Plant Disease Control Tips: Canker, and Other Fungal Diseases (Final Part)

• Blight & Canker , Tips to Control Fungus & Diseases in Plants

  • Blight

    Plant blight is a common disease. Remember the potato famine in the 1840s? As a result of the blight, one million people died. But other than potatoes, blight also affects other plants, particularly tomatoes. Blight is a fungal disease that spreads through windborne spores. For this reason, spores can cover large areas and rapidly spread the infection. Blight can only spread under warm humid conditions, especially with two consecutive days of temps above 50°F, and humidity above 90% for eleven hours or more. No cure exists. Prevention is the only option.

  • Tips for Preventing Blight

    • 1 - If growing potatoes, grow early varieties because blight occurs during mid-summer and you can harvest your crop before the blight.
    • 2 - Plant-resistant varieties: Sarpo Mira and Sarpo Axona are two varieties that show good resistance. Practice good garden hygiene.
    • 3 - Destroy any blight-infected plant parts. Keep the area clean of fallen debris from your diseased plants and discard it in the trash. Do not add to your compost pile.

  • • Canker

      Canker is often identified by an open wound that has been infected by fungal or bacterial pathogens. Some cankers are not serious while others can be lethal. Canker occurs primarily on woody landscape plants. Symptoms may include sunken, swollen, cracked, or dead areas found on stems, limbs, or trunk. Cankers can girdle branches, and kill foliage. Cankers are most common on stressed plants that have been weakened by cold, insects, drought conditions, nutritional imbalances, or root rot. Rodents can also spread the pathogens.

  • Tips for Controlling Canker in Plants

    • 1 - Remove diseased parts in dry weather.

    • 2 - Grow resistant varieties whenever possible.

    • 3 - Avoid overwatering and overcrowding; avoid mechanical wounds such as damage from lawnmowers.

    • 4 - Wrap young, newly planted trees to prevent sunscald. Sunscald creates dead patches that form on trunks and limbs of young trees if the trunks have been shaded and then transplanted to sunny areas.

    • 5 - Keep plants healthy by planting in healthy soils and maintaining nutritional requirements.

  • Tips to Control Plant Fungus and Diseases

    First and foremost, build well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter before planting. Raise the beds if necessary and fill the beds with a commercial potting mix that drains well. Soils that hold too much water can cause rotting. Avoid getting water on leaves. Hand water at the root zone or use a soaker hose. Fertilize as necessary to keep plants in peak condition.

    • 1 - Choose resistant varieties whenever possible.

    • 2 - Prune or stake plants do not crowd them, and remove tall weeds to improve air circulation.

    • 3 - Plants in containers can be placed away from areas that do not receive air circulation.

    • 4 - Remove any infected debris to keep the disease from spreading. Remove and place in the trash (not in the compost bin) of severely infected plants.

    • 5 - Water during the early morning hours so the plants can dry out and avoid getting water on the leaves. Water later in the day if downy mildew is present as it favors morning moisture. Either way, avoid getting water on the leaves. A soaker hose will keep water at the root zone and help keep the spores from spreading.

    • 6 - Inspect all plants before purchasing from your local greenhouse for disease symptoms and pests.

    • 7 - Disinfect pruners after cutting diseased plant parts.

    • 8 - Purchase a hand lens. A 10x hand lens is a great way to detect fungus and insect problems. Besides that, a hand lens allows you to see things in nature difficult to see with the naked eye.

    • 9 - Purchase a hand lens. A 10x hand lens is a great way to detect fungus and insect problems. Besides that, a hand lens allows you to see things in nature difficult to see with the naked eye.

  If you haven’t read the previous two blogs, make sure to read them as this was the final blog of the three-part series of “Common plant diseases”, We hope that we were able to add some value to your life and if you liked our content do follow us on our social media handles and keep updated as we post exciting content on Agriculture and Sustainability.