How to treat cherry moniliosis after flowering

Increasingly, gardeners are faced with the fact that among the spring greenery on the cherries, brown spots of shoots suddenly dried out from a monilial burn appear.
How to defeat cherry moniliosis, how to treat plantings affected by a dangerous disease? Owners of personal plots, who have not previously encountered the problem, mistakenly believe that recently faded trees fell into a zone of spring frost or unexpected cold rain. Some blame themselves, mistaking the signs of the disease for a burn from an incorrectly selected insecticide. In fact, the cause of the death of the shoots is the action of a harmful fungus from the Monilia family.

Cherry moniliosis: photo of the disease and the fight against it

Moniliosis or monilial burn is already well known to gardeners in central Russia, Kuban, Black Earth Region, southern regions of Siberia and the Urals. In some areas, almost all cherry plantings are infected with a harmful fungus, but in addition, the fungal disease of cherries caused by Monilia cinerea is also dangerous for other fruit crops.

The primary infection of a tree occurs during flowering, when fungal spores penetrate and grow through the pistil and peduncle deep into the wood tissue. However, noticing cherry disease in the spring, gardeners often mistake its symptoms for the consequences of freezing or unsuccessful chemical treatment.

Indeed, the branches, flowers and young leaves drying out under the influence of the spreading fungus seem to be scorched. And moniliosis lesions from the outside look like large solid spots in the crowns of recently completely healthy trees.

Secondary infection occurs through fruits in which fungal spores ripen. From the outside, the berries look dry, mummified, often covered with a grayish coating. They adhere tightly to the branches and, if not removed, persist until spring, becoming a new source of infection.

To minimize the number of foci of infection, be sure to:

fallen leaves are removed, and the soil under the trees is carefully loosened;
cut, capturing part of the healthy wood, and destroy branches affected by moniliosis;
remove and burn the remaining fruits.

In the spring, before the buds open, cherry plantings are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or other contact fungicide. Repeated treatment is carried out in the second half of flowering

Particular attention is paid to plants that have already been attacked by a harmful fungus in the past. If cherry disease is noticed in spring on previously healthy trees, you will have to resort to the help of systemic fungicides, for example, Skor, Topaz or Fundazol

Saving cherry trees: the best preparations and treatment times

Treatment of cherry trees against moniliosis is carried out mainly in the spring, but in certain cases it is necessary to spray them in the summer. In the autumn period, they mainly engage in preventive work aimed at destroying the spores and mycelium of the ascomycete.

Do not use chemicals to treat the garden directly during flowering and at least a month before harvesting. Otherwise, the bees that pollinate the flowers and the person himself, who will eat the crop, may suffer. During operation, you must strictly follow the instructions included with the product you are using.

What symptoms allow you to make a diagnosis of monilial rot?

In spring, flowers and leaves bloom on young shoots and then suddenly dry out. This phenomenon can easily be confused with the consequences of spring frosts. Similar signs are possible from an overdose of fertilizers or protective agents. When the diagnosis reaches moniliosis, during this time the branches, and even the entire tree, are deeply affected and dry out.

Cherry disease manifests itself as a monilial burn

The disease is caused by the fungus Monilia cinerea, which develops in two forms.

The first, which affects flower and leaf buds, penetrates along with the evaporation of water after the snow melts, then in the spring when it rains.
The second, gets on the fruit through damage caused by birds, insects, wind and causes monilial rot.

Moniliosis persists not only in fruits, but also on infected shoots. Optimal conditions for its activation in spring occur at temperatures of minus 10 and above. Developing unhindered, it can destroy the tree.

Various subspecies of this parasite live on apple and pear trees, quince, peaches, apricots and plums. Stone fruit crops, which include cherries, suffer the most. Cherry moniliosis, in the photo, or gray fruit rot, is now widespread in many regions in temperate climates.

In Russia, gardens are suffering from infection:

in the center of the European part;
in Siberia;
in the North-West of the country;
in the Far East;
in the Caucasus;
in the Urals.

The cause of moniliosis is the attack of trees by the microscopic fungus Monilia, classified as a marsupial fungus. These organisms are unusually fertile because they can reproduce by simple spores budding from conidia, sexual spores maturing in asci, and mycelial division.

The viability of Monilia is also positively influenced by the fact that its mycelium, as befits ascomycetes, is divided into separate cells by partitions, which prevents large losses of cytoplasm during damage.

Damage to cherry fruits by moniliosis

Fungal spores are light, invisible and numerous. They disperse in the wind and end up on injured areas of the bark. During flowering, they can settle on the pistils, and if the tree is weakened by damp, cold weather, it does not have the strength to resist the spore invasion. Within an hour, the first threads of the parasitic mycelium will move towards the peduncle, and from it throughout the entire shoot system of the plant.

Moniliosis should be suspected when flowers, young shoots, and behind them older shoots begin to dry out rapidly. The flowers will quickly fly off, leaving no ovaries, the leaves will become brick-brown and hang lifelessly on the still living branches.

If the disease takes hold of the tree during fruiting, the fruits will begin to rot and then just as quickly mummify. On them, as well as on damp areas of the bark, you can see sandy or light gray warts the size of a pinhead: these are new generations of spores preparing to completely take over the cherry orchard.

The following factors greatly contribute to infection with moniliosis:

wounds, cuts, gnawing on bark and fruits;
activity of insect pests such as cherry weevil;
prolonged rains;
cloudy, chilly weather, especially during the period of budding and flowering;
general weakening of the tree, for example, after winter frosting.

How does plant infection occur?

Conidia of the fungus penetrate into the flower through the pistil during flowering. Soon the mycelium will grow. The mycelium infects the peduncle and wood of the shoots. As a result, instead of the sight of filling berries, the gardener observes the rapid drying of young branches.

The resulting ovaries, leaves and shoots acquire a brown or brick-brown color. The berries become mummified and remain on the tree. If the affected parts of the plant are not removed in time, new fungal spores appear on them, and the infection repeats. Even warming and the cessation of rains cannot stop the process of spreading the parasite. Although the external signs of the disease in this case are blurred or difficult to notice, at the first opportunity the causative agent of cherry moniliosis, which has already entered the tissue, will manifest itself, as in the photo.

In favorable conditions, during the warm season, the parasitic fungus produces several generations and takes over entire gardens. The spores wait out the winter on infected branches, dried foliage, and unripe berries that have not been harvested from trees. Their presence can be identified by grayish-brown spots on the bark, mummified fruits and leaves. With the arrival of spring, a new round of infection occurs.

Monilial burn of cherries is also dangerous because it is easily transferred to closely related crops, for example, cherries, plums, felt cherries, cherry plums, apricots and peaches.

The spread of infection is facilitated not only by wet weather, but also by insects that parasitize cherry flowers and ovaries. Not only do they disrupt the integrity of tissues and weaken fruit trees, but pests, such as cherry weevils, aphids or codling moths, transfer the fungus from already diseased parts of the plant to healthy ones.

Along with coccomycosis, monilial burn on stone fruit crops is considered one of the most destructive diseases. Already in the first year after infection, the gardener loses the lion's share of the harvest. It should be remembered that cherry moniliosis is not treated with folk remedies.

If urgent measures are not taken, the disease spreads with lightning speed through the crowns of closely growing trees and in a few years can destroy extensive, previously healthy and consistently fruit-bearing plantations.

How to cope with the misfortune that is befalling an increasing number of amateur and industrial farms? Are there cures for the disease and cherry varieties resistant to moniliosis?

Symptoms of the disease

Photo of cherry disease - Moniliosis

This disease is a real scourge for all stone fruit trees, including peaches, plums, cherry plums, apricots and some others. Gardeners also call this disease gray mold. EXCELLENT VARIETY OF CHERRY! Bryansk pink cherry

Overview of the disease - Moniliosis - video

The main symptoms of moniliosis or gray mold:

the foliage turns yellow and dries, falling off over time;
the berries stop developing, their growth stops, they darken and shrink;
rotten fruits do not fall off, gradually mummify and can hang on the shoots for up to several seasons;
the taste of the pulp of cherries becomes bitter;
shoots from last season are covered with pads containing spores;
buds and flowers affected by the fungus also dry out;
a large number of black thin branches appear on the trees;
the part of the cherry trunk affected by moniliosis becomes black and shrinks, looking like burnt in appearance;
Every year, in the spring, damage to healthy parts of the cherries begins, and the shoots and berries affected last season remain the same.

Description of manifestation

Cherry moniliosis, also often called “monilial burn” (after the name of one of the phases), is a disease whose treatment requires a considerable investment of time and labor.
The disease is characteristic not only of cherries; peaches, plums, cherry plums, etc. can rot. People also call it gray rot. Moniliosis is especially dangerous in cold weather with high humidity.

The disease is fungal in nature and spreads through spores. Its source may not even be in your garden, but somewhere outside it. The situation is worsened by a pest that becomes active in the same conditions. Insects facilitate the transmission of the fungus.

Cherry moniliosis

Externally, cherry moniliosis manifests itself quite clearly. The leaves begin to dry out and turn yellow, and eventually fall off. The fruit, and in our case it is the berry, cannot develop normally. It stops its growth, darkens, and shrinks. A rotten specimen does not immediately separate from the branch; the mummified berry can remain on the branch for several seasons. The pulp acquires a bitter taste. On two to three year old shoots, spore pads appear. Flowers also dry up. The tree is replete with black thin branches.

The part of the tree damaged by the disease turns black and dries out, looking as if it had been burnt.

Every year in the spring, healthy parts are re-infected. Shrunken branches and fruits remain in their original form.

Means of struggle

Chemical and biological drugs

Depending on the specific conditions, from 3 to 5 fungicide treatments are carried out during the growing season. It is recommended to use different drugs alternately.

Horus

The trees are sprayed the first time before flowering, the second time after flowering. When using a fungicide, take into account the air temperature. It should be no lower than 3–10°C and no higher than 22°C.

To prepare a solution, 1.5 g of fungicide is added to 5 liters of water. One tree requires 2–4 liters of solution.

Topsin M

Systemic fast-acting fungicide. It begins to fight the pathogen within the first day after use. The protective effect lasts up to 3 weeks. The dosage of the drug is 15 g of powder per 10 liters of water.

Topaz

To spray fruit trees, use 3.0 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water. It is recommended to apply the fungicide 2-3 times before and after flowering. It begins to manifest its properties within 3 days.

Copper oxychloride is one of the effective remedies for moniliosis. Protects for 14 days after treatment. According to the instructions, 40 g of powder is diluted in 10 g of water. Spray plants in calm weather. One tree will require 2–5 liters of solution.

Zircon

Plants are sprayed with a solution of the drug during bud break, during budding before flowering and after harvesting the fruits. The dosage of the drug is 1 ml per 10 liters of water. The trees are sprayed again the following year.

Fitosporin-M

The biofungicide is used during leaf blossoming, at the beginning of flowering and ovary formation. The working solution is prepared at the rate of 20 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water.

An iodine solution inhibits the spread of fruit rot (40 drops of iodine are required per 10 liters of water). Trees are processed when the fruits grow to the size of a pea.
In early spring, tree branches and leaves are sprayed with urea. It not only serves as a top dressing, but also cleanses pathogen spores well - 600 g of urea is added to 10 liters of water.

We treat moniliosis with folk remedies

Unfortunately, there is no simple cure for a monilial burn, from which the disease immediately goes away, but measures can be taken to help not so much cure, but prevent the disease.

If the tree suffered from moniliosis last season, then before the leaves bloom in early spring, carefully cut off all diseased, dry, broken branches (cutting off the healthy part of the branch by 10 cm), and lubricate the wounds with garden varnish or kuzbasslak.

Liming helps eliminate moliosis (it is better to do this if the soil 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 (drop 40 drops of iodine into a ten-liter bucket of water). But, spray the cherries evenly with the solution when the cherries are the size of a pea. That is, a month before the cherry picking. And after 3 days, spray again.

When and how to treat cherries against coccomycosis

Next, you will receive the necessary information regarding processing rules, a schedule and spraying pattern, as well as a list and description of fungicidal agents for the protection and treatment of cherries from coccomycosis.

How to spray trees correctly

If you want the treatments to be as effective as possible and at the same time safe, you need to know and follow the basic rules and recommendations:

When preparing solutions and spraying trees, follow safety precautions.

Trees should be treated only in dry and windless weather.
All prepared solutions should be passed through a filter mesh
so as not to clog the sprayer.
Water at room temperature is suitable for dissolving almost all drugs (for vitriol it is advisable to use hot water, about +40-50 degrees).

Processing times and scheme

The schedule for treating cherries against coccomycosis is as follows:

First, early spring eradicative spraying is carried out (before the buds swell = on “bare” trees). To do this, simple contact protective agents based on copper are used - copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.
In the “green cone” stage, you can also use simple contact protective agents based on copper (copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture), but it would be even better to use preparations based on copper oxychloride - Abiga-pik, Khom, Oksihom (the latter is already a systemic contact fungicide).
In the “pink bud” phase (“separation of buds”), it is possible and necessary to treat with a more serious systemic protective agent - Topsin-M, Topaz. Or use one of the systemic protective and healing fungicides - Horus or Skor (Rayok, Guardian).

Thus, in order to guarantee protection of your cherries from coccomycosis, you will need to carry out 2-3 preventive treatments before flowering and 1-2 after flowering.

Chemicals

The most effective means for combating coccomycosis of cherries and cherries are the following chemical fungicides (the active ingredients, method of penetration and nature of the effect are given in parentheses):

Bordeaux mixture is a protective contact fungicide based on copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide - lime (3% solution of Bordeaux mixture - before buds open and 1% - in the “rose bud” stage);

Copper sulfate is a protective contact fungicide based on copper sulfate;

Hom is a protective contact fungicide based on copper oxychloride;

Oxychom is a contact-systemic protective fungicide based on copper oxychloride and oxadixyl;

Topsin-M is a systemic contact fungicide of protective action based on thiophanate-methyl;

Horus is a systemic fungicide with protective and curative action based on cyprodinil;

Skor is a systemic fungicide with protective and curative action based on difenoconazole;

Rayok is a systemic fungicide with protective and curative action based on difenoconazole;

Keeper is a systemic fungicide with protective and curative action based on difenoconazole;

Topaz is a systemic protective fungicide based on penconazole;
And other contact and systemic broad-spectrum fungicides.

Biological agents

Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to name biological products with a proven protective or even curative effect against cherry coccomycosis, however, you can try using the following remedies:

Planriz or Rizoplan (Pseudomonas fluorescens strain AP-33, contact protective bio-fungicide);

Trichoderma or Trichoderma veride (Trichoderma lignorum or veride, strain 471, contact protective bio-fungicide);

Pentafag-S (contains virions of five strains of bacterial viruses, as well as biologically active substances; contact bio-fungicide with protective and therapeutic action);

Fitosporin (Bacillus subtilis strain 26 D, systemic fungicide with protective and curative effects);

Gaupsin (insectofungicide).

We hope that now you understand the importance of preventive treatments for cherries against this harmful disease. All you have to do is choose the most suitable means for you (including cost) for the protection and treatment of cherry coccomycosis, preferably at least 2, and spray correctly and in a timely manner in the spring, and then wait for the results

Video: cherry diseases - coccomycosis

Felt cherry pests

Not all pests living in our latitudes love felt cherries and snack on them with appetite. Most insects bypass the exotic beauty, which, however, only benefits the gardener. But there are also those who do not disdain the leaves, buds and berries of rare shrubs.

leaf roller

Often the reason why the leaves of felt cherries curl can be the most common and widespread pest on all garden crops - the leaf roller. These caterpillars eat almost anything in their path, but are fairly easy to spot.

In the spring, as soon as positive temperatures are established, spray the bushes and the soil under them with Prophylactic solution according to the instructions. If you missed the moment, use Kinmiks, Ci-Alpha or other pyrethroids. To combat the leaf roller, the innovative drug Avant, which has no analogues, is also used.

Top 10 most common reasons why leaves curl on plants
Are the leaves on your plants curling and withering? Urgently find out the reason - maybe it’s time to sound the alarm!

Aphid

The ubiquitous aphid, perhaps, does not bypass any crop in the garden, and rarely does it not destroy anything in the garden. Felt cherry is no exception - aphids eagerly snack on its young leaves, reducing the viability of the plant and its resistance to diseases.

However, there is good news - you can fight aphids on felt cherries using the same means as on all other plants; you don’t have to invent anything new. If you are a supporter of traditional methods, infuse tansy, celandine, garlic or onion peel, dust the bushes with tobacco dust and ash. Do you like heavy artillery? Then Iskra, Inta-Ts-M, Karbotsin or Fufanon-Nova are at your service.

How to get rid of aphids in the garden, vegetable garden and indoor flowers
Are plants drying out, flowers not blooming, cabbage not growing? There may be aphids in your garden - one of the most dangerous pests.

Plum mite

Have you seen leaves with wart-like growths on your felt cherry tree? You probably have a pocket mite, which is quite easy to get rid of. It is enough in the spring, immediately after the snow melts over the closed buds, to water the bushes twice with boiling water or very hot water directly from a watering can with an interval of three days. If time has passed, you can wait until the end of the season, spray the plants with Aktara or Apollo, and then collect and burn all the leaf litter from under the bushes.

All garden pests - photos, names, descriptions and control measures
We have collected for you dossiers on 60 or more garden “villains”.

Plum moth

The presence of the plum moth on a bush can be detected only at the moment the cherries ripen. Drops of gum appear on the berries in places where they have been gnawed, the cherries become deformed, do not grow, dry out and fall off. In a warm year, 3-4 generations of the plum moth grow in the garden, so there is practically no chance of harvesting it yourself.

You can cope with the codling moth (or significantly reduce its numbers) using both traditional methods and chemistry. In the first case, you will need to hang containers with a mixture of compote and glue on the bushes, where the plum moth butterflies will fly and die. In the second, treat the bushes after flowering with Karbotsin or Alatar, and in the third ten days of July with Fufanon-Nova or Kinmiks according to the instructions.

The most dangerous plum pests and how to combat them
Description and photo of insects that can leave a gardener without a plum harvest.

Now you know why the felt cherry tree does not bear fruit, what the symptoms of its diseases look like and what needs to be done about pests, which means that your bushes will be under reliable protection and will delight you with a bountiful harvest of sweet and juicy berries.

Disease prevention

The disease manifests itself in two forms: fruit rot and burn of young leaves, inflorescences and ovaries. Monilial burn is the greatest danger on stone fruit crops. Monilial fruit rot develops well on pome fruits. In conditions favorable for the development of the pathogen, pome and stone fruit crops are equally strongly affected by both forms.

Monilial burn on pome fruit crops (apple, pear) manifests itself in the browning and drying of flowers, the death of ringlets and fruit twigs. The affected shoots are covered with conidial sporulation in the form of ocher pads, which serve as sources of infection.

Monilial fruit rot on pome crops manifests itself symptomatically in the middle of the growing season after fruit filling. Initially, small brown spots are found on the fruits. They grow quickly and cover the entire surface. An increase in air humidity at moderate temperatures leads to the formation of yellow-white or ash-gray sporulation pads on the surface of damaged parts of the fruit.

Monilial burn of stone fruit crops (cherry, sweet cherry, apricot, plum, peach) symptomatically manifests itself in early spring as a burn of flowers. The disease begins with the appearance of necrotic spots on the petals, later covering all parts of the flower. From the flowers, the infection spreads to young fruiting branches, which subsequently dry out along with the leaves.

Monilial fruit rot on stone fruit crops appears in the summer during the fruit ripening phase. First, a small brown spot appears on the fruit. It grows quickly, covering the entire fruit. On the surface of the fruit, the development of sporulation is observed in the form of numerous scattered or merging ash-gray pads, located chaotically. Later, rotten fruits wrinkle, dry out and most often fall off. Sometimes damaged fruits can remain on the tree branches for a long time.

The following steps should be followed:

application of fertilizing;
fungicide treatment.

If chemical treatment has been carried out, the fruits can be eaten only after 1 month.

If a tree is highly susceptible to the pathogen and has spread all the way to the trunk, the spores can be completely destroyed only by burning all the branches entirely. This is the only way to prevent the spread of fungus throughout the garden.

To preserve the harvest and prevent the development of moniliosis, the following preventive measures should be taken:

modern technologies have made it possible to develop varieties of cherries that are quite resistant to disease; when planting a plant, choose a place illuminated by the sun on the plain or on a hill; trees should be planted at a distance of at least 3 meters from each other; prevent the crown from growing and thickening; avoid damaging the tree and its fruit; fight regularly with insects, they can transfer spores to other trees; monitor fertilizing and watering; timely pruning of cherries has a positive effect on the health of the tree; remove mummified fruits and foliage from under the trees; it is important to burn the fruits and foliage with fungus so that it does not have the opportunity to overwinter and infect the tree again

Treatment of moniliosis

To get rid of moniliosis, you will need an integrated approach, including proper care, agricultural practices, preventive measures, as well as chemicals and folk remedies. In order to protect plants from being affected by this disease next year, when the growing season ends, it is necessary to remove all affected fruits from the site, cut out diseased stems and shoots, and be sure to destroy it all by fire. And also, shortly before the start of the dormant period, the base of skeletal branches and the trunks of fruit trees are whitened with a solution of lime, to which a fungicidal preparation is added. During the growing season, regularly inspect the trees and at the first symptoms of moniliosis, immediately begin the fight against the disease. To do this, fruit crops are treated with a special agent that can destroy the causative agent of the disease. However, before starting processing, all diseased stems and branches are cut out, and the affected fruits are also picked off, after which it is all necessarily destroyed.

Moniliosis

Prevention measures

Many gardeners know that it is much easier to prevent any disease than to fight it later. This also applies to moniliosis, since the best method of combating it is prevention. What can you do to protect your garden from this fungal disease? Basic measures to prevent moniliosis:

When planting seedlings, try to maintain the distance between them that is recommended by experts. If the trees grow too close to each other, then because of this they will be much less likely to be blown by the wind, which has a positive effect on the spread and development of pathogenic microorganisms.
To plant trees, choose places that are well blown by the wind.
Protect plants from mechanical damage, as through them pathogens of moniliosis and other pathogenic microorganisms can easily penetrate the tree. Therefore, all frost holes and wounds must be treated and covered in a timely manner.
Don't forget to prune in a timely manner. When removing branches affected by the disease, be sure to grab some healthy tissue, and do not forget to treat all cut areas with garden varnish.
In winter, no diseased fruits should remain on the branches of the tree. They are torn off and destroyed along with cut stems and branches that are affected by the disease.
Carry out timely control of pests that injure the bark and above-ground parts of fruit crops. Also, do not forget to destroy their larvae.
In autumn, carry out mandatory digging of soil in the tree trunks of plants.
When feeding plants, carefully monitor the amount of fertilizer applied and avoid either a lack or an excess of nutrients.
To work with fruit trees, only disinfected garden tools can be used.
Experts advise that for growing in a garden plot, choose those tree varieties that are highly resistant to pests and diseases.

Also, one of the main preventive measures is regular treatments with special chemicals, which are carried out before flowering begins. To treat plants by foliage, solutions of such agents as Mikosan-B, Horus, Bordeaux mixture (1%) are used, and other fungicidal preparations that contain copper can also be used. Repeated preventive spraying is carried out immediately after the tree has flowered, then treatment with a fungicidal preparation is carried out 1 or 2 times in July. In autumn, after harvesting, plants are also sprayed 1 or 2 times with products containing copper.

Development and signs of moniliosis

The culprit of moniliosis is the fungus Monilia, whose spores are found everywhere in the environment and are carried by wind, rain, and insects.

If one tree in the area is infected, all the others will have to be treated, because the spread of moniliosis is inevitable. The fungal nature of the disease makes it difficult to treat trees and fight infection.

Moniliosis of cherries and stone fruits has other names - fruit rot or monilial burn. They are explained by the damage that the disease causes to the tree:

Monilial burn. The shoots, leaves, and flowers of trees darken, wither and dry out, looking like they have been burned by fire. Inexperienced gardeners often mistake the darkening of cherries or plums for pesticide burns or are considered the result of exposure to frost.

The fruits turn brown, wrinkle, dry out (mummified) and fall off or remain hanging on the branches. On affected cherries or apricots, sporulation pads form, in which the fungus overwinters and attacks the tree with the onset of spring.

Why is moniliosis so common in the central and northwestern regions? The temperate climate, humid, cool and long spring create a favorable environment for the development of the Monilia fungus. Optimal conditions for reproduction are:

average air temperature +15-+18°C and humidity 95-100%;
cold rainy summers, fogs and heavy dew;
denseness of the garden and crowns of old trees;
planting fruit trees in lowlands.

All of these factors contribute to the activation and reproduction of the pathogen. Therefore, moniliosis of apricot, cherry and other fruit crops is much less common in steppe regions with an arid climate, and in case of infection it is not widespread.

The development of moniliosis occurs in early spring, when the cherry or apricot orchard is covered with delicate flowers:

Fungal spores land on the stigmas of the pistils, then penetrate through the peduncle into the shoot tissue and spread throughout the wood, simultaneously infecting leaves and flowers and destroying the structure of the branches.
The mycelium also penetrates through damage to the bark on the shoots, spreading deep into the plant tissue.
The incubation period is 10-11 days, and after a month, the movement of sap in the affected parts of the tree completely stops and they dry out.
Cracks appear on old branches, through which drops of gum protrude, forming nodules.

You can verify the correctness of the diagnosis by looking at a cut of a diseased branch - dark rings are evidence of moniliosis.

Preventive measures

To prevent trees from getting moniliosis, it is recommended to buy resistant varieties

It is also important to consider the following points in plant care, which will prevent the occurrence of fungal disease in stone fruit trees:

Plants should be planted at a sufficient distance from each other so that the air does not stagnate and the trees do not come into contact with each other. It is better to choose growing areas on a hill so that the groundwater level is no higher than 1.5 m from the top of the soil. The area should be well lit so that excess moisture evaporates faster. It is necessary to carry out pruning and thinning of the crown in a timely manner and rejuvenate old plants. Try to avoid mechanical damage to trees. Promptly remove weeds and growth from the area where the plant grows. In order for the plant to have strong immunity and fight fungus well, it is necessary to regularly fertilize and water the soil. In spring, it is imperative to prune dried and diseased parts of trees.

Also pay attention to dead areas of bark and clean them off in a timely manner to prevent fungus from settling and growing. If you identify shoots affected by moniliosis, you should immediately cut them off and burn them. You need to cut it by capturing a healthy area of the plant by 15 cm.

Did you know? Fungi cannot exist on their own. They must constantly be fed by other sources, so they often parasitize plants. An example of such a situation is the parasitism of the fungus Monilia cinerea on cherry and sweet cherry trees.

Moniliosis of cherries is a fairly serious fungal disease that can completely leave you without a harvest, and in some cases even deprive you of the tree itself.

To prevent moniliosis from affecting your crop, you should follow preventive measures

And in the fight against the disease, it is important to carry out timely treatments with chemical and biological preparations

Resistant varieties to disease

In order not to fight moniliosis, it can be eliminated not only by preventive measures, but also by choosing a cherry variety that is resistant to moniliosis. These include:

Chocolate girl.
Gurtievka.
Novella.
Alex.
Tamaris.
Brunette.
Memory of Vavilov.
Octave and others.

Coordinated and timely actions of the gardener will allow you to achieve an excellent harvest. The correct choice of variety and attentiveness to the crop will provide reliable protection against damage by moniliosis.

Penetrating into the garden, the fungus completely weakens the crop within a few years. After flowering ends, the branches of the tree turn black, the foliage falls off, and the shoots of the plant dry out on top. In winter, the affected areas become the site of localization of the fungus, and in the spring its spores are carried by the wind, infecting the entire garden.

To protect the garden from the spread of gray rot, you need to take the choice of cherries seriously. Some of them are more often affected by moniliosis, others less often.

Chocolate Girl is resistant to the disease. The low tree does not have a dense crown, but on its branches ripen up to 12 kg of brown berries weighing a little more than 3 g. They have a sweet taste reminiscent of cherries. The first fruits appear on the plant at the age of 4 years. The tree tolerates frost and temperature changes normally.

The Turgenevka cherry suffers less often from moniliosis. The berries of this variety have a rich red color. The pulp contains a lot of:

gland;
ascorbic acid;
vitamin B

Cherry Toy is resistant to gray rot and is not afraid of frost. The tall tree has an oval crown and thick branches. The fruits set in the third year and ripen in late summer. Large berries weighing up to 9 grams delight with sweet pulp, the stone is separated from it without problems.

The Nochka variety was developed by breeders by crossing sweet cherries with cherries. The hybrid is distinguished by a lush crown and large beautiful leaves. Flower buds on the tree are formed in the first year, so fruits appear already in the third. The cluster is formed from 8 berries, some specimens weigh up to 10 g. The variety takes root in areas with frosty winters and is resistant to moniliosis.

Cherry Novella was created at the Oryol Breeding Institute by crossing Griot Rossoshanskaya with a steppe hybrid. The tree, about 3 meters high, has a spreading crown and powerful roots. The plant blooms in May and delights with sweet, almost black berries. The variety is valued:

for high productivity;
immunity to fungal diseases;
excellent presentation.

Shalunya cherry is grown in the steppes of Ukraine and the North Caucasus. It was bred on the basis of the Kyiv and Samsonovka varieties. The tree is characterized by rapid growth, has a spreading crown, straight shoots, and shiny leaves. The burgundy-colored fruits, weighing about 6 grams, are used to make jams and compotes. The hybrid is not afraid of frost and is rarely affected by fungal diseases.

To minimize the risk of moniliosis in cherries, it is necessary to feed the trees with organic matter and mineral fertilizers, remove excess shoots and growth, water during a long absence of rain, and loosen the soil between the rows.

To protect the garden from the invasion of fruit rot and preserve the health of not only cherries, but also other trees, you should choose disease-resistant varieties

Particular attention should be paid to the zoning of species, and select cherries based on growing conditions. If you plant a fruit tree in a humid environment, with sudden temperature changes and wind, then the likelihood of suffering from monilial burn is extremely high.

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Unfortunately, breeders have not been able to develop a variety that is completely resistant to fungal diseases, but there are varieties that show good results. Types of cherries that take root well in the Moscow region:

"Turgenivka";
"Chocolate Girl";
"Glandular";
"Bystrinka"
"Zhukovskaya";
"Cossack";
"Kirina."

In the middle zone of the country, cherries are grown without problems:

"Novodvorskaya";
"Sap";
"Baby";
"Gutyevka".

Spread of the disease

Cherry disease moniliosis is widespread in many Russian regions with temperate climates, in particular:

in the central regions of the European part;
in most regions of Siberia;
in the North-West region;
in the Far East;
in the foothills of the Caucasus;
in most regions of the Urals.

Cherries are also affected by moniliosis in Belarus and Ukraine.

When and how to treat stone fruit trees for monilial burn

How to spray correctly

For processing to be truly effective, certain rules must be followed:

Spraying should be done in the morning (after the dew has dried) or in the evening (after sunset) or during the day in cloudy weather.
In this case, it should be processed only in dry and windless weather.
All prepared solutions should be passed through a filter mesh
so as not to clog the sprayer.
It is advisable to periodically change the treatment agents (alternate, use alternately) so that there is no addiction (resistance).

If after treatment with a contact (copper-containing) preparation it rains immediately, then spraying should be repeated the next day. It’s another matter if you use a systemic drug (Chorus or Topsin-M), which penetrates inside the plant and is not washed off with water.
Chemical fungicides always have a waiting period (how long after spraying the fruits can be eaten), and this must be taken into account.

Timing and processing scheme

As a rule, preventive spraying against moniliosis is carried out at the following stages of tree development:

During the period of kidney swelling (the “green cone” phase) - copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture, Abiga-Peak, Khom).
During the budding period (the “pink bud” phase), they repeat the treatment with copper-containing preparations or switch to the use of Horus and other systemic fungicides.
After flowering - again Horus or Topsin-M.
2-3 weeks after the previous treatment (but no less than 2-3 weeks before harvest), spraying is repeated.

Preparations for treatment

To protect stone fruit crops from moniliosis, the following chemical fungicidal agents are used:

Contact copper-containing fungicides (based on copper sulfate and copper oxychloride):

Copper sulfate (contact protective fungicide based on copper sulfate);

Bordeaux mixture (contact protective fungicide based on copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide (lime);

Abiga-Pik (contact protective fungicide based on copper oxychloride);

Hom (contact protective fungicide based on copper oxychloride);

Oksikhom (contact-systemic protective fungicide based on copper oxychloride and oxadixyl);

Systemic fungicides:

Horus - (systemic fungicide with protective and curative action based on cyprodinil);

Topsin-M (systemic contact fungicide of protective action based on Thiophanate-methyl).

Well, now you know when and what to spray stone fruit trees so that they are not affected by moniliosis (monilial burn, and subsequently fruit rot). Good luck!

Video: moniliosis - what kind of disease, how to resist (what preventive measures should be taken) and how to treat it

How to treat stone fruit moniliosis

The first preventive treatment should be carried out in early spring (during the formation of flower buds), without waiting for signs of the disease to appear, in order to prevent the spread of moniliosis. Once the fungus is detected, it may already be too late and part of the harvest will be lost. Treatment of a tree with obvious signs of infection can be carried out before the very beginning of flowering, and repeated after the color has fallen off.

To combat moniliosis of stone fruits, fungicides are used. For example, Horus is one of the few effective systemic agents that can be used at the beginning of the season at low temperatures (from +3 degrees Celsius). Later you can use other drugs.

Abiga Peak;
Bordeaux mixture;
Gamair;
Copper sulfate;
Teldor;
Rovral.

These drugs are chemicals that actively fight fungal diseases. Before use, it is necessary to test the mixture on several individual branches: if necrotic (gray, ash-like) spots appear on the leaves, then this preparation should not be used. The concentration of the substance in the treatment solution should not exceed that specified in the instructions.

Why is it dangerous?

How can such extremely dangerous diseases as moniliosis and coccomycosis (the presence of unwanted spots on the surface of the leaves) harm the normal life of various varieties of cherries? In the presence of a fungal infection, not only the tips of the shoots dry out, but also the buds, and the fruits become underdeveloped and small. The trunk becomes gumy, the bark peels off, after which the trees not only stop bearing fruit, but also eventually die.

With coccomycosis, diseased trees already at the beginning of the last month of summer lose their beautiful green crown, and dried fruits hang on them until next spring. When moniliosis affects one of the fruit trees on the site, then after a short period of time it spreads to cherries throughout the area. Even a very high fence is not a barrier to this scourge, since the spores are easily spread by the wind, as well as streams of rainwater. Although at first glance it may seem that there is no point in fighting this nuisance, it is necessary to limit its negative impact.