Why seedlings die - common diseases and ways to combat them. Diseases of seedlings Diseases of flower seedlings

Drilling

The summer season is already open - the seedlings of gardeners, professionals and amateurs are turning green. The feeling of spring warms my soul. But roses also have thorns, and seedlings, so dear to our hearts, have diseases. Today we will not only get to know them, but also learn how to fight them.
Blackleg is the most common disease of seedlings, manifesting itself at low temperatures, waterlogging, lack of light, thickened crops and poor soil. The main source of infection is the soil - where bacteria of the genus Petrobacturium have found shelter in plant debris. The disease can also be spread by insect larvae. It affects both aboveground and underground parts of the plant in all phases of its development, manifesting itself in the form of damage to the root part of the stems during the growing season (“black leg”) and rotting of the roots (“soft rot”).
It is impossible to save the seedlings: the infected plant with a lump of soil should be carefully removed, the remaining ones should be treated with a manganese solution at intervals of 1 time per week. This is on the windowsill, but in the ground it is better to change the soil altogether, and then disinfect greenhouses and greenhouses with bleach (200 g per 10 liters of water). When planting seedlings, you need to carefully reject sick and weak plants. Preventative measures in general are most welcome here: loose, breathable soil, sufficient illumination, moderate watering; on cloudy days it is better not to water at all on top, but to water in the pan. When adding seedlings, use calcined soil with the addition of wood ash. For a bucket of earth (10 l) - 1 glass of ash.

Fusarium wilt- a disease caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium. The causative agent of fusarium is highly resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions and remains viable for a long time. It is most active at a temperature of about 25 ° C and air humidity of about 90%. With good plant development, the disease may not appear at all. The disease is transmitted through seeds and persists in the soil on the remains of diseased plants. Primary infection begins from the root system, from where the fungus gradually spreads through the vessels and other tissues to the above-ground organs. The leaves turn pale, then droop and dry out. The roots of affected plants become brittle, diseased plants fall down and are easily removed from the soil. The stems rot near the root collar and, at high humidity, a pinkish coating of fungal origin forms.
If you find signs of Fusarium wilt, affected plants should be destroyed immediately to stop the spread of the fungus. The rest should be treated with fungicides. When picking plants, it is advisable to treat the prepared soil mixture with a working solution of biological products Trichodermin and Planriz. To prevent fusarium blight, it is useful to treat the seeds with granosan.

Downy mildew (peronospora)- also a disease and also caused by a fungus. This time - peronospora, a false mildew fungus that can survive in seeds for a long time. The development of the disease is facilitated by relatively short daylight hours (13-14 hours), reduced insolation, high humidity (85-95%) and air temperature 13... 14 oC. First, pale grayish-yellow spots with a faint outline appear on the upper side of the leaves, which increase as the disease progresses. The disease manifests itself mainly on leaves, but under favorable conditions for the development of the disease it can spread to flowers and stems. On the underside of the leaves, in the affected areas, a light gray coating forms, consisting of fungal mycelium. It all looks as if it was sprinkled with flour. Damaged leaves become wrinkled or corrugated, wither and dry out. Signs of plant disease with downy mildew are similar to signs of spider mite infestation. Therefore, if there are grayish or yellowish stains on the upper side of the leaf, and gray dandruff on the reverse side, but insects are not visible even through a magnifying glass, most likely this is downy mildew.
In order to prevent seedlings from contracting peronosporosis, it is necessary to carry out thermal disinfection of seeds 5-7 days before sowing at a temperature of 48 ... 50 oC in a solution of zinc sulfate, followed by cooling to room temperature and drying. You also need to maintain good lighting and sowing density when growing seedlings, and avoid high air humidity. When growing seedlings, it is recommended to use the drug Radifarm, which is a biostimulator for the development of the root system.
At the first signs of disease, it is first necessary to remove the diseased leaves, as well as the entirety of all heavily affected plants. It is also necessary to spray the plants with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture (100 g of copper sulfate and 100 g of lime per 10 liters of water) or soda ash (0.5%), especially carefully the underside of the leaves. You can use oxychome, cuproxate. Treatment begins at the first signs of the disease and is carried out every 7-10 days at least 5 times.

Whitefly- another malicious pest of seedlings. This is a small white midge, clearly visible to the naked eye and similar to a reduced moth. The whitefly larva is pale yellow in color with red eyes. The larvae can be seen on the underside of plant leaves. The whitefly reproduces very quickly, producing several generations per season - up to 10 or more. The optimal conditions for its development are: temperature 21...23 °C and relative air humidity 63-75%. The development of the pest is limited by temperatures above 30 °C. When whiteflies invade, faintly visible whitish or yellowish spots appear on the leaves. After the larvae, sooty fungi are sown on the leaves, turning into a black coating. It negatively affects the development of the plant - the leaves curl and dry, and unopened flower buds fall off or are modified.
At home, in the fight against whiteflies, adhesive fly tape unexpectedly comes to the rescue. The yellow color is attractive to the whitefly - and its wings themselves carry it to certain death. But in the event of a mass attack, do not forget about chemistry: the drugs Fufanon, Actellik, Inta-vir will do. However, it is extremely difficult to carry out measures to destroy whitefly larvae due to the fact that the larvae are covered with a waxy coating - that is, they are protected. Chemical treatments with drugs do not give a high effect even after several treatments. A long struggle is needed. So it is better to prevent the appearance of diseases and pests than to treat the seedlings later.
P. Panov, ecologist
Newspaper "GARDENER" No. 11, 2011.

How to determine in time what plant diseases have affected our beds? What are the ways to combat them? Every gardener has probably seen strange spots on leaves or fruits, crooked trunks with unknown damage, twisted or wrinkled leaves on the plants in their beds. Various diseases can reduce the harvest, and often even deprive us of it. To successfully combat plant diseases, it is very important to correctly determine what disease it is and make a correct diagnosis. Let's take a brief look at the most common diseases of vegetable crops, plants, photos and how to deal with them.

Leaf mosaic (virus)

Affects many vegetable crops. Overwinters on plant debris and is carried by insects. It appears as a yellow-green mosaic coloring of the leaves of the plant. Very often it can be confused with a plant reaction to a lack of microelements.

Ways to fight. There are no chemical means to combat the virus. The biological drug Zircon is relatively helpful. The only way to curb the spread of leaf mosaic is to destroy diseased plants as early as possible.

Black leg (mushroom)

This disease primarily affects vegetable plants. Overwinters in the ground, spreads with seeds, seedlings, and plant debris. At an early stage of development, seedlings experience blackening, thinning, and drying of the lower part of the stem. Sometimes this fungus can destroy entire seedlings.

Ways to fight. Pre-sowing treatment of seeds with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate, steaming the soil for seedlings. Treatment of seeds, soil, seedlings with Fitosporin according to the instructions.

Kila (mushroom)

Affects all cabbage plants. Overwinters in acidic soil and is carried by infected roots. A growth forms on the roots, the above-ground part is depressed, the plant wilts, stops development, and the leaves develop a bluish tint.

Ways to fight. As with any fungal diseases, water the soil before planting seedlings with a 3% solution of any copper-containing product according to the instructions (Chorus, Bordeaux mixture), the last spraying should be three weeks before use. Add a tablespoon of calcium nitrate to the hole when planting, monthly deoxidation of the soil (1 glass of lime per 10 liters of water), watering the plants with Fitosporin. Do not compost plants infected with clubroot, but burn them! Cabbage plants can be grown in the same place as cabbage affected by clubroot in five years!

Fruit blossom end rot

Affects tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Whitish spots appear on the top of the fruit, which then rot. This is not a disease, but a lack of nutrition, especially with a lack of potassium, calcium, and moisture in dry, hot weather. There is an outflow of nutrients from the tops of the fruit to the growth point, the tissue is dehydrated and destroyed.

Ways to fight. Watering the soil with Fitosporin. Urgent feeding of plants with water with potassium + calcium (1 tablespoon of each per 10 liters of water) on the leaves in the evening. Before fertilizing, first water lightly and then generously.

Powdery mildew (fungus)

It affects almost all vegetable crops. Overwinters in the soil and on plant debris. Appears in summer in the form of a whitish coating on the leaves, especially in humid weather.

Ways to fight. Spraying with a 1% solution of any copper-containing product according to the instructions for fungal diseases. The last spraying should be three weeks before consumption. Treatment with Fitosporin. Feeding plants with potassium + calcium (1 tablespoon each per 10 liters of water) or sprinkling with ash.

Downy mildew - downy mildew (fungus)

It affects greenhouse cucumbers, onions, lettuce, cabbage, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, peas, parsnips, and others. Overwinters in the soil. It occurs at high air and soil humidity and appears as a whitish coating on the leaves. After 2-3 days the plant dies.

Ways to fight. Stop watering, increase ventilation of the greenhouses, burn drying or whitish leaves, spray the rest with a bright pink solution of manganese, then dry the soil by sprinkling it with ash or chalk. Treatment of plantings with Fitosporin or Zircon on leaves and stems.

Rotting of fruit tips in zucchini (fungus)

Affects pumpkin crops. Overwinters in the soil. Usually appears when there is excess moisture in the soil or lack of pollination.

Ways to fight. Water the soil and plants with Fitosporin. In cold, wet weather, pollinate pumpkin crops by hand, stop watering, feed with potassium + calcium.

Of course, this is not all that can affect our beds. These are the most common diseases of vegetable crops and measures to combat them.

Seedling diseases can be of both infectious and non-infectious nature. In accordance with this, various treatment tactics are used.

Infectious diseases are divided into 2 groups depending on what causes them. Most often, the pathogens are opportunistic microorganisms, which are so called because their presence becomes noticeable at the moment when the plants weaken for some reason. The rest of the time they do not show themselves at all. Seedling diseases caused by opportunistic microorganisms can be cured. Often it is enough to transport the seedlings (for example, from an apartment to a greenhouse).

Another group consists of highly pathogenic microorganisms, which infect seedlings and seedlings in most cases and die.

Since seedlings get sick for various reasons, infection prevention is based on different principles. To prevent plants from weakening and becoming victims of opportunistic microbes, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for growing seedlings, which significantly increases their immunity.

Dangerous infections are brought indoors in different ways, for example with seeds, vegetables, fruits, boxes, containers or garden soil.

Treatment of seedlings against dangerous diseases

To prevent the development of dangerous diseases, you must carefully follow some recommendations:

disinfect inventory, equipment and premises;
cultivate the garden soil taken for seedlings (how to do this was discussed above);
do not mix kitchen utensils (spoons, knives, etc.) with the tools you use when working with plants;
Treat the seeds if this has not been done by the manufacturer.

In addition, there are special sanitary methods for treating seedling seeds against diseases that must be used:

When starting to work with seeds, cover the surface of the table with white paper;
Scatter the purchased seed on the table and inspect it. High-quality healthy seeds are characterized by approximately the same color and size. If there are any changes on light seeds (sweet peppers, tomatoes), dark spots form;
if the seeds seem suspicious, but you don’t want to throw them away (for example, due to the rarity of the variety or high price), use tweezers to select those that visually seem healthy and process them for disinfection. Everything else, including packaging, must be destroyed;
if the seeds are stuck together, be sure to separate them so that the dressing is more effective;
Often you have to work with seeds of different varieties. Therefore, caution must be exercised, especially if infected material is discovered. Once you've finished working with one variety, wash your hands before working on another. For all procedures, each culture must have a separate container;
if the infection is detected at the stage of seed germination (this looks like softening of the root or its falling off), then it is definitely necessary to part with them. If you still have doubts, observe the seedlings for 2-3 days.

It is equally important to be able to distinguish when seedlings have been subjected to a sluggish infection and when to a dangerous one. The main difference between them is the rate of spread. With a sluggish infection, the color of the seedlings changes (they turn pale, yellow), growth is delayed, everything looks as if the plants are experiencing a lack of nitrogen. When seedlings or seedlings begin to die, this primarily concerns late-emerging, immature plants.

As you can see in the photo, dangerous seedling diseases develop very quickly:

Late blight of seedlings
Gray or black rot

White leaf spot
Fusarium wilt

Aspermia of seedlings
Seedling pillar

Therefore, it is reasonable to get rid of the affected specimens as quickly as possible (and along with the containers, if they were disposable). Be sure to disinfect everything else - equipment, drainage, pallets, boxes, etc.

Growing seedlings in appropriate conditions is a basic rule, which is also the most reliable disease prevention. It is necessary to monitor the seedlings very carefully and take timely measures. If the leaves have closed and the light has deteriorated, move apart or rearrange the boxes; if it is blowing from the window, eliminate this cause; if too warm, provide ventilation; do not allow waterlogging; maintain the subsoil temperature by using only warm water for irrigation, etc.

Prevention and treatment of seedling diseases

Prevention of seedling diseases begins long before the seedlings are formed. You make your contribution to this matter when you disinfect the soil and seeds, carry out their pre-sowing preparation, feed the seedlings and introduce bioadditives into the soil mixture. Special measures are required if there is a difficult lighting situation (for example, there is not enough additional lighting, but there is not enough natural light due to cloudy weather) or there is not enough space, as a result of which the plants shade each other. In these cases, spraying with epin or a 0.002% humate solution will help. Refrain from picking seedlings and transshipment of seedlings if the sunless period is prolonged.

If, nevertheless, the signs of sluggish infections described above are present, begin treatment of the seedlings.

Day 1: water the seedlings in the morning with a 0.1% solution of copper sulfate (1 g per 1 liter of water).
3rd day: pour the seedlings over the leaves and surface of the soil with a decoction of horsetail (10 g of dried plant material, pour 200 ml of water, boil for 20 minutes, and then drain the liquid; repeat this 2 more times, then combine all 3 decoctions and increase the volume boiled water up to 1 liter) with a 0.2% solution of calcium nitrate (2 g per 1 liter of horsetail decoction).
Day 5: water the soil and leaves in the morning with a 0.002% solution of humate (dissolve 1 g in 100 ml of water, and then add 2 ml of the mixture in 1 liter of water to obtain the desired concentration) in combination with a 0.001% solution of potassium iodide (dissolve 1 g of potassium iodide in 100 ml of water, and then pour 1 ml of the resulting product into the previous solution).

For all 5 days, after 16-17 hours, spray the seedlings with an epin solution (30 drops per 3 liters of water). From the 7th day, repeat the cycle.

Provide the seedlings with comfortable conditions during treatment: use only warm solutions, provide additional lighting, maintain the temperature at 20-23° C, etc. When you notice that the leaves have begun to grow when the seedlings are sick, this means that recovery has begun. If the treatment has not produced such a noticeable effect, perform another cycle, replacing the 0.1% solution of copper sulfate with 0.2% (2 g per 1 liter of water).

Often, seedlings are affected by non-infectious diseases, which are based on metabolic disorders, or rather a lack of balance in mineral nutrition. For this reason, this group of diseases is often called nutritional deficiency, and a deficiency of one element is often explained by an excess of another. Therefore, this name can be considered to some extent conditional.

What is causing the shortage? First of all, this is a violation of the technology of growing plants, in particular, an insufficient volume of soil, its increased acidity, fertilizing with fertilizer with an unbalanced composition, etc. Features of the manifestation and ways to eliminate the deficiency of certain elements are presented in the table.

Table “Manifestations and methods of eliminating the deficiency of individual microelements in seedling nutrition”

Microelement	Causes of deficiency	Manifestations of microelement deficiency	Ways to eliminate deficiency
Calcium	Insufficient soil volume, low microelement content per pound, its absence in fertilizing	Dome-shaped tuberculate leaves, fragility of stems and leaf petioles	1. Watering with a 0.3% solution of calcium nitrate (7-9 g per 3 liters of water) 1-2 times every 7 days. 2. Spreading dry fanula over the soil surface (1 g per 5 plants) followed by watering
Potassium	Tomatoes have increased potency in this microelement. It can occur when adding calcium to a pound	Wrinkling of young leaves	Watering with a 0.1% solution of potassium nitrate (1 g per 1 liter of water) once every 7 days
Iron	In tomatoes, iron deficiency can be caused by excessive use of potassium permanganate	Yellowing of young leaves; with green veins, the tissue between them on the leaves turns yellow or white	Spraying with a 0.1% solution of iron chelate (1 g per 1 liter of water)
Copper	Sowing in peat-based soil	Decline in turgor	Spraying with a 0.025% solution of copper sulfate (1 g per 4 liters of water) 2 times with an interval of 1 week
Phosphorus	Prolonged decrease in ground temperature (up to 12° C or lower)	The stem and undersides of leaf blades turn purple	Increasing soil temperature, in case of unbalanced nutrition - watering with azophoska solution (5 g per 3 l)
Chlorine	Application of chlorine-free fertilizers	Withered leaves due to impaired water metabolism	When feeding, dissolve a pinch of table salt in the nutrient liquid.
Nitrogen	Lack of nitrogen in fertilizing with insufficient light	The leaves are pale green in color; with a constant lack of nitrogen, they become smaller, the stems become thin and stiff, and plant growth stops	Create the optimal light regime

Soil mold

You can often see mold on the surface of the soil. It is not dangerous for mature, strong seedlings. Seedlings and young seedlings are in a completely different position, especially if they are weakened by the lack of necessary conditions. Seedling mold is a fungus whose spores can be found anywhere, including in the air. Their growth is facilitated by the absence of ultraviolet radiation in the room, which is delayed by window glass. Spores begin to germinate while in the ground. Even the cleanest and most disinfected soil mixture can be affected by them. This process is also facilitated by waterlogging of the surface of the seedling soil (however, reducing watering does not eliminate mold).

In order not to fight mold, there is no need to create conditions for its formation: add alkalizing materials to the soil mixture (for example, lime). Fungi prefer acidic soils, and in soil with a neutral pH, other microorganisms easily suppress them.

We must admit that mold itself cannot kill seedlings. Acidic soil is more harmful to it, since plants in it are affected by root rot and various fungal diseases. What to do if mold on seedlings prevents plants from developing? If fluff appears on the soil surface, change the soil reaction from acidic to neutral. If you don’t know how to get rid of mold on seedlings, prepare a mixture of crushed charcoal and wood ash (taken in a 1:2 ratio) and treat the ground. Moreover, the treatment should be repeated after 3 weeks, and then there will be no trace of mold left.

Seedling disease - black leg, or root collar rot.

The scourge of seedlings is blackleg, or root collar rot. To the greatest extent, it affects seedlings located in unfavorable conditions: low temperature, waterlogging, poor lighting or dense crops. A symptom of blackleg seedling disease is dark spots and constriction of the root collar of plants. Prevention of blackleg is disinfection of soil and equipment. In addition, when picking, it is necessary to select seedlings and immediately discard weak and diseased specimens.

Preventative watering with fungicidal preparations also helps.

Aphids on seedlings

If seedlings are not properly cared for, the plant's immunity is reduced; they are easily affected not only by diseases, but also by insects, such as aphids.

The presence of this pest will be indicated by curling leaves and droplets of honeydew (insect secretions). The danger is that seedlings can be affected by viral diseases transmitted by aphids. To combat it, use insecticidal preparations and folk remedies. A very popular option is onion infusion. Chop the onion well, 1 tsp. pour 1 liter of water into the resulting slurry and leave for 5 hours, then strain.

Seedling pest: whitefly

Whiteflies often attack seedlings. This can be caused by elevated room temperatures combined with low humidity. The appearance of whiteflies will be indicated by yellowish spots on the leaves, curled and wilted leaf blades.

This pest lays eggs on the underside of the leaf blade, and the hatching larvae and adults feed on plant sap, causing the affected parts to dry out.

The most effective measure to control seedling pests is to provide the necessary conditions for growing seedlings. If the pest is still found, treat the plants with an insecticidal preparation or use yellow sticky traps.

Very soon it will be time to sow tomato seeds for seedlings. All gardeners want to grow healthy seedlings in order to get a good harvest of everyone’s favorite tomatoes in the summer.

To do this, you need to work hard. It often happens that it is not possible to obtain high-quality seedlings for one reason or another. One of the most common reasons for such failure is diseases of tomato seedlings. How to avoid this misfortune? To do this, you need to know the enemy by sight. We will consider a description of diseases with photographs and methods of treating them at home in this article.

What are the diseases of tomato seedlings?

Having sowed tomato seeds, we eagerly wait for the first shoots to appear, however, with the first shoots, the risk of seedlings becoming infected with various ailments, which are caused by various reasons, increases. Let's look at the types of diseases of tomato seedlings and the causes of their occurrence.

Seedling diseases can be divided into:

fungal;
viral;
bacterial;
non-infectious.

The former are caused by various fungi that arise from improper care of seedlings (excessive watering, which results in stagnation of moisture, and temperature changes).

Viral diseases can be caused by diseased seeds, lack of soil nutrients, pests that spread the virus, or unfavorable growing conditions.

Bacterial infections also arise due to improper conditions for keeping seedlings indoors: high humidity and air temperature. In addition, the cause of such diseases can be contaminated soil and poor-quality seeds.

Non-infectious diseases are associated with a violation of the mineral nutrition of the soil in which the seedlings grow. Moreover, the disease can occur either due to a lack of minerals or due to their incorrect application.

To choose adequate treatment methods, it is necessary to accurately determine the nature of the disease and the causes that caused it.

Fungal diseases

Fungal diseases include such diseases as:

blackleg;
white leaf spot (septoria);
fusarium wilt;
rot - black, white, gray;
Alternaria blight;
powdery mildew.

Late blight

A fungal disease that develops due to high humidity, temperature changes and thickening. Also, the disease can be transmitted through diseased seeds, contaminated soil, raindrops or even air.

It manifests itself by the formation of dark spots on the leaves followed by their drying out. The stems of seedlings become striped, dry out or rot if the soil is oversaturated with moisture. If symptoms of the disease are detected, diseased plants are isolated or destroyed, and the rest are treated with Zaslon.

After two weeks, the treatment of the seedlings is repeated, only with the Barrier preparation. The plants are sprayed a third time after planting in open ground when inflorescences appear. To do this, use the following solution - 1 g of potassium permanganate, 1 glass of crushed garlic per bucket of water.

Before sowing, to avoid trouble, the seeds should be treated with potassium permanganate for 15 minutes, and before planting the seedlings in the soil, it is also recommended to add a solution of potassium permanganate to the holes at the rate of 1 g per liter of water. This solution is enough for two holes.

Blackleg

A fungus that enters plants through the soil. High humidity and high temperature can provoke the onset of the disease. If a disease occurs, the seedlings face inevitable death within 24 hours. Symptoms of blackleg appear on the stem, thinning it, which leads to the death of the sprout. Such plants are removed, and the place where they grew is covered with wood ash.

To avoid misfortune, before sowing seeds, sprinkle the soil with a mixture of copper sulfate (1 teaspoon) and ash (1 cup), and before planting in greenhouses, destroy all sick and weak plants.

White leaf spot

Occurs when a fungus from contaminated soil gets on the lower leaves of seedlings. From the lower leaves, the disease quickly spreads throughout the plant. First, the leaves become brown, then become covered with black dots, dry out and fall off.

If you notice the onset of a disease in time, you can save the seedlings by treating them with a solution of copper sulfate (1 glass per 10 liters of water). Dead plants are destroyed, the soil is treated with a dark solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with wood ash.

Fusarium wilt

Causes a soil fungus, which, penetrating into the roots of seedlings, contributes to its withering, due to the fact that plant tissues lose their elasticity. If you cut off a diseased sprout, then on the cut you can observe a violation of vascularity in the form of bundles covered with brown rings.

To avoid this problem, you need to provide optimal lighting for plants, and also maintain sterility when planting seedlings in open ground.

Rotten

They arise due to an excess of soil moisture at low temperatures. They are manifested by a change in the color of the leaves of the seedlings, the appearance of weeping spots with a coating of spores. As a result, the leaves wither and fall off.

At the first signs of disease, seedlings must be treated with a solution of copper oxychloride (40 g of the drug per 10 liters of water), and diseased leaves must be promptly removed. Before planting seedlings in the ground, it is worth treating it with a 2% solution of trichodermin a few days before planting.

Cladosporiosis (olive spot)

More often it occurs after planting seedlings in a greenhouse. The disease begins with the lower leaves, on which large yellow spots appear, and their lower part is covered with a velvety coating. These are fungal spores. Then the leaves curl into tubes and fall off.

The disease mainly manifests itself at the beginning of flowering of tomato plants. The higher the humidity and the higher the temperature, the more intense the spread of the disease. Before treating plants against cladosporiosis, remove all diseased and fallen leaves. As treatment agents, use 1% Bordeaux mixture, Barrier or Barrier preparations.

Alternaria or dry rot

A fungal disease that is manifested by the appearance of brown areas on the back of the leaves of seedlings. After some time, the leaves of the plants completely turn brown and fall off, and the disease spreads to the stems of the tomatoes. This disease can only be combated with the help of chemicals (fungicides) Acrobat, Ditan, Quadris. Treatment must be carried out immediately when the first signs of the disease are detected.

Powdery mildew

One of the most common fungal diseases caused by marsupial fungus. This disease mainly affects seedlings after planting in a greenhouse. Transmitted through contaminated soil. A white coating appears on the leaves, forming chlorosis of their tissues, gradually turning into necrosis.

The disease causes irreparable damage to the yield, therefore, before planting seedlings in the soil, the latter is disinfected with a strong solution of manganese, and the seeds are soaked in the preparation Epin before sowing.

When the first signs of the disease appear, the plants are sprayed with Quadris, Strobi or Topaz. Preventive treatment can be carried out with the same substances twice per season.

Viral diseases

The most common of them:

mosaic;

Mosaic pathogen

The rod-shaped virus infects plants, most often when planting seedlings in open ground. The disease manifests itself in different shades of leaves. Dark green leaves are mixed with lighter ones, forming a mosaic. Then they curl and fall off.

Infection occurs through diseased seeds. To avoid disease, you should use planting material that is a year old. Diseased plants must be destroyed, and the remaining seedlings are sprayed with either a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a 5% urea solution.

Aspermia or seedlessness

It manifests itself as smaller leaves, which occurs due to retarded growth and development of plants. Affected seedlings bear fruit worse, producing small fruits. They are usually deformed in shape, and the main feature of such fruits is the absence of seeds.

Diseased plants are destroyed. To avoid the disease, it is worth carrying out preventive treatment of seeds, and also using only high-quality seed material purchased from reliable manufacturers.

Streak

Causes tobacco mosaic virus. First, brown streaks appear on the leaves, in place of which ulcers then form. As a result of this, the entire plant becomes fragile, and its upper part falls off.

This disease directly affects the yield, reducing it, and the quality of the fruit deteriorates. Diseased seedlings must be destroyed, and in order to avoid disease, it is recommended to carry out more careful pre-sowing preparation of the seed.

Bacterial diseases

Bacterial diseases are caused by various bacteria. Such diseases include:

brown leaf spot;
black bacterial spot;
bacterial mottling;
bacterial wilt;
bacterial cancer.

Brown leaf spot

It is provoked by waterlogging of air and soil. The outer side of the leaves of the plants is covered with gray-yellow spots, which merge over time, and on the reverse side an olive-colored coating appears, which gradually turns red.

Such leaves quickly dry out and die. Diseased seedlings must be destroyed and the soil treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. It is advisable to spray the seedlings with copper-containing preparations.

Black bacterial spot

Appears due to the use of low-quality seed material. Also, the virus often enters plants through the soil, or high humidity can trigger the disease.

Symptoms are small, round or oval-shaped, black spots on the leaves and stems, spreading throughout the entire plant in a short time, as a result of which it dies. Diseased sprouts must be destroyed. Treatment - treatment of seedlings with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Bacterial mottling

Occurs due to the penetration of phytopathogenic bacteria into seedlings. The leaves are covered with oily translucent spots that spread from the edge of the leaf to its middle. Gradually, the spots merge, and the leaves curl and fall off.

When the first signs of the disease appear, the seedlings are sprayed with copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate 1 cup per 10 liters of water) or Fitolavin-300.

Stolbur

A bacterial disease caused by microplasma bodies carried by certain types of insects. This disease is the most common of all bacterial diseases.

Symptoms are purple or pinkish spots on the leaves and stems of seedlings, followed by their coarsening. Treatment and prevention consist of treating plants twice with Confidor, Aktara or Mospilan. The seedlings are sprayed for the first time on the 25th day after planting the seeds, and the second time - before planting in a permanent place of growth.

Bacterial wilt

A dangerous bacterial disease, as a result of which seedlings begin to wither for no apparent reason. In severe forms of the disease, longitudinal brown stripes can be observed on plant stems.

Aerial roots often form. The leaves turn yellow, the growth of seedlings is inhibited, and the subsequently formed fruits become smaller and fall off. Sick plants must be destroyed, and healthy ones must be treated with a 1% solution of Fitoflavin-300.

Bacterial cancer

Tomato stem affected by bacterial canker

The most terrible of all types of diseases. It destroys the blood vessels of tomato plants. Symptoms are cankers that spread throughout the plant, causing it to die. Such sprouts must be urgently destroyed, and the soil where they grew must be replaced with new one. To avoid this scourge, seeds are treated with formaldehyde before planting (1 part 40% solution to 300 parts water).

Non-communicable diseases

These ailments arise due to a deficiency of one or another component in the soil. Such diseases include:

Nitrogen deficiency, which is manifested by blanching of the leaves of the seedlings. If symptoms occur, it is necessary to add nitrogen-containing substances to the soil (urea solution - 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
Insufficient phosphorus characterized by dead areas on the leaves. Their color gradually changes from green to purple, and brown spots on the bottom of the leaf become visible. The problem can be eliminated by adding double superphosphate or ammonium sulfate to the soil (2 teaspoons per liter of water). A solution of double superphosphate is prepared as follows: 20 tbsp. spoons are dissolved in 3 liters of water. Then, 150 g of the resulting solution is added to 10 liters of water and mixed;
Copper deficiency manifested by curling of leaves and bending of petioles to the bottom. The leaves become whitish-gray, but the veins remain green. Eliminated by adding a solution of 3% solution of copper sulfate or copper sulfate;
Iron deficiency spreads from the stems to the leaves, affecting their bases. The leaves become discolored and necrotic spots appear on them. When 0.25% iron sulfate is added, the plants return to normal;
With a lack of potassium The edges of the leaves become as if burned. If the problem is not corrected in time, the spots will begin to increase, affecting the entire plant. Young leaves become wrinkled, and older ones acquire an ash-gray tint. Treatment - adding plant or wood ash to the soil;
For calcium deficiency Necrosis of the lower part of the leaves appears. Such plants are prone to disease and wilting. The upper leaves remain green, but the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. The disease is treated by adding calcium nitrate (25 g of the drug per 10 liters of water);
Lack of sulfur characterized by a dim pale pink hue on the underside of the leaves closer to the petiole. If the disease is advanced, necrotic plaques appear on the leaves, and brown stripes form along the petiole. The leaves of such plants stretch upward, become fragile and brittle. Sulfur starvation of the soil is treated by adding magnesium sulfate (30 g per 10 liters of water).

The article provides a list of the most common diseases of tomato seedlings and methods for eliminating them. Many gardeners are content with traditional methods of treating plants, considering them safer, however, such methods are not always effective, and not all ailments can be cured with them. Often it is necessary to resort to chemicals, since, in some cases, only they can save gardeners from the impending threat of crop loss.

If you approach growing seedlings with great responsibility, strictly following all the rules, you can easily avoid troubles such as diseases.

The life of any plant begins with seedlings, which are transferred to the ground after it has grown stronger. And already at this stage it is worth taking care of the health of petunia, since seedlings can also be susceptible to diseases and pests. Moreover, most diseases and problems are caused by improper care and gardener mistakes.. Let's take a closer look at the most common errors.

It’s worth starting with poor or late shoots. How to determine this? Typically, the package with seeds indicates the approximate time when seedlings appear. The average period is about five days. But many gardeners who planted petunias do not wait for them to appear even after a week. The problem can be either in the seeds and their improper storage, or in non-compliance with the rules of planting and growing seeds, for example, planting too deep, as a result of which petunia cannot germinate, so it is better to plant it superficially.

It also often happens that the seedlings do not shed the shell, that is, the greenish sprout has already risen, but cannot free itself from the seed skin. This problem can be caused by too dry air - it is very difficult for a young and recently hatched plant to shed the dried hard shell. If you encounter such a problem, humidify the air in the apartment or simply sprinkle the seedlings with water. If the problem remains for several days after moistening, then, most likely, the plants will not be able to be saved - the immunity of such petunias will be very low.

Petunia seedling disease

Another problem with young plants is the thinned stem, which can break when the wind blows. This indicates the presence of a fungal disease such as blackleg. Many fungal diseases live in the soil along with the flower, but if you frequently ventilate the plantings, avoid waterlogging and do not overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers, the fungus will not manifest itself in any way. And if you do not provide the plant with proper care, the fungus will definitely awaken, and at the same time it will not be possible to save the seedlings from the black leg.

If you notice plants with thinned stems, remove them immediately and treat the soil with potassium permanganate to kill fungal spores.

Also, the seedlings may turn yellow, which may indicate the presence of chlorosis, that is, a lack of iron. This usually happens due to too much watering or “poor” soil devoid of vitamins and microelements. If you notice yellow leaves, feed your petunia with iron chelate, which can be purchased at a store that sells seedlings, seeds and gardening tools.

It happens that the seedlings begin to stretch upward strongly, while there are almost no leaves on the seedlings. This usually occurs as a result of a lack of light or due to increased temperature in the room. If this happens, there is no need to despair. Try trimming the tops of the seedlings, deepening the planting to the cotyledons. But remember that it is necessary to lower the temperature in the room and provide the plants with additional lighting. In general, you can fight viral and fungal diseases (black leg, gray and white rot) of young seedlings and adult plants according to one scheme: first, remove all damaged plants, and treat the soil with potassium permanganate.

Now let's look at which pests can attack your petunias, and what methods of control are best used against them. The most famous pest is aphids, the main symptoms of which include deformation of leaves and shoots, and wilting of plants. Aphids can be detected by the appearance of shiny dew on the green part of the petunias. If you notice this pest, be sure to treat your petunias with any of the following medications:

Aktara;
Ram;
Kemifos;
Arrivo.

Another dangerous pest is the whitefly, the appearance of which leads to wilting and yellowing of the leaves. Whiteflies, which look more like white moths, usually live on the undersides of leaves. One of the control options is trapping using glue traps. But if there are too many whiteflies, petunias should be treated with drugs such as Taran and Aktara.

Pest of adult flowers whitefly

Thrips can also be dangerous, the appearance of which is very easy to determine: silvery streaks and a scattering of dark excrement form on the upper side of the leaves. Moreover, the insects themselves are so small (up to 0.5 mm) that it is impossible to see them. Preparations that can be used to treat petunias affected by whiteflies and aphids will also help in the fight against this pest.

Spider mites can also cause damage. The main symptoms of their appearance are lightened leaves, which over time will begin to become covered with dark spots. If you do not start fighting, a thin web will appear on the petunias, and then the plant will die. To combat this pest, you should use powerful means - Demitan or Apollo, preparing the solution strictly according to the instructions.

Why did we decide to talk about powdery mildew separately? This disease is considered one of the most dangerous, but if you know all the rules and remedies, you can cure yours. Before learning how to combat powdery mildew, you need to know what it looks like and why it appears.

This fungus covers the leaves and other parts of the plant with a white coating that is somewhat similar to simple powdered sugar. If you do not start fighting, the old leaves on the petunias will begin to fall off, and new ones will grow crooked and already diseased. Without treatment, your favorite flowers will simply die, so as soon as you see plaque, immediately begin treatment.

The weather outside is too humid (for plants grown indoors, weather conditions are not important).
You have used too much nitrogen fertilizer.
The correct watering regime was not followed. For example, petunia was watered when the soil was not yet dry or, conversely, the plant was not watered at all for a long time.

Powdery mildew on petunia

And, of course, powdery mildew can creep from diseased plants to healthy ones, so try not to plant flowers too close to each other, which will also ensure normal ventilation. To get rid of powdery mildew, you need to use an integrated approach to treatment. First of all, remember about proper care:

Water petunia only when the soil in the pot or flowerbed has dried out.
Try not to spray weak plants.
The infected flower must be placed in the sun until it is completely cured.
If you are sick, stop using nitrogen fertilizers.

Next, you should cut off all the affected areas of the petunia, not forgetting about the flower stalks - the more affected areas you remove, the faster the flower will recover. Due to the fact that mushroom spores are located in the top layer of soil, it needs to be removed. Do not forget to treat petunias with fungicides, also wash the pots and disinfect them with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The methods listed above are very effective, but they can only stop the development of powdery mildew. To completely cure petunia, it is worth resorting to folk and chemical methods of control. Let's first study the most popular recipes for folk remedies against powdery mildew:

Mix 20 g of soda ash with a few drops of liquid soap, dissolve the mixture in 5 liters of water. Stir the liquid well and spray the flowers.
Garlic will also help you: grate 30 g of garlic, fill it with 5 liters of water. The resulting mixture must be infused for 24 hours, after which it is filtered through gauze - and that’s it, it’s ready for use.
Mustard powder saves you from powdery mildew - mix 2 tablespoons of the product in 10 liters of warm water, mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps, and water the plants after the liquid has cooled.

But if traditional methods do not help you, try using effective fungicides. So, the most effective remedies against this fungal disease are such remedies as Forecast, Vitaros and Previkur.