The Phytophthora (also known as the disease hedgerows or browning conifers) is a type of disease that occurs in a long series of species can occur even on the lawn.
The term phytophthora itself ( with scientific term Phytophthora ) and can be translated literally into our language as a plant destroyer . It is produced due to the fungus Phytophthora , a destructive element that is capable of destroying huge trees with great longevity.
As a curiosity, although it is normally considered to be a fungus, the truth is that it is an organism that has similar properties, an oomycetes , although it is not the same.
If you want to know more about Phytophthora , we recommend that you continue reading.
Symptoms of Phytophthora
The first thing the fungus will do at the moment it is in front of the tree or plant is to penetrate its roots. The roots serve to absorb moisture from the environment, thus managing to extract the water and nutrients that are needed to survive. The fungus takes advantage of this behavior to be able to leave the body.
If we are talking about trees, while the fungus manages to necrot the tissue, it will be able to go up along the neck. This will cause some symptoms to be observed that should be observed with caution: for example, we will see that the bark will crack, that resin exudations will occur (a disorder known as gomosis ), even a much darker color change can be seen in certain parts.
The symptoms of the disease vary depending on the species:
- Conifers:If Phytophthora affects conifers, they will appear much drier in the area that goes from the branches of the trunk base to the top of the crown. In the event that it does not act quickly, the plant will soon die.
- Citrus:The citrus Phytophthora produces symptoms such as the presence of pale leaves, weak shoots, poor condition in general. If the attack is not very strong, it is possible that only a few branches dry. But if it is intense, it could dry the tree completely.
- Holm oaks and cork oaks:The effects of the fungus on these beings from the plant kingdom are even more devastating. They produce radical or dry rot that could lead to sudden death.
- Cherry, peach and almond trees:The fungus will produce symptoms such as the presence of yellow leaves, characteristic drying of the branches, cracking of the bark, exudation of resin. It is one of the most important almond diseases , and it can produce little sprouting.
- Lawn:And as we have already said, it also affects the lawn, especially the one that has just germinated, or has a poor drainage. It will show irregular desiccations that will spread over time, creating bald spots that will take up more and more space.
The main problem with the Phytophthora fungus is that identifying the symptoms is not easy: at first we can think that it is simply a lack of water. This will cause us to strengthen irrigation and, unfortunately, we will only make the situation worse. Conditions of high humidity and oxygen deficiency will improve the living conditions of the fungus. And not only that, but it will be easier for other important pathogens to appear.
Now that you know what phytophlora is , read on to find out how to treat it
Filophtora Treatment
Treatment of Phytophthora in grass
The best way to treat the fungus on the lawn is to follow a spraying method using a backpack . We will get a specific product for the treatment of the problem and dilute it in water in a proportion of 150 grams of product per 10 liters of water (with this proportion we will cover an area of approximately 100 square meters). However, if the area to be covered has a larger size, then the parameters will have to be modified.
The product against Phytophthora on the lawn will be applied in the area and the surrounding area with a frequency of every 2 weeks until the symptoms disappear.
Lawn or fruit treatment
For the elimination of the Phytophthora fungus in this case, the proportion must be adjusted to 25 grams of Aliette per 10 liters of water. You will also have to improve the direct risk at the roots.
With this proportion of 10 liters we will be able to end the problem when we are talking about small trees.
However, in the case that the size of the trees is larger, we will most likely have to work with twice this amount.
How to prevent Phytophthora
Of course, the above treatments are reserved for when the fungus has manifested and nothing can be done except to end it. However, with the application of appropriate prevention techniques we could have saved more than one headache.
We can apply a monthly treatment against Phytophthora infestans during the warmer months of the year (that is, start them in June and finish it in September). The heat will have it easier to proliferate at the time when high temperatures arrive, so if we do not control the situation in summer, we may have to face an important focus of proliferation.
But if, for reasons of time, it is not possible to carry out this prevention treatment, at least you should make 3 applications over that period of time.
Once you have applied the product it is not recommended to start with the subscriber until a couple of weeks have passed. This way you will avoid any kind of incompatibility between different products.
In the event that you have not been able to do anything to save a specimen, and it has died, you will have to remove it immediately to prevent the Phytophthora from spreading to the rest of the plants.
