Scab is a very common disease of apple trees. It is caused by a special type of fungus. When infected, dark olive spots appear on leaves, cuttings, branches and fruits. In wet years, this disease appears already in the spring, during flowering. With a severe infection, you can lose the entire crop, since the buds and buds infected with the fungus can fall off. When scab appears on fruits, a dense cork layer forms on their skin, preventing the fungus from penetrating into the pulp. Most often, an untidy apple tree is exposed to infection.
Scab affects heavily dense trees, very tall, and also irrigated from above.
This disease is also very dangerous at the first stage of fruiting. With a strong defeat, the fruits, as well as flowers, can fall off. Sometimes trees become infected in the second half of summer. In this case, spots on the fruit may appear after harvest. At the same time, the scab on the apple tree, the photo of which you can see below, is significantlyreduces the keeping quality of fruits and the content of vitamin C in them. In addition, apples completely lose their presentation. Scab and in this case can cause significant damage.
Prevention is considered the best measure to combat this disease. At the same time, not a single apple tree should be left without attention. Scab will not infect trees if the owner of the garden takes appropriate measures. Firstly, you need to periodically prune at the right time, in no case allowing the crown to thicken.
Secondly, any potential source of infection must be immediately disposed of by raking up fallen leaves and branches.
In addition, you need to periodically spray the trees with suitable chemicals. The first treatment is done in the spring. At the same time, the trunk circle is sprayed with a 10% solution of ammonium nitrate. Processing of apple trees from scab is also carried out during the period of bud break. This time, the tree itself is sprayed with a 1–3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. For apple trees growing in humid climates, use a stronger composition, for those planted in dry areas - weaker.
This is how every apple tree should be treated. Scab, like any other fungal disease, can spread very quickly from one tree to another. The second treatment must be done after flowering with a solution of the same composition. The trees are sprayed a third time after three weeks.
Not every apple tree is infected with this infection. Scabpractically does not touch such varieties as Antonovka, Renet champagne, Teremok, Pepin saffron and others. In those gardens where this disease manifests itself constantly and is pronounced, it is worthwhile to carry out a more serious treatment of trees. In this case, the so-called "blue spraying" is used. For 300 grams of copper sulfate, take 400 grams of lime quenched immediately before mixing. The resulting mixture is diluted in ten liters of water.
Spraying can also be carried out with carbonate, copper-containing and other special fungicides. Particular attention should be paid to apple trees in this regard in the first half of summer, during the flowering period. By applying all the above measures, you can greatly reduce crop losses caused by such a common infection of apple trees as scab.
