The most dangerous diseases and pests of potatoes

Want to get a rich potato harvest? Then you have to work hard, and care does not end with watering or fertilizing. It is necessary to regularly carry out a number of activities related to the protection of potatoes from pests and diseases. A special place in this procedure is given to prevention, it is on it that everything depends. Preventive measures include: rational use of all crops growing near potatoes, proper planting of vegetables, regular crop rotation and maintenance, compliance with all agricultural rules.

Harm of chemical treatments

Do not forget that the use of chemicals can not only spoil the culture, but also greatly harm your health. It is for this reason that it is not necessary to use only professional means in order to prevent potato diseases, there are also alternative methods of protection that have a less detrimental effect on the condition of the product. If you prefer pesticides, then use only those that are officially permitted by law, because some are completely illegal, and also follow all the dosages indicated on the packages.

The main potato pests and their control

1. Colorado beetle. This is the most dangerous and widespread potato pest. All summer residents heard about him, but what did they hear ... everyone fought with him. Its purpose is the vegetative parts of the plant, as well as tubers. The beetle eats a lot. One female brings rich offspring. For example, one pair of these pests can eat up to 4 hectares of crop. The insect moves quickly, is not afraid of long distances, which is why the Colorado potato beetle is popular in many countries.

Struggle. The main methods include biological and chemical means. Insects can also be collected by hand and destroyed.

2. Wireworms, dark beetles, larvae of click beetles. Only 1 generation can live for about 5 years. Insects make holes in the roots and begin to eat them. Over time, other insects crawl into these passages, which will also not be averse to feasting on delicious vegetable crops. In addition, wireworms and other pests are able to destroy the stems of young shoots, that is, the potato will not bring any crop at all, it will completely stop in its development.

Prevention against potato pests. The main remedy is crop rotation with legumes, which are generally not interesting for these insects, especially wireworms. An equally popular way is to plant mustard, pests will leave it as far as possible.

3. Stem nematode. She eats tubers. You can find this pest only by examining the culture. Gray spots form on it, and under them there will be a trace of decaying tissue. In order for this pest not to appear on your site, it is necessary to carry out a thorough digging of the site in the fall, destroy all weeds and, of course, adhere to the rules of crop rotation.

4. Potato nematode. She lives on the tubers and stems of the culture. The pest appears in the ground if potatoes are grown in the same place for more than 4 years. It spreads throughout the garden through infected tubers, implements and soil. Prevention consists in observing the rules of crop rotation.

5. Medvedka. She eats the whole plant without exception. The insect is classified as an omnivorous pest. Lives in the ground, gnaws all underground parts, makes holes in tubers. For prevention against the bear, it is advised to carry out deep plowing, and after loosening. Thus, the nests of the bear are destroyed. Naturally, no one should refuse various baits for the pest.

The main diseases of potatoes

They are divided into 4 groups:

1. Viral. These are the most dangerous diseases. The most common signs are leaf curl, striped mosaic, gothic and spotting. These diseases cannot be cured. Different diseases have different symptoms. It all depends on the potato variety, its growing conditions, the type of virus, etc. The main symptom of the virus is yellow leaves. As a result, after digging up the crop, it becomes clear that the potatoes have become much smaller, they have become not so large, but there were practically no external signs. The culture is infected by contact with insects or infected tubers. It is impossible to fight viruses, but it is quite possible to destroy all infected roots.

2. Bacterial. These potato diseases bring maximum harm. Appear due to high soil moisture. The most dangerous diseases include: black leg (all potatoes suffer, the leaves turn yellow), wet rot (wet spots spoil all tubers), ring rot (observed on the cut) and bacterial rot (not treated). In order to prevent these diseases, it is necessary to carry out disinfection of cellars and cellars, containers, knives, removal of weak plants from plantings.

3. Fungal. The most dangerous potato diseases: cancer (quarantine disease, appears in those areas where crop rotation is not respected, green growths appear on the above-ground organs of the potato) scab (the appearance of characteristic growths, the skin of tubers is affected, warts appear), late blight (also called potato rot, occurs during the growing season and storage, the disease is activated at high humidity, the potatoes are covered with brown spots), fusarium.

4. Functional. They appear due to a lack of nutrients, thus, the yield of the crop decreases and the quality of the product deteriorates. If these potato diseases are detected in time, then you can save most of your crop.

You need to regularly inspect your lands, especially the areas where you planted potatoes. Small changes in the growth or shape of the leaves can immediately indicate to you a poor condition of the crop. If the problem is detected in time, then it can be solved with minimal losses.