Diseases of tobacco and shag - photos, control methods, prevention

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Published: 06/09/2019

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Viral diseases of vegetables lead to serious crop losses. Among such infections is tobacco mosaic of tomatoes, which is considered one of the most contagious and dangerous. Its treatment is ineffective, so the main measures are related to prevention, prevention of the disease and compliance with agricultural practices.

• 1 Description and features of the disease
• 2 Ways of infection spread
• 3 Signs of illness
• 4 Causes of TMV on tomatoes
• 5 Prevention: basic measures
• 6 Treatment

Tobacco mosaic virus: methods of control

Tobacco mosaic virus is a crop infection that settles in the tissues of nightshade plants: peppers, tobacco, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
The disease inevitably leads to crop losses. Let's look at how to recognize it, how to treat plants and how to protect them from the spread of the virus in more detail. Infection of leaves and plant cells by the virus leads to the destruction of chlorophyll, and therefore photosynthesis. The following appears on plant leaves:

1. Mosaic, emerald-beige stains on the surface.
2. Tubercles as a result of intense cell division. The areas become mottled, sometimes light green, dark green, resembling a mosaic.

The virus is tenacious. If it gets into the soil, it can harm plants for 4–5 years. The skin of the affected plants becomes thinner, allowing bacteria to penetrate unhindered.

Cells poor in glucose and organic acids are destroyed and die, which affects the fruit yield; fewer of them appear, and those are underdeveloped and small.

Tomato bronzing virus (Chlorosis)

Photo: Tomato bronzing virus (Chlorosis)
Tomato bronzing virus can infect tobacco at all phases of development. The disease causes the greatest harm to young plants. Young plants usually die. Tobacco that was infected during the first withdrawal period is greatly retarded in growth. The symptoms of the disease are extremely varied.

Symptoms of bronzing of tomatoes (Chlorosis) in tobacco:

• Ring spot. Manifests itself in the early stages of the disease. In young plants, yellowing of the upper leaves is observed. White patterns appear on the leaf blades in the form of white dots, arcs or circles.
• These patterns grow over time and merge into large necrotic spots. In the future, this leads to the death of the leaf.
• Some leaves take on a crescent shape.
• Plants develop poorly, their maximum growth does not exceed 0.5-0.7 m. Productivity is significantly reduced.

Tomato bronzing virus does not persist in plant debris and is not transmitted by seeds. The only source of spread of the disease is the insect carrier – tobacco tripe. Therefore, it is important to control this pest on the plantation.

What does it cover?

The virus is able to spread, that is, penetrate healthy plants through the sap of sick plants. Occurs when:

• sowing seeds infected with a virus;
• the presence of any sucking pests in the soil: mites, nematodes, which with infected saliva subsequently transmit the virus to new seedlings;
• picking, replanting, pinching, pinching plants when the virus gets into the wounds of the shoots and roots;
• juice getting on equipment used to process plants, breaking off hairs, covering stems, leaves, causing wounds to them.

Life cycle

After entering the cell, STM first of all “undresses,” that is, it releases its RNA. This is due to the special properties of the capsid proteins; they contain clusters of acidic amino acids that are stable outside the cell in the presence of a sufficient amount of calcium ions. However, in the cytoplasm of low calcium concentrations, they repel each other, which is why the first few protomers leave the capsid. The exposure of RNA is completed by cellular ribosomes when they perform the first act of translation. Next, viral RNA is copied and proteins are synthesized, after which new virions are assembled.

Since the STM capsid consists of only one type of protein that spontaneously combines with purified viral RNA, the collection of STM particles could be studied in detail. The process begins with the formation of flat two-layer disks, 17 proteins in each circle, and proteins from such disks are attached to the OAS (“Origin of Assembly”) region of the viral RNA, located between 5,444 and 5,518 nucleotides. In this case, the disk takes the form of a spring washer and contains 16.3 proteins in each circle. Subsequently, more and more disks are added to the structure, accompanied by a change in their conformation. The RNA then passes through a channel in the center of the rod, and as it grows, it fits into a helix.

Prevention

It is necessary to protect cultivated plants from infection by the virus at the initial stage, that is, when choosing seeds for planting seedlings.

Seeds, boxes, garden tools must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permangate (5%). It is better to repeat the procedure at least 4 times, that is, within 4 days. To protect the future harvest for preventive purposes, you need to:

• vaccinate plants, in particular tomatoes, with an aggressive strain against the virus;
• carry out protective measures when planting plants in greenhouses;
• disinfect the seeds by keeping them in hydrochloric acid (20%) for at least 30 minutes, then rinse the seeds with running water;
• steam the soil by pouring boiling water over it for 2–3 hours;
• treat the seedlings once a week with milk diluted with water in a ratio of 1x10;
• promptly remove plant residues from the area before planting new ones;
• fight in different ways with sucking insects that carry the virus;
• disinfect boxes for seedlings, equipment used in work, tools.

Seedlings become more resistant to viruses when they are sprayed with boric acid (1%) 7 days before planting and a couple of weeks after planting. It is important to process greenhouses by burning and collecting leaves and roots in the fall. Replace the soil in the greenhouse in the spring, removing a layer of at least 10 cm or steaming it with boiling water.

Downy mildew (downy mildew) or blue mold

Photo: Downy mildew (downy mildew) or blue mold
Downy mildew is a dangerous disease that affects tobacco and significantly reduces yield. The disease is widespread in all countries of the world where tobacco is grown. Plants are affected by this disease at any growth phase.

The symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• In plants affected by downy mildew, the edges of the leaves bend down, the leaves become yellow in color, and a thick gray-violet coating appears on the underside of the leaf; these are fungal spores.

The disease most often manifests itself between June and July. Infection of plants occurs through plant debris from the previous year, or through the seeds of diseased plants. Favorable factors for the development of the disease are rainy, humid weather with an average daily temperature of 16-22°C. The incubation period for infection is 4-14 days, depending on climatic conditions.

Control measures:

• Growing tobacco varieties resistant to downy mildew.
• It is necessary to carry out preventive measures when growing seedlings, namely, disinfecting the soil with formaldehyde or potassium permanganate, destroying foci of the disease with 3% copper sulfate.
• Condensed plantings should not be allowed.
• Use only healthy seedlings for planting in open ground.
• If diseased plants are found in the field, use 0.3-0.4% Avexil suspension, 0.15% Ridomil or other approved drugs for treatment. It is recommended to alternate medications, as well as combine treatments against diseases with treatments against thrips and aphids using tank mixtures with insecticides.
• On affected plantations, leaves are removed before technical maturity. Diseased leaves are dried separately from healthy ones.

Treatment on different vegetables

TMV is omnipresent. Once settled on the site, it is impossible to completely get rid of it. The main thing is to prevent viruses from spreading further, so it is imperative to take preventive measures, especially during the growing season of plant growth. .

The mosaic virus is tenacious even in winter, attacking the rhizomes of some weeds. It appears in various forms on cucumbers.

1. Ordinary mosaic affects cucumbers planted in open ground, first the tissue, the leaves on the plants when they reach 6-8 pieces become yellow-green, then in the form of a mosaic, the plants are slow in growth, flowering is weakened. The fruits become covered with dark areas and acquire a convex warty shape. The main carrier of the disease is aphids. Already 10 days after infection, unsightly symptoms appear on plant leaves.
2. Green speck affects cucumbers planted in protected soil. Already young leaves become wrinkled, spotted with alternating light and abnormally colored areas. The development and growth of the plant is inhibited, the petals of the corolla become stained, and the fruits that are set fall off before they have time to ripen.
3. White mosaic affects leaf tissue at temperatures above 25 degrees, and star-shaped yellow-white spots appear between the veins. The main thing is to prevent the spread of the virus, since it is impossible to cure the plant from it.

Treatment consists of timely removal of diseased plants and the application of fertilizers on time in excess doses. It is advisable to check all varieties of cucumbers and hybrids for resistance before sowing, and also, after planting in the ground, remove weeds as they appear: alfalfa, sow thistle, aphids.

Mosaic virus is often present in tobacco, so keep the seeds away from it and avoid even touching it.

When a pepper becomes infected with mosaic disease, the leaves are affected, their color changes, they become variegated, mosaic-colored with alternating dark, yellow, light green and even black colors on the plates. The leaves become deformed and fall off quickly.

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Virus infection of plants prevents their growth, the fruits are formed ugly, small in size, covered with spots. The virus affects the root system of peppers.

Prevention consists of checking seeds for resistance, which is found in some cultivated varieties: Flamenco, Zarya, Jiminy, Atlant, Fidelio, Dar Kaspiya, Yubileiny, Semko.

Treatment for the virus is:

• collecting seeds from healthy peppers;
• disinfection of seeds after collection with a violet-saturated solution of potassium permanganate for at least 30 minutes;
• watering the pepper with a solution of potassium permanganate at least once every 3 weeks;
• feeding plants with microelements (solution) immediately after planting in the greenhouse;
• spraying the bushes with milk and water and 10 drops of iodine in a ratio of 1x10;
• covering with film after spraying for several days so that the virus does not spread to healthy seedlings through contact;
• treating seeds with sodium hydroxide (2%) for 10 minutes to destroy the pathogen and increase energy for germination of seedlings.

Tomato leaves acquire a light-dark green color, and the tomatoes themselves become covered with yellow spots. Virus damage is especially high if there is insufficient lighting during cultivation. Tomatoes oppressed by mosaic may simply die. The virus cannot be cured.

Take seeds only from healthy plants, disinfect them immediately after collection, as well as equipment when pinching tomatoes, thinning, hilling, treating them with a solution of potassium permanganate. In a greenhouse, a layer of soil up to 15 cm must be changed every year or disinfected. In the evenings, it is good to spray the tomatoes with microelements, a solution of boric acid several days before planting.

Disinfect the tool before starting work. Create normal conditions for tomato growth, take care of good lighting.

Resistant tomato varieties to mosaic: wild rose, dina, Andreevsky surprise, golden andromeda, Nastena. The virus is not afraid of drought, survives winter, and can live on equipment: hoses, seedling boxes. It affects tobacco, tomatoes, legumes, potatoes, beets, eggplants, and spinach.

When incubated, it can be transmitted through plant sap. A dangerous pest reduces crop yields, inhibits their growth and development. It is difficult to get rid of it, the main thing is to follow preventive measures, treat everything that can come into contact with it.

Take care of the plants even when planting. Only from a healthy seed can a healthy fruit grow. Take this into account.

Root rot

Photo: Root rot
Root rot is a dangerous disease for tobacco. Most often it affects seedlings during the initial period of growth.

Symptoms of the disease:

• Affected individuals develop black-brown spots at the ends of the roots. Blackening extends along the root below the soil surface.
• Subsequently, the roots die and the plant grows very poorly. The leaves become white.

Control measures:

• This disease occurs due to excessive humidity. Therefore, watering seedlings should be moderate.
• If the black leg appears after planting seedlings in open ground, then hilling the plants helps.

Signs of the disease

This virus settles in the tissue of vegetable and flower crops, where it multiplies intensively and leads to its further death. The spread of this disease leads to disruption of the photosynthesis process.

In order to quickly get rid of this scourge in the garden, you need to know the main signs of infection.:

1. Whitish stains appear on the leaves of vegetables, and the leaf becomes discolored.
2. Yellow spots on leaves.
3. The leaves lose their green color, become spotted, the cells begin to divide and form tubercles that resemble a mosaic.
4. The surface of the infected plant becomes thin and prone to brittleness.
5. As the virus spreads, the leaves begin to become deformed.
6. Vegetable fruits become small and ripen late.

If you ignore the signs of infection, the infected crop will become a source of infection and affect healthy individuals.

Types of bacterial skin infections

Which plants are susceptible to infection?

The virus penetrates healthy cultures through the contact of the patient’s juice with healthy ones, this happens when:

1. Planting seeds from previously infected fruit.
2. Through the entry of infected vectors of mites, nematodes, aphids, and bugs onto the plant.
3. When planting, pinching, vegetative propagation, when there is a high probability of infection getting directly to the plant.
4. Penetration of infected juice onto garden equipment, and subsequently onto vegetable crops, by mechanical means.
5. In case of accidental injury to the plant.
6. When transferring pollen.

This infection combines well with other viruses and becomes destructive as the plant begins to rot and dry out.

Symptoms of mosaic on flowers

Most often, this disease affects different varieties of rose bushes.

The symptoms of mosaic in this case manifest themselves as follows:

• yellow stripes and arrows appear on the leaf blades and stems;
• the size of the buds decreases, they become sluggish, a greenish tint appears on the petals, most of the buds fall off;
• flowering period decreases;
• the disease quickly spreads from diseased bushes to healthy ones.

How to treat?

It is quite difficult to cure the tobacco mosaic virus, but if you immediately begin to take action at the first symptoms, then you can save the culture. In advanced forms, the plant must be burned, since there is a high probability of transferring bacteria to healthy individuals.

Methods:

1. At the first appearance of color changes on the leaves, it is necessary to immediately treat with a whey solution (100 ml of whey per 1 liter of boiled water) with the addition of any microfertilizers.
2. It is necessary to replace the top layer of soil (15-20 cm).
3. Spray with a milk solution (1 liter of milk per 10 liters of boiled water) and add a few drops of pharmaceutical iodine.
4. Treat with a solution of any fungicide.

Prevention

Since this disease is very difficult to get rid of, gardeners recommend following preventive measures; in order to prevent the occurrence of the virus, this requires:

1. Plant seeds only from proven healthy vegetables and flowers.
2. Periodically disinfect all equipment in the garden.
3. Replace the top layer of soil in greenhouses annually.
4. If possible, vaccinate tomatoes.
5. Disinfect seeds by treating a solution of potassium permanganate or 20% hydrochloric acid for 30-35 minutes.
6. Steaming the top layer of soil for 2-3 hours is effective.
7. Periodically spray nightshade plants with a milk solution.
8. Water once every 2 weeks with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
9. Remove weeds and tops in a timely manner and burn them.
10. Fight insect pests.

Related article: Plant sclerotinia, how to treat

Transmission and control

Watermelon mosaic virus can be transmitted in a variety of ways, including vector transmission or physical human or tool interaction, but the primary means of transmission is through aphids. At least 29 species of aphids, including Aphis gossypii and Aphis craccivora, are known to have the ability to transmit the virus. Aphids pick up the plant virus while probing and transmit it intermittently to other hosts for periods of up to several hours after contact. Because transmission is not constant, pesticides do not provide effective control of the virus unless used as a preventative measure to reduce aphid populations. Once the virus is detected in fields, aphids can potentially spread it to new hosts before pesticides kill the aphids.

In addition to the preventative use of insecticides, mineral oil sprays have been shown to inhibit virus transmission and can be an effective control measure. Cultural practices such as crop rotation have also proven to be quite effective methods of prevention.

Varieties resistant to the virus

Despite the fact that the disease affects many nightshade crops, there are varieties that are resistant to it:

1. Cardinal F1 Pepper:
   Jiminy;
2. Atlant;
3. Gift of the Caspian Sea;
4. Zarya;
5. Cardinal F1;
6. Fidelio F1;
7. Aries F1;
8. Indalo F1;
9. Anniversary Semko F1.
10. Beryl F1 Tomatoes:
    Topsport;
11. Garfield;
12. Celebrity;
13. Ovation;
14. Beryl;
15. Abelus;
16. Shady Lady;
17. Camry;
18. Caracas;
19. Jaguar.
20. Tobacco:
    Variety T.1.787;
21. Variety T.1.245.
22. Natalie F1 cucumbers:
    Boy with Thumb F1;
23. Pasadena;
24. Octopus;
25. Masha;
26. Natalie;
27. Darling;
28. Martin;
29. Baby Crane;
30. Phoenix plus.
31. Policeman F1 Eggplant:
    Bard F1;
32. Joker;
33. Goliath F1;
34. Vakula;
35. City F1;
36. Airship;
37. Sperm whale;
38. Torpedo;
39. Philemon.
40. Jalapeno Hot peppers:
    Aladdin;
41. Indian summer;
42. Magic bouquet;
43. Haeckel;
44. Goldfinger;
45. Jalapeno;
46. Coral;
47. A little prince;
48. Jellyfish;
49. Small miracle;
50. Ogonyok;
51. Fire bouquet;
52. Orange miracle;
53. Flame.

Despite the fact that all varieties are resistant to TMV, the risk of disease still exists, therefore even these varieties must be properly cared for.

Quick tips for preventing the occurrence of TMV:

1. Plant only healthy seeds, having previously treated them with a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Treat periodically with a milk solution or whey solution.
3. Fight all pests, such as mites, aphids, bedbugs.
4. If possible, change the top layer of soil annually.
5. Antisepticize all equipment in the garden.
6. Water once every 2 weeks with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
7. Promptly remove and burn tops, leaves and weeds in your summer cottage.
8. Spray all the crops in the garden in the evening with a solution of any microelements to boost immunity.
9. At the end and at the beginning of the sowing season, steam the top layer of soil.
10. If possible, minimize any damage to vegetable crops, since TMV is transmitted through sap.
11. Create the right conditions for growth in the garden (lighting, watering, etc.)

By following simple preventive measures, TMV will not be a threat to the garden. At the first appearance of infection, it is necessary to begin timely treatment. In severe cases of the disease, infected crops must be removed from the garden and burned.

Tobacco burn

Photo: Tobacco leaf burn
Tobacco burn cannot be called a disease, but it causes many problems for the tobacco grower. Leaf scorch is damage to leaves that occurs as a result of prolonged dry weather.

Burning manifests itself in the following way: as a result of drought, some mature or slightly unripe leaves begin to die and dry out from the top or edges.

The marketable value of raw tobacco is decreasing. With severe scorching, the leaf may dry out completely and die.

It is almost impossible to fight tar. We can only advise harvesting early (but then the quality of the leaf will deteriorate) or choosing varieties that are resistant to scorching.

Pestro is not always beautiful: description and photo of the disease

Mosaicism appears in the form of light (white or yellow) spots on the leaves. Sometimes the pattern can be the same as that of variegated plants. But over time, it becomes noticeable that the variegated leaves lag behind in growth, become deformed and dry out. Some types of mosaics appear as dark green “stains”.

The reason lies in the changes occurring in chlorophyll-bearing tissues. Plastids disintegrate, the chlorophyll content decreases, as a result of which photosynthesis slows down and individual cells and tissues die.

Fruits also suffer from the mosaic virus. It leads to a reduction in the yield of pumpkin crops and tomatoes by 40-50%. The fruits that do grow on infected plants are not marketable. Damaged cucumber fruits are speckled, have a bitter taste, deformed shape, and underdeveloped seeds. Light, dense spots appear on the tomatoes.

Powdery mildew (ashtray, ash, sulfur)

Photo: Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is a common infectious disease that affects tobacco and other plant crops. The disease is quite unpleasant and can significantly reduce productivity.

Symptoms and signs of powdery mildew:

• A white coating appears on tobacco leaves in the form of small spots.
• Over time, they affect most of the leaf.

The causative agent of this disease is a parasitic fungus (eriphysea). The white coating is the superficial mycelium.

Powdery grains of fungus move from diseased plants to healthy ones and infect them, forming a new mycelium. Powdery mildew is also found on other cultivated and wild plants: cucumbers, pumpkin, chicory, henbane, elecampane, burdock and others, from which it can spread to tobacco.

A favorable condition for the development of the disease is humid, warm, windless weather.

Control measures:

• Carefully inspect the tobacco plantings and remove all affected leaves. It is better to burn them.
• Avoid overwatering.
• You should not be late in cleaning tobacco plants from the lower leaves, for better aeration of the tobacco, and also do not be late with topping and pinching.
• You cannot grow tobacco next to cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, etc.
• It is not recommended to grow tobacco in shaded areas where there is not enough air movement.

Variety of mosaics

The fight against mosaic is complicated by the fact that almost all cultures suffer from it. There is often a situation where symptoms of infection by several types of virus can be detected on one plant.

Potatoes can be affected by mottled and wrinkled potato mosaic.

Tomatoes are attacked by tobacco mosaic virus, tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and sometimes green mottled virus (English).

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and mottled mosaic virus (CGMMV) destroy cucumber crops. In addition to cucumbers, ordinary mosaic can develop on peppers, parsley, cabbage, peas, and lettuce. Speckled blight can be called “highly specialized”, since it affects only watermelons, melons, cucumbers from the cucurbit family and some types of nightshades.

In addition to the listed diseases, in the garden plot you can encounter the mosaic virus of beets, cabbage, and legumes.

Mosaic patterns are also found on fruit trees and shrubs, ornamental grasses and tuberous flowers (tulips, lilies, daffodils, hyacinths, dahlias).

Mosaic on fruit bushes

All berry bushes exhibit a vein mosaic.

The characteristic signs of this disease are as follows:

• chlorosis occurs on the veins of the leaf blades - lighter areas appear;
• the foliage curls up at the edges, the leaf blades look as if they were scorched by fire;
• young shoots slow down their growth;
• Angular spots appear on the leaf blades.

Distribution routes

The mosaic virus is resistant to negative factors. It does not die at extremely high and low temperatures. It overwinters successfully in the garden on plant debris in the soil, on host plants, and remains active in collected seeds.

If the source is seeds, then signs of infection appear in the early stages of seedling development. If it all started during planting, then external signs appear within a month.

The common cucumber mosaic actively develops when the temperature drops sharply, while the speckled and tomato mosaic, on the contrary, “bloom” at an ambient temperature of 30°C and above.

Related article: Plant phyllosticosis, how to treat

A healthy plant can be infected during picking, pinching or grafting. In this case, the virus is transmitted through gardening tools and tools.

The spread of the disease in the area is also caused by sucking pests (aphids, mites). 70 species of aphids are known to carry mosaic disease. After the virus enters the body of an insect, it goes through an incubation period (multiplies) and at the next “meal” it is transmitted to the tissues of a healthy plant.

The speed of spread is affected by the age of the plant and growing conditions. Young seedlings experiencing various types of stress (high or low air and soil temperatures, lack of moisture or nutrients) are more often susceptible to diseases.

Causes of TMV on tomatoes

Tomatoes in greenhouses and on ridges suffer from infection, and the main cause of the disease is improper agricultural technology.

Main violations:

• excessive watering leading to high soil moisture;
• dense planting of bushes (especially in a greenhouse);
• tightly closed greenhouses (no ventilation).

High humidity, temperature changes, a large amount of plant residues after weeding near the bushes - all this leads to the activation of the virus and infection of the crop.

Lack of disinfection of equipment is another reason for infection of tomatoes. At the same time, through knives and pruners, the infection can spread to other plantings on the site, which will lead to a massive TMV epidemic.

Mosaic Protection Plan

You need to understand that it is almost impossible to cure an infected plant. Therefore, the main task is to prevent the spread of the virus in the area.

Despite the variety of viruses that cause spotting, they all have the same ways of spreading. And accordingly, methods of prevention and protection are similar for different cultures.

To prevent infection, you must adhere to the following action plan:

• carry out pre-sowing seed treatment;
• disinfect the soil before planting crops susceptible to the disease;
• treat the garden with insecticides and acaricides that act on sucking insects (disease carriers);
• treat with preventive fungicides.

Choosing drugs

To destroy the virus contained in the seed material, before sowing, the seeds are soaked for at least 50 minutes in a 15% solution of trisodium phosphate or potassium permanganate. After chemical treatment, the seeds are spilled with hot water.

At a temperature of 60-70°C, the common cucumber mosaic dies in 10 minutes, and heat treatment is not effective for the speckled and tomato virus.

To treat seeds, you can use the fungicide Maxim or Lamador. These drugs not only fight viruses and bacteria, but also increase plant immunity.

Soil disinfection can be carried out with any fungicide with a wide spectrum of action. If the virus was detected on indoor plants, then the fertile layer 10 cm thick is removed. Then the entire greenhouse (racks, walls, soil) is treated with a 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution.

When the first affected plants are detected, it is urgent to treat all plantings with Aktara or Aktellik. Insecticides will quickly destroy insects and you can hope that neighboring plants will not be infected.

Iodine helps us

If mosaics are extremely rare in a garden plot, then you can try more gentle preparations.

For example, it has long been known that iodine has a beneficial effect on the soil, increases plant immunity, helps in the fight against infectious diseases and reduces the number of harmful insects.

You can prepare a solution based on iodine yourself or purchase a ready-made factory preparation. Farmayod is produced in liquid form from 10% iodine and surfactants. It is diluted with water and used for:

• soil disinfection;
• disinfection of greenhouses;
• seed treatment;
• spraying plants.

A solution for preventive spraying of beds with tomatoes and cucumbers is prepared from 7-10 ml per 10 liters of water. The fruits are suitable for consumption 3 days after processing.

If a bed of cucumbers is 20-40% infected, then you can save the crop with skim milk. For spraying, 1 liter of milk is diluted in 10 liters of water. To increase efficiency, add 0.1% iodine solution.

Tobacco pests in the garden

In addition to diseases, tobacco can be affected by pests. They inevitably appear. They are brought in from the outside, or those that were already at the planting site are adapted. In the future, this becomes the reason that in areas where tobacco has been grown for many years in a row, it becomes increasingly difficult to obtain a good harvest of high quality.

Tobacco is damaged by more than 80 species of pests. These include representatives of both the animal and plant worlds. Mainly insects.

Pests not only destroy tobacco directly by eating it, but are also carriers of infectious and fungal diseases.

It is important to know each “enemy” by sight and how to fight it.

Aphid

Photo: Aphids
Tobacco is infested by the green peach aphid. It has a pale green color and a soft body. Settles on the underside of tobacco leaves. Over time, the leaf becomes narrower, which leads to premature ripening and deterioration in the quality of the raw material.

In addition, aphids, as a result of their vital activity, secrete a liquid - “Honeydew”. It accumulates on the surface of the leaf and promotes the growth of black soot.

The green peach aphid is a carrier of many viruses, so it must be controlled.

Control measures:

• There is one old folk method. Take 200-300 grams of wood ash and boil in 10 liters of water. Cool the water and spray the plants with the resulting solution.

Medvedka

Photo: Mole cricket
The mole cricket is a very dangerous and unpleasant insect that can cause significant damage to a tobacco plantation. It chews through underground parts of plants. As a result, tobacco weakens and dies.

To minimize the risk of its appearance on the site, it is necessary to create unfavorable conditions for its existence.

Control measures:

• It is not recommended to plant tobacco near compost heaps. It's a favorite place for mole crickets.
• The mole cricket really doesn't like marigolds. Therefore, you can plant these flowers around the tobacco bed.
• Another effective folk method. It is effective if you have found fresh holes in which the mole cricket has settled. Take 100 grams of sunflower oil and stir it in 1.5 water. Pour the solution into fresh holes with a bear. After 2-5 minutes the insect will crawl out and die. This is due to the fact that the oil blocks the respiratory tract and the pest simply suffocates.

stink bug

Photo: stink bug
Bed bugs can cause quite a lot of damage to tobacco plants. They use their proboscis to suck juice from leaves and stems. As a result, the plant gradually weakens and is depressed.

Therefore, if you see bedbugs in a tobacco patch, try to collect and isolate them all.

Slugs

Photo:
Slug Slugs are unexpected guests in any garden. The likelihood of their visit increases with the arrival of rains. They reproduce and feed on the leaves of many plants, including tobacco. A large number of slugs can cause significant damage to a tobacco bed. They have a soft body and no legs.

Slugs feed at night. They can eat away entire parts of plants (leaves, stems).

The best folk remedy for fighting slugs is ash. Sprinkle it around each plant, then the pest will avoid the garden bed.

Cabbage caterpillar

Photo: Cabbage caterpillar
Cabbage caterpillars can also harm tobacco. They are a light green caterpillar with a thin white line along each side of the body. Two additional lines run along the midline of the back. They feed for two to four weeks, usually on the lower part of the plant.

Tobacco wireworm

Photo: Tobacco wireworm
The tobacco wireworm is the larva of the click beetle. Wireworms hatch in the summer and spend the winter in the soil. The pest is especially dangerous for recently transplanted plants.

Wireworm larvae cut off small underground stems and roots and disintegrate into larger stems and roots. Affected plants may become stunted and die within a few days.

Thrips

Photo: Thrips
Tobacco thrips cause damage to tobacco, especially during dry seasons. These insects are about 4-6 mm long. Adult insects have narrow wings.

Insect pests suck the juice from the leaves, especially from the lower ones. With severe infection, the leaves turn yellow.

Pest control on tobacco

Currently, there are a huge number of pest control products. You can choose any proven drug from a well-known manufacturer. The pest control drug “Aktara” has proven itself to be excellent.