Powdery mildew runs rampant in summer: how can growers protect their plants with peace of mind?
Spring and summer are the seasons when flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables flourish most. To get a good harvest, growers must guard against the pests and diseases that run rampant in these seasons. In summer, powdery mildew is rampant; this disease lasts a long time, is hard to eradicate, and is highly contagious, seriously affecting plants' photosynthesis and normal metabolism, leading to reduced yields. Truly, if you let your guard down for even a moment, it will eat away at all your hard work. So today let's discuss together - the prevention and eradication of powdery mildew.
Causes and consequences
Powdery mildew is caused by fungi of the family Erysiphaceae and is a common plant disease in gardens. In summer, rainfall increases, temperatures rise, and the soil's moisture levels fluctuate frequently; these favorable environmental factors let powdery mildew seize its chance.
Powdery mildew is an exogenous fungal disease. The pathogen generally attaches to plant leaves, appearing as discolored patches. Its fungal strains rob the plant of water and nutrients, affecting normal growth, and in severe cases can stop the plant's growth entirely.
Plants susceptible to attack
Fruits and vegetables such as strawberry, eggplant, tomato, zucchini, chili pepper, pumpkin, bitter melon and cucumber.
Seedlings of woody flowering plants such as Chinese rose, rose and climbing rose; herbaceous flowers such as chrysanthemum, garden balsam, cineraria and phlox.
Prevention and treatment
1
Generally, plant seedlings and seeds are very fragile, so before sowing, the planting soil must be sterilized and disinfected. When planting, the plant density should not be too high; keep the growing environment well ventilated, and during the plant's growth period, prune old leaves to ensure light exposure.
02
Using efficient microbial inoculants specially made for farmland can improve soil fertility, boost plant stress resistance, reduce fertilizer pollution, degrade harmful substances and increase plants' disease resistance.
03
If infected plants are found, remove them promptly and burn them to prevent further spread of the infection (be careful of fire).
04
Summer weather is hot and stuffy, so you can cool things down physically and water appropriately.
05
A humid environment is one of the causes of powdery mildew. After consecutive rainy days, pay attention to drainage and ventilation, and check on the plants.
To sum up the key points: ventilation! sunlight! drainage! - moisture prevention