2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Vitreousness is a disease of apple trees, most often affecting large fruits well-lit by the sun. It is usually associated with metabolic disorders in fruit trees - water is supplied to ripening apples in excess quantities. However, the disease can also manifest itself if the fruits are stored in too high humidity. Apples affected by glassiness become "liquid", they are stronger and heavier than healthy fruits, and their taste is much worse
A few words about the disease
When damaged by vitreousness, rather large brownish or greenish translucent specks gradually begin to form on the fruits of apple trees. Vitreousness is manifested mainly before the ripening of apples.
On the fruit slices, the resulting specks look glassy and watery, and the damaged pulp acquires a brown tint after some time.
The entire intercellular space of the fruit is filled with juice when damaged by vitreousness. Most of the glassy apples can be seen in the upper parts of the tree crowns, as well as on the southwest side of the trees.
It is noteworthy that opinions differ regarding the causes of vitreousness. Some scientists believe that vitreousness occurs when, when early small autumn frosts are established, the fruits freeze directly on the trees. Others believe that vitreousness affects fruits (especially overripe ones) mainly in warm autumn. In fact, every opinion is correct, just the first point of view is applicable to late varieties of apples, the fruits of which have not yet fully ripened, and the second to early varieties. It is also generally accepted that the vitreousness of the fruit is the result of a lack of calcium.
Among the varieties of apples most prone to damage by glassiness are such as Bismarck, Renet Zukalmagli, Papirovka, Pruhonitskoe summer, Astrakhan red, Astrakhan white and Antonovka. In general, it is generally accepted that it is sweet varieties that are most susceptible to glassiness.
How to fight
The best preventive measure will undoubtedly be compliance with agrotechnical standards, along with the basic rules for caring for apple trees. Excessive watering should be avoided and tree crowns should be well ventilated.
When the first signs of vitreousness appear, the apples must be removed from the trees. All cuts on fruit trees must be treated with garden pitch.
With regard to chemical treatments, we can say that their nature should be proactive in the first place. Good results are obtained with treatments such as "Champion", "Blue-Bordeaux", "Cuproxat", copper oxychloride, as well as the well-known Bordeaux liquid.
They help well in reducing the scale of this ailment by spraying apple trees with solutions of calcium salts. Providing the fetus with calcium in this situation is extremely important. It is only advisable to carry out such spraying with a relatively small area of the garden and when warm weather is established.
In the fall, when digging the soil, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers: for each square meter, 3-4 kg of compost or manure will be required. Poultry droppings can also be added: dry - in the amount of 0, 2 - 0, 3 kg, and raw will need about 0, 4 - 0, 5 kg. No less useful will be the introduction of mineral fertilizers - potassium sulfate (from 18 to 27 g) and double superphosphate (from 13 to 18 g). And acidic soils in the first half of summer are well fed with calcium nitrate.
In plantations with vitreous-damaged apples, the harvest is harvested a little earlier, and then all the apples are kept at a temperature of 15 - 20 degrees until they are fully ripe.
As for storing apples, the most optimal temperature for this will be 2 - 4 degrees. In this case, apples with signs of vitreousness should be stored separately from healthy fruits. Such apples are poorly stored, so you need to use them first.
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