How to prevent premature aging in summer solanaceous and fruit vegetables

To prevent premature aging in over-summering solanaceous and fruit vegetables, the following points should be followed:

????1. Prune and remove side shoots in time

In summer, because temperatures are high, vegetables grow excessively easily, causing an imbalance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth, and ultimately causing the plants to decline after bearing three or four rounds of fruit. To control plant growth and reduce nutrient consumption, the most direct method is to prune and remove side shoots in time, and promptly remove the old leaves, dead leaves and diseased leaves on the lower part of the plants. This not only reduces nutrient consumption, but also effectively controls the spread and expansion of diseases, helps ventilation and light penetration, and promotes vigorous plant growth.

?2. Keep fewer fruits and keep high-quality fruits

For vegetables in the later stage of growth, when keeping fruits, be sure not to be greedy for quantity; keep appropriately fewer fruits. According to the characteristics of the variety, it is suitable to keep 2-3 fruits per truss, and remove the rest.

????3. Water and fertilize reasonably

Providing sufficient nutrients for plant growth and development is a key measure to prevent plant aging. The best time for topdressing is after each round of fruit harvest. In summer, decomposed chicken manure can be applied with irrigation, mixed with an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer. A high-potassium compound fertilizer can also be applied with irrigation, with 15 kg per mu each time being suitable. Watering should be done before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m., and watering at noon must be avoided. In addition, note that the amount of water should not be too large, and flooding irrigation should be avoided, so as not to damage the root system and cause premature aging and decline of the plants.

????4. Harvest early

For fruit vegetables, early harvesting of fruits is encouraged. The suitable harvest time for tomatoes is when the top of the fruit has just begun to change color and turn red; for peppers, before the green fruit turns red; for eggplant, before the seeds inside the fruit turn brown and when the appearance is glossy and shows the color of the variety; for cucumbers, they can be harvested as soon as seed traces appear. This can reduce nutrient consumption and prevent premature aging of the plants.

?5. Prevent diseases and control pests

Diseases commonly occurring on summer solanaceous and fruit vegetables mainly include tomato early blight, late blight, leaf mold, and Phytophthora blight, viral diseases, and bacterial leaf spot of pepper vegetables, and attention should be paid to early prevention and early treatment. At the initial stage of disease, tomato early blight can be controlled by spraying with 75% chlorothalonil 600 times solution; tomato late blight and Phytophthora blight of pepper vegetables can be controlled by spraying with 72.2% Previcur 600 times solution or 60% Anchormancozeb wettable powder 600 times solution; for control of tomato leaf mold and bacterial leaf spot of pepper vegetables, 47% Kasugamycin-copper can be sprayed; viral diseases can be controlled by spraying with Virus A 500 times solution. Pests are mainly controlled by targeting aphids, spider mites, thrips and whiteflies. The main measure should be to install insect-proof nets at the ventilation openings of greenhouses. For pests that have entered the greenhouse, 3% acetamiprid 1500 times solution mixed with 25% buprofezin solution can be sprayed for control, and when spider mites are present, add 1.8% abamectin 2000 times solution and spray for control.

Chen Shuqiao, Xinji City Plant Protection Station