Rust on currants

Introduction

Black currant is a shrub, without which it is very difficult to imagine any personal plot today. Black currant berries contain a huge amount of valuable vitamins and minerals that play a very important role in the human body. Also, the berries contain organic acids, which perfectly improve human memory, the work of the gastrointestinal tract, and the cardiovascular system. Another feature of currant fruit is that almost 80% of vitamin C is retained in its juice, even if the currant is stored for a long time. Perhaps, and this largely influenced the fact that currants became the universal favorite of many gardeners. Rust on currants is not uncommon.

The shrub as a whole is quite unpretentious, but sometimes it can be affected by rust or other fungal diseases, which are not so common, but can harm the plant. The fungus manifests itself in the form of rather unaesthetic brown spots that can spread both along the leaves and along the branches, which gradually leads to dehydration of the plant and to the fact that the currant simply dies. You can remove rust in a variety of ways, but the main thing is to do it on time, since the disease spreads very quickly. The most important thing is not to start the disease, since later it can affect the root system, as well as neighboring plants, and this will end in the death of the rest of the unaffected shrubs.

Rust on currants: types of rust

Currant rust: photo

Of course, currant rust that affects currant bushes can be of various types, and manifest itself in a variety of forms. Despite the varieties, many gardeners, even experienced ones, do not notice the difference at all in the types, therefore they use the same methods of dealing with it, although this is not entirely correct. Each type of rust has different forms of its manifestation, and also affects plants in different ways.

Rust on currants is of the following main types:

• goblet currant rust - in this case, those currant bushes that mainly grow near coniferous plantings are at risk. The spores of the fungus initially infect the conifers, and then very quickly infect the currants. Basically, currant rust is carried through insects, or by ordinary gusts of wind, which is also quite common. The spores are most active in May, and the activity lasts until about the first half of June, during this period special attention should be paid to plants in order to prevent fatal lesions by currant rust.
• columnar currant rust - the second type of rust that occurs on currant bushes. It usually appears as yellow spots located on the top of the leaves, on the opposite side the leaf is dotted with orange dots that resemble freckles. In fact, it is in these speckled points that the spores of the fungus are located, which cause such damage to currant plantings. It is very important to detect the signs of fungi in time, and also take into account that it acquires special activity around July-August.

These two types of currant rust are considered the most common and dangerous, so you need to keep this in mind and take into account that the causes of currant rust and, accordingly, the methods of dealing with it can also differ significantly from each other. In the next part of the article, we will dwell in more detail on what are the reasons for the appearance of rust, and what are its very first and characteristic signs, which in no case should be overlooked in order to prevent the death of a plant or a decrease in its growth and yield.

Rust on currants: causes of rust and its symptoms

The most favorable environment for the appearance and development of the fungus is a humid, but at the same time warm environment. If there is drought in summer, currants are less likely to rust. The disease generally spreads very quickly in lowlands, where there is a large number of dense plantations. Sometimes plants simply do not have enough space and air to develop and grow. The following pests or fungi can be sources of fungal spores that provoke rust:

• leaf aphid - small black dots appear on the leaves, which is a sign of aphids. Insects very quickly suck out all the juices from the plant, thereby depriving them of trace elements and minerals with which they are saturated. The leaf blades quickly become covered with brown tubercles, the bushes as a whole begin to grow and develop even more slowly. If the disease is not determined in time, this will lead to the fact that the bush will soon die
• spider mites - pests also concentrate on leaf plates, affecting them. Blisters gradually appear on the leaves, which have a characteristic rusty tint. The disease gradually affects the entire leaf plate, and they crumble, leaving the bush completely without a green upper part.
• currant gall midge - another pest that provokes the appearance of rust. The pest usually lays eggs right on the currant bush, and very soon rust spores can affect the entire bush, which leads to its death, if the pest is not detected in time and measures are not taken to combat it.

There are several signs of currant rust, by which one can understand that the currant bush needs measures and treatment. The gardener must carefully examine the shrubs, monitor them, as thanks to regular inspection, the chances of detecting rust in time and saving the shrub are increased. Usually, currant leaves change color, begin to turn yellow very quickly, small red spots, stripes appear, which also signal that the plant is not at all in order, and that it needs help, as it was struck by a pest. Regular inspection of the plant can save it from death, and also save the gardener himself from unnecessary costs for treating shrubs or for extracting and destroying them, if suddenly a similar need arises. So it is worthwhile to carry out prevention and examination, since it is always much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it at its advanced stages.

Danger of currant rust

What does currant rust look like: photo

As a rule, when the weather is cold, rust on currants does not manifest itself in any way, since it is in extremely unfavorable conditions for development and distribution. Spores can hibernate right next to shrubs, while not manifesting themselves at all. When the weather becomes warmer, humidity rises, the fungus gradually begins to wake up and become more active. Starting from the leafy part, then rust affects other parts of the plant, and this will have a very negative effect on the growth and condition of the plant in the future.

The harmful effects of rust can be manifested in the following:

• the shrub begins to quickly lose the leafy part, the crown becomes very depleted, and closer to autumn the leaves completely fall off completely
• if the shrub is affected by rust, then new shoots practically do not appear on it
• yield with rust can be noticeably reduced, by about half, and this negatively affects the quality of the shrub itself and the crop. Seeing a decrease in yield, but not understanding the reasons, the gardener can first heal the shrub from the wrong disease, and then simply remove it from the site, since the bush will still not return to its normal state
• plant immunity decreases, so rust will be followed by a huge number of other diseases and infections
• if the bush is not started to heal on time, this will lead to the death of the bush: it will have to be removed, since there will be no chance of salvation

Rust on currants: control methods

Of course, currant rust is a dangerous disease. If you find it in time, then the chances of saving the bush only increase. For treatment, modern gardeners use a variety of means - both chemicals and folk recipes. The choice of a gardener falls depending on what result he wants to achieve, and how much time and financial resources he himself can spend on solving this problem. gardeners do not always have time to deal with shrub diseases, so we will present several remedies that are quite effective and that will help rid the plant of rust while maintaining its yield and growth rate.

You can cure currants from rust using various chemicals. The first remedy we will mention is Previkur. This fungicide is quite popular among gardeners today, as it can have a wide range of effects.

The drug can protect the plant not only from rust damage, but also from root rot, which often appear due to the fact that the plant receives too much root moisture. In addition, thanks to the drug Previkur, it is possible to stimulate the growth of shrubs and strengthen its resistance to stress and immunity against popular other diseases.

Scor is a contact fungicide used primarily as a preventative measure against rust and other diseases. If you take Skor for a full-fledged treatment, then it is more effective for indoor plants, but it is also great for garden plants if you carefully study the instructions for using this tool. It is best used when the currant has begun to bloom or gradually bear fruit. In addition, Skor is effective when rust has just appeared, so it is easier to remove it with this tool.

Fitosporin is another drug that is heard by modern gardeners. The advantage of this tool is that it successfully fights against all types of fungi and bacteria. It is also available in various forms - in the form of powder and paste, as well as liquid, so every gardener can choose a convenient form for himself and use it for his own purposes. The drug does not have any effect on either the ovary of the fruit, or on their quality; for its correct preparation, it is enough to follow fairly clear instructions. It is best to process currants with this drug when there is no sun, otherwise the interaction of rays and the drug can lead to burns on the plant, and this will provoke many other diseases, so you should pay more attention to the period of processing currant bushes.

Topaz is a drug that inhibits the development of rust and its spores, which means that the fungus does not have open opportunities to further multiply and spread. The composition is quickly absorbed into the green part of the plant, therefore, in general, it can be used both during rains and in warm weather. In general, this drug is good precisely because it is very resistant to lower temperatures, and works great if the temperature rises sharply. Its effectiveness has been proven by gardeners, but the main thing is to ensure that the instructions for using the drug for this purpose are fully followed. When using, you should also take into account safety precautions.

Bordeaux liquid is one of the drugs that is always used to get rid of rust from currants. The composition must be sprayed with the bushes during the period when the buds are blooming.In general, the procedure should be carried out about three times, the interval between procedures is, as a rule, about three weeks.

Cuproxat is a product that contains copper. Perfectly counteracts fungal diseases, since it penetrates directly into the spores and destroys them from the inside, preventing them from multiplying and spreading. Usually, the plant is sprayed with this solution, it is best to spray it either in the early morning or in the evening, when the sun has already gone down the horizon. It is one of the most effective drugs for combating fungal diseases, it is effective not only on currant bushes, but also on other fruit and berry crops.

As a rule, when processing shrubs, several important rules must be followed. This is important, because this is the only way to achieve the maximum effect from using the drug and get a decent result. So, all affected branches should be immediately removed from the bush, and the leaves are raked into a heap and burned so that spores from them are not carried by wind or insects and do not infect healthy plants. However, some gardeners are quite negative about chemical insecticides and other drugs, and therefore they prefer to stick to folk remedies that can also help get rid of rust in various conditions.

Rust on currants: how to deal with folk methods

Rust on currants: photo

• baking soda - the powder should be mixed with liquid soap and water, thoroughly mix all the components and pour onto the bush
• Manure is an organic fertilizer, but many growers use it to fight rust as well. To do this, the bucket is filled with manure, then poured with water, the mixture is infused for three days, after which it must again be diluted with water and applied against rust. The main thing is to comply with the norms, only in this case you can get the desired effect.
• garlic - it is recommended to take a glass of peeled garlic cloves and pour a few liters of water over them. This solution should be infused for three days, after which the solution is filtered and sprayed with currant leaves. The smell will also ward off many pests.
• fermented milk products - for these purposes, you can use homemade whey or kefir, as well as yogurt. The products are mixed with water, currant bushes are treated only in the evening or on cloudy days, so that the product has time to be absorbed into the deciduous and stem parts and give a positive effect.

In general, a variety of remedies can be used to protect currant bushes. It is especially important to comply with all agrotechnical measures from the very beginning, and then the plant will be safe and less exposed to diseases and fungi. You should not plant currants next to conifers, and you should also get rid of weeds in time, especially sedge, which grows in areas. The soil should be loose, well-ventilated, well-groomed, as thanks to this, fungi and various bacteria will get into it less often. Prevention is also important, which will protect plants from various rust and other diseases.

There are several very simple steps that will simply prevent the development of rust. Among them, the following should be highlighted:

• when foliage has fallen from trees and shrubs, it should be immediately collected and burned to prevent the spread of the fungus through the soil
• the space that is located around the currants must be regularly cleaned of weeds and other herbs
• twice a year, the soil should be very carefully loosened, especially around shrubs
• in autumn and spring, the soil should be dug up, this is a prerequisite for caring for plants
• adult shoots must be removed, and the cut sites are treated with disinfecting antiseptic agents
• in order to strengthen the plant, mineral complexes are perfect, which include potassium and phosphorus. In addition, thanks to these components, you can perfectly enhance the plant's immunity.

There are several varieties that are resistant to various fungal diseases and, in particular, to the spread of rust. Among them are varieties Katyusha, Grace, Black Veil, Belarusian sweet currant, Semiramis. The varieties that we have listed are hybrids that have a fairly strong immune system. One way or another, plants should still be additionally supported, because even their increased resistance can sometimes fail altogether. Simple manipulations, preventive measures - all this can protect shrubs from diseases, and also give the gardener that fertile harvest that he just expects to see as a result of his efforts.

Of course, among all the means, it is chemicals that are especially effective, but you can still use folk remedies, since they are completely safe for human life and health. It is believed that it is better to take preventive measures to combat currant rust, since the disease is easier to prevent than to remove when the plant has already become infected.