What are the control methods for loquat scab?
Among the common loquat diseases, the most serious and widespread one is loquat scab. This disease mainly damages loquat fruit, causing the fruit to become deformed and scarred, affecting quality and making it unmarketable, which can directly reduce economic returns. Therefore, controlling loquat scab is very important, so next we will introduce the causes and control methods.
I. Disease symptoms
It mainly damages the fruit, and also damages leaves and stems. It occurs commonly. After onset, the fruit shows brown rust-like disease spots, and sometimes dark yellow fuzzy growth appears in clusters on the fruit surface. When leaves are affected, brown elongated fuzzy spots appear on the veins. When stems are affected, symptoms similar to those on fruit also appear, except the spots are elongated, mainly occurring on young stems, and disappearing as the stems age.
II. Causes of the disease
It is generally caused by infection with the loquat black spot fungus (Fusicladium eriobotryae), which is spread by rain and insects, and can oversummer and overwinter on diseased fruit stalks and leaves. Generally, the pathogen spreads and expands easily after rain. It can reproduce under warm conditions, reproducing for multiple generations and causing damage. It generally invades and causes damage directly from cells.
III. Control methods
1. Orchard cleaning
When the disease occurs, promptly prune off diseased fruit, diseased branches, and young stems to prevent the pathogen from spreading and expanding in the orchard. Collect fallen fruit, fallen leaves, and fallen branches together with the pruned parts and take them out of the orchard to burn. This operation can be carried out in all four seasons, but mainly after harvest.
2. Fertilization and water supply
Be sure to apply sufficient base fertilizer, and maintain adequate fertilizer and water supply throughout the entire growth period to ensure the tree remains strong and healthy, enhance the tree's resistance, and enable it to resist disease occurrence. Supply the needed nutrients in a targeted way at each stage.
3. Spraying
When there is no disease, spray Bordeaux mixture once a month, or chlorothalonil, to prevent disease onset. At the early stage of disease, 50% carbendazim can be used for control, with emphasis on improving symptoms. If disease occurs during fruit growth, use 70% mancozeb wettable powder at 500 times dilution, or 50% thiram wettable powder at 600 times dilution for spray protection and control, spraying once every half month, for two to three consecutive times.
The above is about the occurrence of loquat scab, its damaging symptoms, and correct control methods. I hope everyone can learn how to identify the damaging symptoms of this disease so that corresponding control methods can be used. At the same time, I hope everyone knows how to control this disease when they encounter it.