Preventing root diseases starts with avoiding waterlogged roots from watering
Preventing root diseases should start with avoiding waterlogged roots from watering
(Agricultural Wealth Network) Only with deep roots can leaves flourish; without a good root system, it is hard to achieve high yields. In production practice, many vegetable growers are able to recognize the important role of roots. In recent years, root problems have become increasingly prominent, and plant death caused by root diseases has shown a worsening trend. However, when it comes to how to maintain roots and how to reduce the occurrence of root diseases, many vegetable growers are either unclear or only seek remedies after the disease appears, hitting here and there without grasping the key points of disease prevention.
What is the most important thing for maintaining roots? The author believes that the most important thing is watering. When it comes to watering, many vegetable growers think it is not worth mentioning; just water when it is dry, too simple, what is there to talk about. But it is precisely this simple matter that few vegetable growers can do well. Even veteran growers with decades of experience often find it difficult to grasp the right degree of watering. Many vegetable growers water improperly and cause waterlogged roots, which in mild cases leads to weaker plant growth and reduced yield, and in severe cases triggers serious root diseases, causing large-scale plant death and heavy losses.
Many vegetable growers have this feeling: after watering, root diseases occur especially severely. In fact, pathogenic bacteria in the soil have always existed and will not multiply greatly just because of watering, so why do diseases occur more after watering? To use a simple analogy, it is not frightening for a person to get influenza; what is frightening is complications. Similarly, it is not frightening for plants to develop waterlogged roots after watering; what is frightening is the root diseases caused by this. After watering, due to the lack of oxygen in the soil, the activity of the plant root system weakens. Especially when more water is applied and the soil is relatively clayey, causing waterlogged roots, root resistance is greatly weakened, and pathogenic bacteria in the soil take the opportunity to infect, causing disease. It can be said that without waterlogged roots caused by watering, there would be no large-scale outbreaks of root diseases.
To prevent root diseases, we must start with reasonable watering, and the key is to avoid waterlogged roots caused by watering. When watering, the amount of water should be controlled so that the water passes and the ground dries, avoiding standing water for more than half an hour, and ensuring sufficient oxygen supply in the soil to maintain what the root system needs.
New irrigation methods such as drip irrigation slowly infiltrate the soil in the form of water droplets, with a small amount of water per unit time, little damage to soil structure, and the ability to control the amount of water at will, so in theory waterlogged roots should not occur. However, in areas such as Qingzhou City, Shandong Province, where drip irrigation is used more, the author found that there are many problems in the use of drip irrigation. Drip irrigation generally does not cause standing water, but that does not mean waterlogged roots will not occur, nor does it mean the amount of water can be increased at will. In Heguan Town, Dongxia Town and other places in Qingzhou City, the author encountered drip irrigation that used 40 to 50 kWh of electricity to finish watering 1 mu of greenhouse, more water than is used for winter irrigation of wheat, resulting in severe waterlogged roots in round eggplant, cucumber and others in the greenhouse, weak growth, low yield and many dead plants.
In addition, increasing the application of organic fertilizer, improving the soil, and enhancing soil permeability are also very important. This can ensure that even if the amount of watering is large, waterlogged roots will not occur due to lack of oxygen in the soil.
What is the most important thing for maintaining roots? The author believes that the most important thing is watering. When it comes to watering, many vegetable growers think it is not worth mentioning; just water when it is dry, too simple, what is there to talk about. But it is precisely this simple matter that few vegetable growers can do well. Even veteran growers with decades of experience often find it difficult to grasp the right degree of watering. Many vegetable growers water improperly and cause waterlogged roots, which in mild cases leads to weaker plant growth and reduced yield, and in severe cases triggers serious root diseases, causing large-scale plant death and heavy losses.
Many vegetable growers have this feeling: after watering, root diseases occur especially severely. In fact, pathogenic bacteria in the soil have always existed and will not multiply greatly just because of watering, so why do diseases occur more after watering? To use a simple analogy, it is not frightening for a person to get influenza; what is frightening is complications. Similarly, it is not frightening for plants to develop waterlogged roots after watering; what is frightening is the root diseases caused by this. After watering, due to the lack of oxygen in the soil, the activity of the plant root system weakens. Especially when more water is applied and the soil is relatively clayey, causing waterlogged roots, root resistance is greatly weakened, and pathogenic bacteria in the soil take the opportunity to infect, causing disease. It can be said that without waterlogged roots caused by watering, there would be no large-scale outbreaks of root diseases.
To prevent root diseases, we must start with reasonable watering, and the key is to avoid waterlogged roots caused by watering. When watering, the amount of water should be controlled so that the water passes and the ground dries, avoiding standing water for more than half an hour, and ensuring sufficient oxygen supply in the soil to maintain what the root system needs.
New irrigation methods such as drip irrigation slowly infiltrate the soil in the form of water droplets, with a small amount of water per unit time, little damage to soil structure, and the ability to control the amount of water at will, so in theory waterlogged roots should not occur. However, in areas such as Qingzhou City, Shandong Province, where drip irrigation is used more, the author found that there are many problems in the use of drip irrigation. Drip irrigation generally does not cause standing water, but that does not mean waterlogged roots will not occur, nor does it mean the amount of water can be increased at will. In Heguan Town, Dongxia Town and other places in Qingzhou City, the author encountered drip irrigation that used 40 to 50 kWh of electricity to finish watering 1 mu of greenhouse, more water than is used for winter irrigation of wheat, resulting in severe waterlogged roots in round eggplant, cucumber and others in the greenhouse, weak growth, low yield and many dead plants.
In addition, increasing the application of organic fertilizer, improving the soil, and enhancing soil permeability are also very important. This can ensure that even if the amount of watering is large, waterlogged roots will not occur due to lack of oxygen in the soil.