What Causes Pointed Tips on Zucchini? A Detailed Guide to Prevention and Control
Pointed tips on zucchini are a common physiological disorder during the growth of zucchini. Once the plant is affected by this condition, it is very difficult to improve in later development. So what causes pointed tips on zucchini? How should it be prevented and controlled? Follow along with the editor to find out.
1. Too many fruits left on the plant
When the weather is clear and fine, zucchini grows relatively late, so many vegetable growers follow the method of leaving one fruit per leaf, hoping to control the plant through its fruits. As a result, too many fruits are left, causing fierce competition for nutrients, which leads to a large number of fruits becoming pointed-tip zucchini due to insufficient nutrition.
Prevention and control methods: When leaving fruits, it is recommended to keep an appropriate number of fruits according to the plant's growth vigor. For relatively strong plants, leaving 4-5 fruits per plant is sufficient. Never leave one fruit per leaf, as this will only cause insufficient nutrients due to too many fruits and result in pointed-tip zucchini.
⟦NL>2. Unreasonable fertilizer and water management
Many vegetable growers use too little fertilizer, resulting in insufficient nutrient supply for zucchini, so pointed-tip zucchini increase. Generally, applying 30 kg of high-potassium fertilizer per mu by flushing is sufficient. In addition, during the fruiting period of zucchini, do not water heavily, and do not let the soil alternate between dry and wet, so as to avoid root damage after watering, which affects the roots' absorption and utilization of fertilizer.
Prevention and control methods: Strengthen fertilizer and water management, and appropriately increase fertilizer application. Because zucchini is a high-yielding crop, it is still developing new fruits while the fruits are swelling. Therefore, in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer during cultivation, attention should also be paid to frequent flushing with fertilizer to supplement nutrients.
3. Unsuitable temperature and humidity
Zucchini does not like high temperatures. In particular, excessively high leaf temperature strengthens respiration, causing most nutrients to be consumed, which leads to insufficient nutrient supply to the fruits and the appearance of pointed tips and slow growth.
Prevention and control methods: During the fruiting period of zucchini, the day-night temperature difference should be large. During the day, it is best not to exceed 23 degrees, and at night the temperature should preferably be controlled at around 13 degrees. At the same time, also pay attention to removing old leaves from the lower part of the plant to strengthen ventilation, remove moisture, and avoid the occurrence of pesticide damage that affects photosynthetic efficiency and leads to the production of pointed-tip zucchini.
4. Excessive vegetative growth of the plant
Excessive vegetative growth of zucchini plants causes vegetative growth to become too vigorous, thereby inhibiting the plant's reproductive growth. The conversion of nutrients to young fruits is affected, thus causing pointed tips on zucchini.
Prevention and control methods: Carry out measures to control excessive plant growth. When the plant is growing too vigorously, spray growth-regulating agents such as paclobutrazol.
The above is an introduction to the causes of pointed tips on zucchini and the prevention and control methods. We hope it can help you. For more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.