Grapes have ceased to be a purely southern culture. Varieties have been bred that grow well and bear fruit in central Russia with a temperate climate. As with any other cultivated plant, grapes require good care. First of all, grape pests must be properly controlled, which can be divided into two main types: fungal diseases and insects.
Fungal diseases are a threat to grapes
There are many fungal diseases that pose a threat to grapes. The main ones among them are mildew, powdery mildew (oidium), gray and white rot, anthracnose, chlorosis and some others.
Any ailment is easier to prevent than to cure. In order to prevent grape diseases, prevention is necessary, for example, carrying out agrotechnical procedures. Bushes and bunches of grapes should be well ventilated, that is, air should “walk” freely between them. In this case, pruning and fragments of branches, pinching are indispensable, at the time of ripening of berries - removing leaves from clusters. These proceduresallow air to penetrate inside the bush, quickly dry the grapes. Pests, or rather spores of fungal diseases, cannot germinate and die.
Prophylactic measures also include chemical treatment of the vineyard with sulfur preparations, topsin and fudozol. Mature berries are well sprayed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
A good effect is achieved with constant dusting of the soil with wood ash. Potassium, which it contains, affects the resistance of plants to diseases, and the development of fungi is inhibited by an alkaline reaction.
Grapes: insect pests
The main pests of grapes are phylloxera, beetles, spider mites, mole crickets, bunchworms, wireworms, wasps.
Phylloxera (virtually invisible aphid) is a dangerous pest that is impossible to fight. It damages the roots and leaves of grapes. Light yellow swellings (then dark brown) form on the affected areas, the plant's growth strength weakens, and it dies.
Phylloxera arrived in Europe from North America and immediately caused irreparable damage to viticulture. In the 19th century, the French government created a prize fund of 300,000 francs for a remedy for the destruction of phylloxera. But so far it has not been found.
Phylloxera is most often carried with planting material. In order to prevent it, it must be disinfected for two minutes in a solution prepared from 200 g of clay and 100 g of 12% hexachloran dust per 5 liters of water. Insecticides are also suitable: DI-68, Rogor, danadim, phosphamide,Aktelik and others.
Parsley is a preventative. Plant it in the vineyard as much as possible!
Phylloxera does not develop on sandy soils, but very weakly on silty and clay soils.
Grapes are affected by beetle pests. Their larvae settle in the soil and gnaw on the roots and cuttings of grapes. During the digging of the soil in the fall, it is necessary to collect and destroy the larvae of the beetle. They are also destroyed when examining young plants in spring and summer.
Vine leaves infested with a spider mite that likes to settle on their underside turn brown. The tick prefers grape varieties with broad foliage. He is not afraid of winter and in the spring he settles again in the vineyard. After the buds of the grapes have blossomed, they must be sprayed with a 0.20% celtan emulsion. Then spray again.
Wasps also damage grapes. Pests are afraid of chlorophos, with which they are sprayed.
Foliar caterpillars of a small motley butterfly cause great damage to buds, flowers and grapes. As a result, the berries dry out in dry weather, and rot in wet weather. You can get rid of the pest by spraying with a 0, 2-0, 3% solution of chlorophos, as well as biological insecticides, for example, the Bacillus Turingensis preparation. As a preventive measure, it is necessary to remove the bark from the poles and stakes that are nearby.
Protection of grapes from pests is not an easy and troublesome business. But if you want grapes to please you with delicious berries every year, then you need it.be carried out systematically and purposefully.
