Phytophthora is an attack that can significantly reduce the yield of vegetables and even destroy the whole potato crop. Symptoms of phytophthors on potatoes are noticeable to the naked eye: first, brown spots affect the lower leaves of the plant, gradually turning to the upper leaves, stems and tubers. The surface of the potato becomes lead-gray, soft and slimy to the touch, and the flesh acquires a rusty hue. The factor that aggravates the development of the disease is wet, fairly warm weather. The fight against potato phytophthora includes a number of measures.
Methods of combating phytophthora on potatoes
Screening sick tubers
Since the main source of infection is sick tubers, to protect the potato from phytophthora, it is necessary to carefully select the plant material affected by the fungus. It is important to not only lay down the damaged potatoes in the cottage area or throw them over the fence, it is absolutely necessary to dig up the tubers deeper into the ground or burn, otherwise spores wind up to a distance of 5 kilometers.
Correct distribution of varieties of potatoes and vegetables
It is undesirable to plant late-ripening varieties in conjunction with early and middle-ripening varieties, which are affected by late blight earlier. If possible, it is better to plant potatoes every year to a new location. It is impossible to plant tomatoes in the neighborhood, which are also exposed to late blight .
Chemical processing of potatoes
To treat potatoes from late blight, chemical preparations are used. Solving the question, what to process potatoes from phytophthors, necessarily take into account the process of vegetation culture. At the beginning of planting, the potatoes are treated twice in the hauling-in phase of the tops, maintaining an interval of 1.5 weeks. At this time fungicidal preparations are used from phytophthors on potatoes: Arcedil (50 g per 10 l of water), Ridomil MC (25 g per 10 l) and Oxcich (20 g per 10 l). After flowering, the treatment is performed by contact action preparations: Ditamin M-45 (20 g per 10 L of water), copper chloride (40 g per 10 L), Kuproksat (25 g per 10 l). The number of treatments is 3-4 per season, the interval between treatments is 1 week.
Cultivation of potato resistant to late blight
The choice of potato varieties resistant to late blight is the best and most effective way. In areas where this disease of potatoes is common, varieties should be planted, which are least affected by its manifestations: Nevsky, Spring, Arina, Golubichna, September, Mavka, Ogonek and others.
Compliance with potato harvesting rules
To prevent such an unpleasant disease of potatoes as late blight, it is important to properly prepare the planting material for the coming spring. For this, after harvesting, the tubers must be dried. If the weather is dry, then dry potatoes directly on the site, if rainy - drying is carried out under a canopy. After the tubers dry, make a secondary bulkhead of potatoes, and only then the crop is laid for long-term storage . Eliminate even those tubers that are slightly amazed, because after 1.5 months after planting, the fungus will still manifest, and healthy ones will be infected
Processing of seed before planting
Gardeners heard that for increasing the resistance of potatoes, planting tubers are treated with drugs. But not everyone knows what to spray seed potatoes from phytophthors. Agrotechnics are advised to perform the treatment 1-2 days before planting Agatom-25K (3 grams per 250 ml of water) or Immunocytophyte (0.4 g per 150 ml). This amount of solution is enough to handle 20 kg of potatoes.
Thanks to a set of preventive measures you can collect a plentiful harvest of delicious vegetable culture!