Strawberry Pests. Part 5

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

Strawberry pests are numerous. We continue to talk about the most effective means to overcome them

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Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Slugs are common pests. Relative humidity of one hundred percent and a temperature of about fifteen to seventeen degrees is considered optimal for the development of this pest. Slugs will hibernate in the upper layers of the soil. Adults begin to lay eggs around June. The eggs will be laid under the soil in the most humid areas. Slugs eat up large parts of the berry, starting from the bottom side. Large holes appear on the leaves, which resemble uneven circles in shape. Such holes appear most often in the middle of the sheet. The period of activity of this pest is considered to be twilight, and during the daytime slugs hide. Their life expectancy ranges from one to four years.

The main methods of control will be the regular and timely removal of weeds, as well as the desire to prevent excess soil moisture. Reclamation of the site is also a fairly effective method. In addition, you can also perform soil dressing before planting with formaldehyde. You should also sprinkle quicklime in the aisles. Mulching the surface of the soil with a film can have a significant impact and almost completely prevent the appearance of slugs.

Stem nematode - such a pest attacks not only strawberries and is capable of causing very great harm to plants. The nematode settles even during transplanting. Transfer from one plant to another will occur through gardening tools and streams of water both during irrigation and during prolonged rains. The pest foresees winter in the leaves. During flowering of strawberries, the stem nematode is especially harmful. After fruiting, the number of nematodes decreases very significantly. Damaged plants will noticeably lag behind in growth, and their leaves will be shriveled and curly. On the upper side, the leaves can be covered with small pimples, which is especially common at the very base of the leaf blade. This pest, with its negative impact, will lead to a significant decrease in the yield, and the berries will not be particularly pleasant to taste. If the damage occurred on a massive scale, then the plant may die.

It is necessary to plant exceptionally healthy seedlings and strictly observe crop rotation measures. The use of such a drug as nematophagin will also become effective. In case of mass infection, spraying with Marshall should be done.

Thrips tobacco - this pest should be classified as polyphagous. Thrips tobacco is characterized by a very wide distribution area. The pest is capable of damaging a variety of different crops, both outdoors and indoors. The color of tobacco thrips can be from light yellow to brown. The wings of the pest are narrow and fringed, and the antennae are seven-membered. The larvae will be lighter in color. The tobacco thrips spends winter under plant debris or in the soil at a depth of less than ten centimeters. In spring, the pest feeds on weeds. The female is able to lay up to hundreds of eggs, while the embryonic period will not last longer than five days. The larvae will feed on the leaves, and after ten days they will go into the soil. A full-fledged pest will appear in a week. In just a season, tobacco thrips develops in three or even five generations.

With regard to control measures, then, first of all, it is necessary to monitor the crop rotation. Spraying with Shar Pei, Nurell D and Zolone preparations is suitable as chemical methods. You can spray both before the flowering of the plant, and after the entire crop has been harvested. However, the best solution would be to strictly follow all preventive measures that will help avoid the appearance of such a pest on your site.