that the fungal infection becomes active after wintering.
What it is
This disease can be seen in two varieties: ordinary powdery mildew (pumpkins and their other relatives are affected by it) and downy mildew (it “attacks” cucumbers). But both are of fungal origin, despite the fact that they are caused by different specimens of this family. The difference is noticeable only visually: the correct disease can be seen on the outside of the leaves, and the false one (scientifically called downy mildew) can be seen on the inside, although subsequently the spots are visible at the top, but of a different color.
Where does it come from on the leaves?
The fungus actively multiplies in the heat, as well as during the rainy season. With a significant lesion, not only the leaves, but also the squash vines wither.
Other reasons for the appearance include:
- Soil infection - if last year the plants were infected with a fungus, its spores will quietly overwinter in the ground and become more active with the arrival of warm days.
- Refusal to comply with crop rotation rules.
- Improper plowing and illiterate soil cultivation.
- The presence of weeds on the plot and adjacent areas. Spores are perfectly preserved in these plants.
- Incorrect application of fertilizers - with excessive fertilizing with nitrogen, the situation gets worse.
- Frequent planting of seeds leads to stagnation of water and increased air humidity. As a result, an environment favorable for the proliferation of fungal infections is created.
- Sudden change in temperature.
- Lack of treatment with protective drugs.
Attention! Powdery mildew is often caused by parts of plants left on the site from last year. They may harbor dangerous spores.
Why is powdery mildew dangerous?
It is imperative to combat plant damage, since the disease leads to the following consequences:
- leaves become lethargic, turn yellow and gradually fall off; new ones sometimes appear in their place, but they grow underdeveloped;
- white coating impairs photosynthesis;
- Due to the above factors, the plant eventually dies.
Signs of occurrence
The following signs indicate that the zucchini has been infected by a fungal infection:
- A whitish coating resembling mealy powder that can be easily removed with your fingers. Some gardeners think that this is ordinary dust and do not pay much attention to it.
- After a few days, the powder appears again in the same place, but now occupies a larger area.
- After some time, it can be seen not only on the leaves, but also on the peduncles and stems.
What to process?
Necessary:
- Remove infected leaves.
- Before the onset of cold weather, dig up the soil.
- On spring days, add humus or peat to the soil.
- In the fall, apply potash and phosphorus fertilizers.
How to fight using biological drugs?
To destroy the infection, you can use biological drugs:
- Phytosporin - the spores it contains are converted into bacteria under the influence of heat and moisture. By multiplying, they destroy powdery mildew and stimulate plant immunity.
- Alirin - contains beneficial live bacteria, available in tablet form. Dissolve 2 tablets in a liter of water and spray the plants 3 times with an interval of 2 weeks.
- Baktofit is a natural antibiotic.
Important! Biological products are good because they do not have a harmful effect on the environment.
Chemicals, what to spray with?
Among the drugs containing chemical active substances, the following are worth mentioning:
- Thiovit Jet - contains sulfur. It is undesirable to use it in hot weather, since the evaporation of sulfur vapor can lead to burns of the leaves.
- Topaz - successfully fights fungal infections; it can be used during the budding period.
- Discor is a drug containing difenoconazole. It is able to penetrate the internal environment of affected plants. Has a preventive, therapeutic and protective effect.
Important! If you find leaves covered with a white coating, they need to be cut off with pruning shears, burned, and only then the plants should be treated.
How to get rid of it using folk remedies?
Some gardeners prefer natural remedies to combat fungal infections. You can use the following recipes:
- Dissolve 4 g of natural soap and the same amount of soda ash in 1 liter of water, spray the plants with the solution 2 times with an interval of 1 week.
- Boil 1 liter of water, pour half a glass of ash into it, and leave to steep for 2 days. Dilute 4 g of natural soap in a small amount of water, add to the infusion. Treat the diseased plants with the resulting mixture 2 times with an interval of 1 week. If the zucchini is severely affected by a fungal infection, the number of treatments can be increased.
- Pour a third of a bucket of fresh mullein with cold water until the container is full, leave to infuse for 3 days, stirring from time to time. Strain the liquid through a thick cloth, mix with clean water in a ratio of 1:10. Treat plants in the evening to avoid sunburn on the leaves. If necessary, repeat the procedure, each time using a fresh infusion.
- Pour half of the chopped weeds into a bucket, pour hot water until the bucket is filled to the top, leave the mixture for several days until it ferments. Strain the resulting infusion and treat the infected plants in the evening.
- Dilute 1 part whey with 10 parts cold water and process the zucchini.
Prevention of disease and first steps to save plants
Preventing a disease is easier than treating already diseased plants. This does not require much effort or financial costs. It is enough to devote a little time to the plant.
Compliance with the simple rules of agricultural technicians will make the work on the site justified and the amount of harvest expected.
- Maintain proper crop rotation. It is not recommended to plant and grow zucchini several times in one place. Experienced gardeners recommend replanting zucchini in the same place no earlier than after 3-4 years.
Squash beds - After harvesting, it is recommended to dig up the bed to the depth of a spade. This can be done in winter or early spring. Experts explain this by saying that the top layer of soil becomes infected with fungal spores. They will become pathogens on a young plant. By digging up the ground, we send the top layer of soil deep into the soil and do not give the fungal mycelium the opportunity to feed on sunlight in the spring.
- In autumn, it is recommended to remove all plant remains, leaves, roots and roots. Cleanliness among zucchini and timely removal of weeds will ensure that the plants are strong and subsequently healthy.
The soil for zucchini needs to be dug up very - It is recommended to water zucchini with warm water. Cold water causes spots to appear on zucchini.
- When choosing a zucchini variety, carefully read its characteristics. There are varieties bred by breeders that have increased resistance to fungal diseases, including powdery mildew.
At the first sign of spots on the plants, it is recommended to immediately begin rescuing the zucchini. For this:
- Tear off disease-damaged leaves and place in a plastic bag. This is necessary in order not to spread the mycelium of the fungus onto other plants. Diseased plants need sunlight. Therefore, thin out the bed and rid it of thickening.
- During treatment, it is recommended to stop any kind of feeding or spraying; For greater effectiveness, zucchini should be treated with folk remedies or chemicals.
Chemical preparations for powdery mildew for zucchini
Gardeners do not recommend immediately resorting to the use of chemicals to treat zucchini from powdery mildew disease. This method will be justified in the case when the threat from the disease is great for other plants, but it was not possible to cope with it using traditional methods.
If the bush is heavily infected, the fruits begin to rot
The warning in this case is that it is strictly forbidden to eat zucchini fruits during this period.
The essence of chemical antifungal drugs is that they penetrate into the tissues of the plant and become poison for fungal mycelia, causing them to die when they come into contact with zucchini leaves. The effect of such drugs extends to all generations of the fungus.
Among the drugs that effectively cope with this fungal disease of zucchini are:
- "Topaz";
- Bordeaux mixture;
- "Vitaros";
- "Previkur";
- copper oxychloride.
The drug Vitaros is a modern remedy for powdery mildew
The drugs are not addictive and are not concentrated in leaves or fruits. But it is not recommended to consume zucchini fruits during the plant’s treatment period. You will need to perform several sprays in accordance with the instructions included with the product. Treatment time may take 15-30 days.
Gardeners who support the treatment of zucchini with chemicals claim that this method is the most effective and the results of their use are immediately visible.
Preventive control measures
To prevent infection, it is necessary to take preventive measures:
- At the end of the summer season, clear the garden of tops and weeds, burn plants that can be a breeding ground for dangerous diseases.
- Dig up the soil before the onset of cold weather, then the powdery mildew spores will die as they will end up on the surface.
- Follow the rules of crop rotation: plant vegetables, including zucchini, in different beds every year. It is permissible to plant them in their old place only after 4-5 years.
- Care for plants: thin out and weed regularly, water and feed on time, without getting carried away with nitrogen fertilizers.
- If zucchini grows in greenhouses, they need to be ventilated more often to prevent condensation from forming.
- Inspect plant vines regularly, especially in hot weather. This will allow you to detect powdery mildew in time and take measures to eliminate the lesions.
- Since fungal spores can be carried by various insects, it is necessary to use gentle means for preventive purposes, even if the zucchini is still healthy.
If the owner of a personal plot is attentive to his beds, he will be able to detect white plaque on the vines and leaves in time and get rid of it, thereby saving the plants from death.
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Varietal features
Like any other vegetable, zucchini is susceptible to diseases, which depend on the variety and climatic characteristics of the region, as well as on the protection of the plant.
If the color, shape and size are selected from personal preferences, then the ripening period is chosen according to how the zucchini will be used.
Exist:
- early ripening varieties
- mid-season varieties
- late-ripening varieties
Experienced gardeners and zucchini lovers grow several varieties and receive a constant harvest. Using zucchini in salads, preparations, and also leaving them for long-term storage until winter. For those who are limited in the size of their plot, bush varieties are a godsend, and for growing in greenhouses they use varieties without pollination, i.e. self-pollinating. Frost-resistant species have been bred for Siberia, and heat-resistant zucchini for the southern regions.
