Diseases and pests of root vegetables
There is a disease caused by the fungus on celery, called leaf spot. Brown spots appear on the affected leaves and petioles of this plant. The leaves turn brown and dry. High humidity favors the development of this disease. In the following year, the fungus is carried over by plant debris and seeds. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, we need to dress the seeds, and spray the seedlings into the ground after planting 14 days with copper preparations.
Scab can also occur on celery, which attacks the roots, especially in cool and humid summers. Then, brown spots appear on the roots, on which the skin thickens, corky, it cracks irregularly and peels off. Infected roots are smaller and keep poorly. If this disease is observed, celery cultivation must be discontinued for a few years, because in our conditions it is difficult to disinfect the soil.
Viral diseases and root rot can occur on root vegetables. The only preventive measure is keeping the crops free of weeds and rotating the plants.
Beet seedlings gangrene. This disease is especially common on sour red beet, heavy soils, in dense sowing and high air humidity. The root necks of infected seedlings first become watery, then they turn black. Plants wilt and fall over. To prevent this disease, the formation of crusts on the soil should not be allowed and the seeds should be treated with Zaprawa T.. Use abundant organic fertilization.
Downy mildew of beet. Grayish raids of Peronospora schachtii form on the underside of the leaf, causing the leaves to twist, they grow poorly, and sometimes they also die. When these symptoms are noticed, beets should be sprayed with copper fungicides 7-10 days. After the beet is harvested, the bed should be dug deeply.
Beet rust. Brown spots are observed on infected plants. Heavily infected leaf blades die prematurely, which negatively affects the root yield. The disease is combated 2-, 3-chemical spraying: Cynkotoxem i Kaptanem, at two-week intervals from the onset of the disease.
Beetroot moth. Cercospora beticola mainly attacks older beet leaves, making them roundish, grayish spots in diameter 2-4 mm with a red border. Infected leaves turn yellow and die. This disease is prevented by seed treatment, and in favorable weather conditions (too much air humidity) beets are sprayed with copper preparations, co 7-10 days.
White rust of scorzonera. Pathogen-Albugo tragopogonis causes bright yellow spots on the leaves, which later produce spores in the form of white, powdered bloom. Infected leaves die prematurely, therefore they have to be picked and burned. When we have a larger plantation, we spray with copper fungicides.
Skorzonera powdery mildew. A white powdery coating forms on the leaves, composed of mycelium and spores of the pathogen – Erysiphe cichoracearum. Infected plants are sprayed with sulfur fungicides at the time of disease outbreak.
Root vegetables are also attacked by pests.
Vegetable shank. This pest attacks carrots and parsley. The adult insect is approx 3 Mm, it is greenish yellow, with red eyes. The larvae are strongly flattened, yellow. Infested leaves by adult insects, and the larvae, curl, causing the plants to stop growing and producing a smaller root. After noticing the first diseased leaves, they are sprayed with liquid Insectofos 50 or liquid sadophos.
Carrot perming aphid attacks carrots, sucking the juices in the spring, which causes bulges on the leaves and twisting of the shoots. In addition to this aphid, carrots may also suffer from willow-carrot aphid, causing similar damage. It is fought with the same means as the shin.
Carrot loafer. It is a small fly, often found on carrots. It lays eggs near the carrot roots. Hatching larvae bore the pavements in the carrot root, which is distorted, and it often rots. It turns yellow and fades easily. Combating gloss is all about removing it, when breaking carrots, weakened and wilted plants. From the second decade of May to the end of the growing season, plants are sprayed on time: in the third decade of May and again after 7 days with Basudin 25 EC 0,15% and in the second decade of July – 2 treatments, as previously.
From a large group of butterflies, belonging to the family of owl-shaped farmers, they most often attack: pan agriculture, agriculture tenon, ribbon agriculture, agriculture cereal, gwoździówka agriculture. They are quite large butterflies with a wingspan of 30 do 45 Mm, and even 55 Mm. Dark color of the body and wings, only in some species it is colorful. The caterpillars are naked, earthy or olive tinged. These pests most often winter in the caterpillar stage in the ground, and some species – as adults. Females lay their eggs on plants near the ground. The hatched caterpillars feed on the aerial parts of plants, then they go to the ground, feeding mainly at night. They gnaw at the plant's roots, often gnawing at the main root. In addition, they trim young plants, they pull them into the ground and eat them there. The caterpillars forage usually last from the beginning of July to the end of August.
These pests are controlled by deeply digging the beds in the fall, on putting on – at the time of noticing the first damage – for poisoned baits and for spraying baits, when young caterpillars appear, takimi drugs, like liquid Foschlor 25 and Insectophos liquid 50. The composition of the bait: 1 kg otrąb, 1 l of water, 5 dag cukru i 25 g Bactospeine WP 16000. This serving is sufficient for approx 200 m2 of space. The bait should have the consistency of a crumble. It should be spread on moist soil.