Strawberry Pests. Part 2

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Photo: firina / Rusmediabank.ru

We continue our conversation about strawberry pests.

Getting started - part 1.

A very dangerous and common pest is the so-called strawberry nematode. This parasite is a round worm, the length of which can even reach one millimeter. The body of such a beetle is very elongated, similar to a cylindrical one. The nematode will live in the buds and axils of the leaves. Sick plants take on extremely ugly forms, the strawberry bush itself will be very small, almost dwarf. Sick bushes do not yield, and if fruits are formed, they will be very ugly. As for the methods of control, then, first of all, it should be remembered that this parasite persists in the soil for several years. For this reason, preventive measures should be strictly observed, which include adherence to crop rotation, and only completely healthy seedlings can be planted. Weeds must be removed in a timely manner. All diseased plants and those who have had contact with them should be immediately destroyed. After that, it is recommended to process the soil with a 5% solution of ferrous sulfate. Water thermotherapy can be another very effective treatment. This method is also suitable for ridding the plant of ticks.

Strawberry mites attack strawberries quite often. This transparent mite is small in size, less than one millimeter. Therefore, it is impossible to notice such a pest with the naked eye. The young tick is colored in whitish-transparent tones; over time, the tick will turn yellowish or even slightly brown. Such a parasite will feed on plant sap, the leaves will wrinkle and turn into oily yellow tones. Massive attack on strawberries will result in stunted growth. This pest manifests itself especially strongly closer to the second half of summer. Damp warm weather is favorable for the normal functioning of this mite. If you grow strawberries in a greenhouse, then the risk of the appearance of such a pest increases many times.

With regard to control methods, first of all, you should select exceptionally healthy plants for seedlings. It will also help in the prevention and compliance with crop rotation standards. In the event that the pest has already attacked the plant and this happened at the very beginning of the growth of the leaves, then it will be necessary to treat with 0.2 percent solution of keltana or 0.3 percent solution of karbofos. Also, due attention should be paid to the removal of weeds, and after harvesting and removing plant residues, it is recommended to repeat the treatment with these solutions.

Another very important pest is the root nematode. Such a parasite has a destructive effect on the roots of strawberries. It should be noted that there are several varieties of such a pest, some of them have a more destructive effect, and some less. However, all types of such root nematodes are dangerous. Outwardly, the pest manifests itself as follows: ulcers begin to form on the roots. Over time, the roots will turn brown and then blacken, and the tissues themselves will be destroyed. Fungi will invade the roots, they are also carriers of such pests. Actually, as a result of such a destructive effect, the plant eventually dies.

It is also very important that nematodes can persist in the soil even up to several years. For this reason, prevention will become the main methods of control, because it is very important to prevent the appearance of such a pest in your strawberry beds. You should use only healthy seedlings, you also need to strictly observe all the norms of crop rotation. Removing weeds regularly is another effective preventative measure. In addition, the use of such a biological product as nematophagin seems to be quite advantageous. In order to disinfect the soil, even before planting seedlings in open ground, the preparation baseamid-granulate should be used.