Know about 10 plant diseases and how to cure them
- Author: Saiqa Najeeb
- Last Updated On: July 25, 2023
When it comes to plant diseases, prevention is the name of the game. You can do your part to prevent disease through thoughtful garden and landscape planning and maintenance. But what do you do when disease does strike?
This guide will walk you through 16 common plant diseases and how to cure them. Discover how to spot early warning signs and implement effective strategies to eradicate plant diseases.
Ready to restore your garden’s productivity? Let the knowledge become your shield and prevention your secret weapon!
1
Anthracnose
This group of fungi can harm a variety of plants, including dogwoods, maples, ash trees, and sycamores, as well as vine crops like tomatoes and peppers. Keep an eye out for tiny, discolored leaf patches or dead twigs. Branch death from disease might lead to the eventual death of the entire plant.
It is easily transmitted by strolling through damp plants and sprinkling water on them. When possible, pick plant kinds that are resistant to the anthracnose fungus. If possible, prune the afflicted plant portions off and dispose of the remaining material in the trash rather than the compost. Fungicides with copper can be useful.
2
Apple scab
This fungus infects apple and crabapple trees, causing woody-brown scabs on the fruit and discolored leaf patches. The dots on the leaves first have an olive hue before turning brown. Plant cultivars that resist scab. To stop the fungus from infecting the trees again in the spring, rake up and remove any leaves that are infected. During the rainy spring and summer, apply fungicides using copper or sulfur.
3
Club root
This fungus thrives in acidic soils and primarily affects cole crops (such as cabbage, broccoli, and collards). Stunted growth, withering, inadequate development, and swelling lumps on the roots are some symptoms. Maintaining clean gardening tools and removing plant detritus are examples of excellent gardening hygiene. To avoid planting sensitive crops in diseased soil for at least seven years, raise the pH of the soil to 7.2. Some types of vegetables are resistant.
4
Damping off
This fungus, which primarily affects young plants and seedlings, rots off stems close to the soil line, causing the plant to keel over and die. Avoid overwatering and only plant seeds and seedlings in pasteurized planting soil to prevent damping off. Additionally, airflow aids in the fungus’ prevention. Isopropyl alcohol can be used to clean your tools and stop damping off from spreading.
5
Fusarium wilt
Many vegetable crops are destroyed by this fungus. Yellowing leaves and stunted development are the first signs, then wilting and plant death. The stems of melons get a yellow streak that turns brown over time. Pick Fusarium-resistant plants. There is no treatment for diseased plants. You should only sometimes have this disease if you improve the health of your soil such that it is rich in advantageous bacteria.
6
Galls
On leaves, stems, and branches, galls can be seen as bloated lumps. Oaks and other landscaping trees and shrubs are infested by gall wasps, aphids, and mites, which result in unwanted swellings on leaves and twigs. In other instances, fungus and bacteria are to blame.
The damage is typically only superficial and poses no danger to the plant’s life. Control depends on the problem’s root cause. Send a sample of the damage to a plant specialist at your neighborhood extension office, or get in touch with the Master Gardener program in your area.
7
Leaf spots and blights
On the leaves of sensitive vegetables, flowers, and decorative plants like tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers, a number of fungi first appear as circular patches. The spots get bigger till the leaves drop off and die. The fungus is easily transmitted in rainy conditions and in gardens where the foliage is wetted by overhead irrigation, particularly in the evening.
The greatest methods of prevention include clearing away all plant matter at the end of the gardening season, washing tools after each use, rotating your crops, choosing disease-resistant kinds, and avoiding contact with damp plants. Use fungicides with natural or biological ingredients first, and only as a last resort.
8
Mildew (downy and powdery)
A white, powdery coating on leaves is one of the signs of both of these fungus. They can infect a wide range of plants, including lilacs, strawberries, raspberries, vegetables, fruit trees, and roses. Each type of plant is vulnerable to a different species of mildew. For instance, mildew that harms lilacs won’t hurt roses. The fungi deform plants yet may not completely destroy them. Instead, they weaken their hosts, rendering them vulnerable to additional issues and unappealing.
In chilly, rainy conditions, downy mildew outbreaks occur. When the soil is dry and it is warm and humid outside, powdery mildew is more likely to appear. Read package and catalog descriptions attentively. A lot of vegetable and flower kinds are mildew-resistant. Avoid getting the leaves moist while clearing the garden of any diseased plant detritus. To treat infected plants, use potassium bicarbonate, ultrafine horticultural oil, or neem oil. Use botanical and biological controls first, with copper- and sulfur-based fungicides as a last resort.
9
Root rot
This general term refers to a number of fungal root infections that can kill or severely weaken sensitive plants. Under the correct circumstances, such as high soil moisture, insufficient soil aeration, and injury, nearly all plants are vulnerable. Without a host, the fungi can persist for many years in the soil. By creating healthy, well-drained soil, you can stop root rot. Numerous root-rot diseases can be prevented by microbial fungicides.
10
Rust
Rust is a disease that is brought on by many fungi, and depending on the type of plant it affects, its symptoms can differ greatly. The typical symptoms include white or yellow dots on the upper leaf surface and yellow to orange markings on the undersides of the leaves. Brambles, hollyhocks, roses, pines, pears, bluegrass and ryegrass lawns, wheat, barberry, and beans are among the susceptible plants.
The rust on roses, for example, cannot infect beans because each rust species only affects a certain plant species. White pine blister rust is one of many rusts that have difficult life cycles and necessitate the infection of two distinct plants, in this case, white pines and Ribes species like currant and gooseberry. Yellow, orange, reddish-brown, or black powdery patches or masses on leaves, needles, or other plant parts are signs of this disease.
The Bottom Line
The world of plant diseases is ever changing and it’s so important to get your hands on the right knowledge. You can protect and nurture your garden by familiarizing yourself with the early signs of the disease and taking swift action when needed.
So, don’t let your garden enemies win. Arm yourself with the right understanding and tools needed to keep your garden thriving. Happy gardening!
