Every gardener dreams of getting a rich and healthy harvest of carrots, but this sweet root has many insect lovers, and diseases often threaten the loss of yield. Hence the main question among gardeners – what methods of protection and control of pests and diseases are better to use, preferably minimizing the use of chemicals. We will tell in detail about types of diseases and pests, and also we will share simple ways of protection.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – May 23, 2021 – Agriculture
What pests of carrots exist
Insects, which sometimes actively besiege carrot beds, often cause irreparable damage to the entire crop:
Snails
Snails are most active in wet weather and in the dark. They usually eat the tops, and through the parts protruding from the ground, get inside and can leave most of the root.
Leaflets
If the plant began to grow or dry out noticeably worse, it is possible that the leafhopper larvae have deposited their larvae on it.
Carrot miles
A dried plant can also signal the appearance of carrot moth caterpillars, and they can be detected by the presence of cocoons.
Carrot fly
Yellow sluggish tops with a purple tinge, the bitter taste of carrots indicate the appearance of a carrot fly – the pest deposits larvae inside the root crop, which makes the crop unfit for consumption.
Cabbage
Cabbage lives in the ground, which makes it difficult to detect. It eats all parts of the plant, which leads to its death.
Wire
Wireworms gnaw through long corridors in the flesh of the fruit, thus opening the way for infections of the plant.
Goose butterfly exclamation mark
The caterpillars of the nightingale butterfly eat the fruit and shoots of carrots.
Worms of the head nematode
If you notice strange growths on the surface of the fruit, it is likely that the plant is affected by worms of the nematode.
What diseases affect carrots
Most carrots are affected by fungus and bacterial infections:
Powdery mildew
The most famous fungal disease is powdery mildew. The disease affects the leaves, causing the plant to stop growing. Looks like white-gray spots.
Bacteriosis
Yellowish spots below the tops indicate bacteriosis.
Cercosporosis
The brown color of the leaves with its subsequent wilting and rot indicates tissue necrosis after infection with fungal spores – neosporosis.
White rot
White rot softens the root, covers the white soft growth, which over time leads to the blackening of the entire crop.
Dry rot
Grayish-brown spots of dry rot usually affect the entire plant, starting from the top.
Felt rot
Complete rot of the crop can occur due to felt rot, gray spots of which can be seen under the skin of the vegetable. A characteristic feature is a felt gray-purple plaque on the surface.
Gray rot
Soft wet dents of brown color indicate the presence of gray rot.
Black rot
Black spots on the surface and the blackening of shoots confirm the defeat of black rot.
Basic methods of protection
To protect carrots from diseases and pests, it is necessary to start with preventive measures to prevent disease or pests, because often upon detection of part of the crop that can already be spoiled and eliminates the problem is much more difficult than trying to prevent it.
The main preventive measures:
Observance of storage conditions of a crop.
Careful selection of planting material.
Regular weeding and loosening.
Watering plants with the use of protective compounds.
Effective mixtures for watering against pests and diseases
After weeding and soaking, it is recommended to pour the carrots with the following solutions:
from fungal rot and other infections using a solution of manganese with boric acid (take 2 grams of both substances per bucket of water). One watering will be enough, but in case of humid climatic conditions and gloomy and rainy weather, it is better to repeat processing in some weeks.
from harmful insects and their larvae, in particular from the carrot fly, ammonia will help (2 tablespoons per bucket). Ammonia vapors are very volatile, so you should protect the mucous membranes during the preparation of the solution and use.
Timely measures significantly reduce the risk of infection of carrots with fungal diseases and prevent the appearance of harmful insects. Using our simple recommendations, you will be able to get a good harvest and ensure the preservation of the harvest until the spring.
Read Also: Cabbage and Carrot Salad: Light and Healthy Recipe!
Source: Ukrgate