Common Crop Diseases
Are you looking to start growing your own produce at home?
Studies show that over 42% of Americans have started growing their own produce in the past year. You can get your veggies as fresh as you want them.
It’s normal to encounter some challenges along the way as a beginner gardener, like plants drying out or drooping.
However, one of the trickier difficulties you may face is crop disease. So what should you look out for? Here are some common plant and crop diseases.
Black Spot
Black spot appears as unsightly black discolorations on leaves and stems. While it doesn’t kill the plant, black spot does lower the plant’s defenses. This makes it more susceptible to disease.
Black spot thrives on moisture and shade. Pruning affected leaves and keeping existing leaves dry is critical.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is not a far cry from its namesake. It appears as powdery white patches on shoots and leaves. This is one of the crop diseases that tend to cripple flowers, which is detrimental to growing fruit or vegetables.
Favorable conditions for powdery mildew are shady areas with poor air circulation. When days and warm and nights are cool, this is the best season for powdery mildew to strike.
Plants susceptible to powdery mildew are roses, cucumbers, squash, lilacs, and maples. Powdery mildew tends to be very picky and doesn’t cross-contaminate plants. For instance, if your maples have powdery mildew, it won’t infect your squash.
Downy Mildew
Downy mildew has another name: water mold. However, it isn’t a true fungus, and it is an obligate biotrophic plant parasite.
They begin as small spots that appear soaked with water. The spots progress from a darker green to bright yellow, then to dark brown lesions.
Dark brown lesions indicate necrosis or cellular death. This is a harbinger of defoliation and eventually plant death.
Downy mildew is devastating for plants and can decimate plant populations within a week. Prevention is key to surviving downy mildew. Plant resistant cultivars and extract infected plants to save your garden.
Blight
Blights are an umbrella of relevant diseases, like the potato famine of 1840. Windborne spores carry and spread the fungal disease, affecting crops like potatoes and tomatoes.
Blight thrives under warmth and humidity. It is devastating to vegetable and fruit growers as it has no cure but many preventions.
Regalia is a staple fungicide that activates the plant’s natural defenses. When you spray Regalia on a plant, it works from the inside out and triggers disease-fighting phytochemicals.
Regalia also enhances crop yield, crop quality, and overall plant health. Shop for regalias here and keep your plants safe from blight, mildew, and infection!
Verticillium Wilt
Look out for verticillium wilt, which affects hundreds of tree species and shrubs. Edible plants and ornamental plants aren’t safe from this fungus, either.
The pathogen seeps into the soil, infiltrating your plants through their roots, where they clog the plant vasculature. Practice good garden hygiene to prevent this disease.
Watch Out for These Crop Diseases and Let Your Garden Flourish
Plant and crop diseases are a fact of life when home gardening. With fluctuating climate, moisture, and crop insects, your garden is vulnerable to plant diseases. Arming yourself with knowledge lets you brace yourself and protect your beloved plants.
Thank you for reading our article on types of crop diseases. Head to our blog posts to read more about agriculture and gardening tips. Even plants get sick; good thing they have you for their doctor!
