How to save currants from diseases and pests

Currant diseases cause many problems for gardeners and the plant itself. Lack of proper care for the shrub leads to its disease and a reduction in the amount of harvest. Diseases can appear at any age of the plant, and they can be triggered by unsuitable soil or unfavorable weather conditions. Shrub pests are also present in every area, so it is necessary to combat them in a timely manner and apply preventive measures.

Some diseases and pests are identical to diseases of grapes and gooseberries, and therefore, with a dense planting, they can infect each other for a long time.

Currants, their pests and diseases

The main diseases of currants are known to many gardeners:

Anthracnose. A fungal disease that affects currants of all types. The fungus overwinters safely and is activated when moisture appears. You can notice it in mid-summer by the condition of the leaves. Small brown spots with tubercles appear on them. Gradually they increase in size and the leaves begin to die.
Powdery mildew. A fungal disease that affects leaves and berries with a white coating. With proper care of the plant, the occurrence of this disease can be avoided. If the disease did occur, it means that the methods of agricultural technology were defective.
Rust. Often the cause of the disease is high humidity. If currants grow near a body of water, the likelihood of infection increases. If you water too much in the spring, this can also cause disease. When infected, fruits and leaves become covered with bright spots and then fall off.
Septoria. Gray spots with a clearly defined brown border appear on the leaves. Then small growths appear, inside which new spores form. Berries and leaves fall off.
Terry. A viral disease transmitted by the kidney mite. The presence of a disease indicates poor treatment of the plant against pests. The leaves of a diseased plant are of unnatural shape and color. They darken and lose their flavor. Currants either do not bloom at all or do not bear fruit. The plant gradually degenerates and dies.
Striped mosaic. A viral disease that can be seen on the leaves. They turn yellow or orange. The disease is carried by aphids.

Currant pests:

Tick. The tick can be recognized when the buds swell. Instead of the usual oval shape, they swell up to 1 cm. Ticks quickly attack new buds, which can no longer produce healthy shoots. The yield of such currants drops sharply.
Aphids. Insects about 2 mm in length often settle on currants. Most often, aphids concentrate on leaves, feeding on their juices. This causes them to become lumpy, swell and dry out. Some species of aphids live on young branches, slowing down the growth of currants.
Glass container. A small butterfly with transparent wings and a dark lilac abdomen. She settles on currant branches, laying eggs in the bark of the plant. The emerging larvae feed on the insides of the stems, causing them to dry out and die. Most often the plant dies.
Fire. The butterfly is gray in size, up to 1 mm in size. She lays eggs in flowers, and the caterpillars that emerge from them feed on the berries. They can be noticed by the presence of cobwebs on the fruits. Butterfly pupae overwinter in the soil next to the plant and in the summer they freely fall on flowers in open ground.

How to get rid of blackcurrant diseases

Often with an unhealthy plant, the question arises: how can you get rid of blackcurrant diseases? Treatment must be effective and immediate. It is important not only to eliminate the visible manifestations of the disease, but also to remove the cause itself.

To get rid of ticks, traditional methods are often used: scalding with boiling water, collecting buds, pruning, treating with sulfur. Acaricidal treatment gives a good effect not only against ticks, but also against other pests. The first spraying is carried out before buds open, and then after flowering.

Covering the soil around the bush with dense material will help against the moth, which will prevent the appearance of butterflies on the currant.

Insecticides are used against aphids to protect the plant for a short period. However, during the ripening of berries, it is recommended to use more gentle methods. These include a solution of laundry soap.

Insecticides and sanitary pruning are effective against glass. As a rule, the insect attacks old branches, which in any case must be removed.
Blackcurrant diseases are eliminated in several stages per season. Bordeaux mixture has proven itself well. Any fungicide can be used at the first sign of disease. Many medications include copper.

Viral diseases are practically incurable. In the early stages, appropriate fungicides are used, and a manganese solution is used. When the disease is advanced, the main thing is to prevent infection of other bushes. To do this, the infected plant must be removed in time.

Preparations for pests and currant diseases

Preparations for pests and currant diseases are systemic fungicides and insecticides. The following drugs are used against common diseases: Fitosporin, Topaz, Horus, Bordeaux mixture and other drugs.

Actillic, Aktaroy, Karbofos and others work well against pests.
In case of viral diseases, the effect of special drugs is often insufficient. This is due to the fact that in the first stages the disease does not manifest itself in any way. There is no cure for viral diseases, so to prevent further infection of healthy plants, diseased plants must be removed. To prevent this from happening — When planting, seedlings must be healthy and have stable immunity to viruses. It is not recommended to get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers; it is better to increase fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus.

Currants, immune varieties

Immune currant varieties are characterized by good resistance to a number of common diseases.

Varieties resistant to bud mite: Nadina, Orlovia, Temptation, Grace, Wonderful Moment, Monisto, Kipiana. The Kipiana variety is not affected by either rust or powdery mildew.

Also resistant to rust: Gamma, Monisto, Wonderful Moment.

The following currant varieties are resistant to powdery mildew: Monisto, Gamma, Wonderful Moment, Grace, Muravushka.

The Russian variety Binar is resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew. If the correct preventive measures are taken, it is quite resistant to bud mites.
Recent advances in breeding make it possible to grow currants adapted to a specific region with resistance to the most dangerous diseases. The work of breeders continues, constantly improving berry crops.

Proper planting, loosening the soil and pruning will help prevent most diseases. Fertilizing and moderate watering also lead to good plant condition.
Currants are a very tasty and healthy berry. Compliance with agrotechnical rules, carrying out preventive treatment and timely recognition and treatment of the disease will help to avoid serious problems and not lose a good harvest.