Cercosporosis Of Beet

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

Cercosporosis especially often affects beet leaves that have finished growing. In this regard, its first signs in the southern regions of the country can be found in the first half of June, and in the central regions in mid-July. Both seed and mother plants are affected by cercospora with the same force. The harmfulness of this disease lies in the fact that it forces growing crops to form new leaves, spending a huge amount of various nutrients and energy on the process of their formation. At the same time, the size of root crops decreases noticeably, and accordingly, the volume of the harvest also decreases

A few words about the disease

On the stalks affected by cercospora with leaves, reddish-brown rounded specks appear, the diameter of which is from 2 to 4 mm. And the center of such spots is painted in ashy tones.

When wet weather is established, areas of abundant fungal sporulation, covered with a grayish bloom, begin to form on the specks formed. And when the weather is dry again, these tissues will gradually begin to fall out, and the leaves will become perforated. The remaining specks merge after some time, covering the entire surface of the leaves, and the leaf blades curl and gradually die off. Often, the testes are also affected by cercosporosis, infecting the seeds.

Infected beetroot vegetables are usually quite small, store much worse and often rot during storage.

By the way, the harmful fungus-causative agent of cercosporosis, in addition to beets (both sugar and table, and fodder), can also infect potatoes with soybeans, peas with sorrel, alfalfa and a number of wild weed crops (quinoa, sow thistle, dandelion, bindweed, etc.)). And the source of infection is the mycelium, which overwinters in the mother beets, as well as in the petioles and dead leaves.

The spread of beet cercosporosis occurs mainly in regions with a humid and warm climate. The most favorable conditions for its development are a temperature of more than fifteen degrees and an average daily air humidity within 70%.

Especially strongly cercosporosis attacks crops in which crop rotation is not observed, as well as excessively thickened crops.

How to fight

The main means of dealing with this destructive ailment is the observance of basic agrotechnical rules. The remains of plants should be eliminated even in the fall, embedding them in the soil to a depth of twenty-five to thirty centimeters. An extremely important measure when growing beets is also following the rules of crop rotation. The best precursors for beets are potatoes, winter wheat, onions, cucumbers, etc.

Proper seedbed preparation is also essential. A couple of years before the start of growing beets, it is recommended to apply high-quality mineral and various organic fertilizers to the soil under its predecessors. Manure is also applied mainly for predecessors.

Sowing beets must be carried out at the optimal time, and during its growth, inter-row treatments are carried out until the rows close. Weeds need to be eliminated both from the beds and from the areas adjacent to them. Will not harm during the growth of beets and feeding with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Usually, the main part of mineral fertilizers is applied in the fall (most often it is "Kemira Universal" or nitroammofosk), and the rates of their application are selected taking into account the data obtained as a result of agrochemical analysis of the soil.

But the use of fungicides in order to get rid of cercosporosis should be abandoned, since the chemicals contained in them can begin to accumulate in root crops, making them unsuitable for human and livestock consumption. Only in especially difficult cases is it occasionally allowed to sprinkle beet crops with a one-percent Bordeaux mixture. In general, fungicides are used only in the fight against weeds - as a rule, these are the preparations "Dual Gold" or "Fuzilad Forte".