Symptoms and Control Methods of Sooty Mold Disease
Today's mini experience sharing: An introduction to the onset patterns of sooty mold disease in green plants and flowers, let's follow the editor to check out the specific content!
It is often said that Chinese roses are like medicine jars, and this is indeed true. With the recent cool weather, Chinese roses have entered a period of rapid growth, beautiful autumn flowers are about to bloom, but please note, at this time, a disease is quietly occurring, and it must be controlled early. This disease is sooty mold.
Onset Patterns of Sooty Mold Disease
Chinese rose sooty mold is most common in autumn, usually from mid-to-late September to the end of October. It is most likely to occur in warm, humid, and poorly ventilated environments, and sooty mold often occurs together with pests such as scale insects, aphids, and whiteflies.
Symptoms and Control Methods of Sooty Mold Disease
When the sooty mold pathogen infects the leaves of Chinese roses, it first appears as many brown, powdery-like spots scattered on the leaf surface. As the pathogen spreads, the brown spots will merge and the color will gradually deepen, forming large black-brown coal-like spots. In severe cases, the moldy spots can even be peeled off.
When the sooty mold pathogen infects the leaf edges, brown necrotic spots often appear on the tips and edges of the leaves, and gradually expand and merge, which looks a bit like the symptoms of fertilizer damage at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, there will also be whitening at the leaf tips and edges.
Many flower enthusiasts have difficulty distinguishing between sooty mold disease, black spot disease, and downy mildew, but there is no need to worry too much about this. The treatment methods for these diseases are similar, so it doesn't matter if you can't tell them apart.
Since the damage caused by pests and diseases to Chinese rose seedlings is irreversible, prevention should be the primary strategy, with prevention being more important than treatment.
In daily maintenance, if the weather is consistently sunny, it is recommended to prevent pests and diseases every 15 days or so. In rainy weather, the frequency of prevention should be increased, possibly every 10 days. For comprehensive seasonal prevention measures for Chinese rose pests and diseases, you can refer to the book "How to Grow Chinese Roses from Scratch," which provides very detailed information.
In autumn, when Chinese roses are infected with sooty mold, prompt treatment measures should be taken because the disease often occurs simultaneously with pests. For leaves with obvious symptoms, they should first be removed and destroyed, and then sprayed with carbendazim or thiabendazole, mixed with benzoxazole, and insecticides such as dinotefuran or lambda-cyhalothrin. This will kill both fungi and insects, resulting in better treatment effects.
Chinese roses that have been infected with sooty mold should be cleaned with lime sulfur solution after entering winter because the mycelium or spores of sooty mold can remain in the infected area and may recur the following year. Winter cleaning can effectively clear harmful fungi and eggs.
The above is the complete introduction to the onset patterns and symptoms, as well as the control methods of sooty mold disease, hoping it can be of help to you. Don't forget to check out more flower care experiences and common knowledge!