Causes of Cherry Tree Death and the Latest Control Measures
In recent years, cherries have become extremely popular on the market, with relatively good market returns, so their development has been extremely rapid, with both cultivation area and yield continuously increasing, but the phenomenon of cherry tree death has also become more and more serious, affecting the development of the cherry industry. So what are the causes of cherry tree death? What should be done about it? Let's take a look together.
1. Waterlogging causing tree death
This is mainly caused by root oxygen deprivation and suffocation after water accumulation, and it often occurs in orchards that are rainy, have poor drainage, and have heavy, poorly aerated soil. It manifests as weakened tree vigor and small, thin leaves, often with nutrient deficiency symptoms; most of the root system turns black and dies, the lenticels at the root crown become swollen and suffocated, and in severe cases the leaf edges turn scorched yellow, similar to herbicide damage.
Solution: The orchard should be established on loose loam soil, and during the course of symptoms attention should be paid to intertillage and loosening the soil to increase soil permeability; during the rainy season, attention should be paid to drainage and loosening the soil to avoid water accumulation and root rot.
2. Freeze damage causing tree death
Large cherries will suffer freeze damage when exposed to low temperatures for a relatively long time, manifesting as late sprouting and flowering, small leaves with iron deficiency symptoms, and frozen roots turning light brown; in severe cases the branches and trunk freeze to death or the branches and trunk become thickened and swollen and prone to gummosis.
Solution: In low-temperature seasons, attention should be paid to keeping warm; before overwintering, irrigate with freezing water to help the root system avoid freezing. For the trunk, methods such as binding and whitewashing can be used to resist low temperatures, and smoke can also be used in the orchard; where conditions permit, overwintering in a greenhouse is possible.
3. Fertilizer damage causing tree death
When farmyard manure is applied concentrated near the main root, or when the concentration of applied fertilizer is too high, the xylem of the main root may turn black and necrotic, and the small roots and fibrous roots may turn red-brown and die. In recent years, root rot and tree death in large cherry orchards due to the application of undecomposed farmyard manure or improper fertilization have frequently occurred.
Solution: When applying fertilizer, great care must be taken; first, fertilizer should not be placed in direct contact with the root system to avoid burning the roots; second, farmyard manure must be fully decomposed and fermented, as only then will fertilizer damage not occur.
4. Pests and diseases causing tree death
Pests and diseases are the most important cause of cherry tree death. There are many pests and diseases that cause cherry tree death, such as root diseases including root rot, crown gall, and southern blight; these diseases all cause dead branches and tree death. Trunk and branch diseases such as neck rot, wood rot, brown rot, rough bark disease, and gummosis will also lead to weakened trees and death.
Solution: The prevention and control of pests and diseases must not be taken lightly; control should begin from the cherry seedling stage, with different control methods adopted at each stage to nip pests and diseases in the bud.
The above is an introduction to the causes of cherry tree death and control measures. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.