Causes of Premature Senescence in Vegetables and Control Measures

Vegetables are an indispensable food in daily life, and premature senescence of vegetables is the most common problem in production, seriously affecting the quality and yield of vegetables. So how to delay plant senescence and increase vegetable yield has become a key point in vegetable cultivation. Below, let's take a look together with the editor at the causes of premature senescence in vegetables and the control measures.

I. Causes of Premature Senescence

1. Aging of seedlings

During the vegetable seedling-raising process, if the seedling age is too long, the seedlings will age. In addition, in order to inhibit excessive seedling growth, spraying plant growth regulators such as paclobutrazol, chlormequat, and mepiquat chloride during the seedling stage will also cause seedling aging. After such seedlings are transplanted, they will show slow recovery and poor main root growth, laying hidden dangers for premature senescence later on.

2. Root damage

Long-term use of chemical fertilizers causes soil compaction or salinization, or the use of undecomposed farmyard manure causes root burn. Improper fertilizer and water management in production management can also cause root damage or poor development. All of these will lead to nutritional deficiency in the plants and cause premature senescence.

3. Pests and diseases

Pests and diseases are also a key cause of premature senescence in vegetables. After entering winter, the environmental conditions of low temperature, high humidity, and insufficient light create favorable conditions for the occurrence of pests and diseases. Pests and diseases damage the plants, affect plant photosynthesis and nutrient absorption, and induce premature senescence.

II. Control Measures

1. Transplant at the appropriate age

Reasonably arrange the seedling-raising time, transplant at the appropriate age, strengthen fertilizer and water management during the seedling stage, reasonably use plant growth regulators, pay attention to concentration and frequency, avoid seedling aging, and cultivate strong seedlings.

2. Nurture the roots

Deeply plow the soil to create a good soil environment. Deep plowing should reach a tillage layer of 35-40 cm to increase soil permeability and fertilizer retention capacity and promote root development. Water and fertilize reasonably to promote root development. For base fertilizer, choose fully decomposed organic fertilizer. For later topdressing, choose high-potassium fertilizers and balanced fertilizers used alternately, and avoid long-term partial application of high-potassium fertilizers. After transplanting, control watering, strengthen intertillage, and use plastic film mulching after transplanting to increase ground temperature, promote downward root growth, and improve root absorption capacity.

3. Use pesticides reasonably to control pests and diseases

To control vegetable pests and diseases, adopt the principle of prevention first and spray pesticides early for prevention. Note that spraying should be scientific and reasonable, and avoid spraying too frequently or at too high a concentration, so as to avoid pesticide damage and accelerate premature senescence of vegetables.

III. Response Measures After Premature Senescence Occurs

1. Remove leaves and thin fruits

After vegetables suffer premature senescence, in addition to raising the room temperature, it is also necessary to thin flowers and fruits, appropriately retain fewer fruits, and promote vegetative growth. At the same time, harvest early in a timely manner, and promptly remove diseased and yellow leaves on the lower part to reduce nutrient consumption.

2. Nurture roots and protect leaves

In the middle and late stages of vegetable growth or when the growth vigor is weak, the most common practice is foliar fertilization. You can spray amino acid leaf fertilizer plus nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium leaf fertilizer, which can delay leaf senescence and promote the leaves to return to normal.

3. Prevent pests and diseases

After premature senescence occurs, disease resistance is poor. At this time, pesticides are needed to control pests and diseases. Broad-spectrum fungicides such as azoxystrobin, boscalid, and pyraclostrobin can be used to control diseases, and pesticides such as abamectin, imidacloprid, and bifenthrin can be used to control pests.

  The above is an introduction to the causes of premature senescence in vegetables and the control measures. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.