Potato nematode is a common occurrence; every potato grower needs to know how to deal with it. Often the poor development of tubers and short shelf life is associated with poor-quality soil, severe weather conditions. But you should think about such a pest as a nematode, which often affects vegetables. A pest that spoils a crop can be a huge problem. If you ignore the infection, it is difficult to fight the pest.
This parasite has a meager size, which is why it is difficult to make out with the naked eye. But, despite its small size, the nematode spreads rapidly, creating an army of pests that harm not only potato tubers, but also other crops. The potato nematode causes great damage to the infield. Farms often encounter this pest and exert maximum efforts to destroy it at the initial stages of the appearance of the first symptoms.
Golden potato nematode is more common. These are small worms that need potato juice to continue to function. Nematode causes brown rot of a bacterial nature. If we talk about the danger of the pest, then it is the most dangerous for nightshade crops.
Potato nematode can reach a millimeter in size, the network contains photos of the pest under a microscope. In the pictures you can see that the males and females have different shapes, the first have a worm-shaped shape, the second round.
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Causes and symptoms of the pest
Many people notice nematodes when digging a faded potato bush, the tubers of which will have small inclusions, which indicates the presence of a parasite. With development, the worm goes through several forms of development, changes color from white to brown. Brown nematodes indicate that they are already well formed and have managed to grow offspring, acquiring a new form.
A nematode grows faster in sandy loam with high moisture, but other types of soil are suitable for this. The terrible thing is that to determine whether the soil is infected with a pest in the early stages is almost impossible. The fact that it is infected gardeners learn at advanced stages.
- Potato nematode leads to the slow development of bushes, their yellowing and mass wilting.
- The sheets from the lower parts of the bush begin to curl and look extremely painful. Potato nematode can also manifest itself with other signs, there is a photo of each symptom on the network.
- Often bushes on infected soil produce few tubers, from three to five.
- In the root system, deviations are noticeable, with a large number of subordinate roots, the roots become brown.
Nematode Control Methods
One infected bush suggests that it is time to start a war with the pest. Methods for controlling the nematode may be different.
- Experienced gardeners know how dangerous worms are, therefore they prevent their development and spread on the site by alternating crops. A simple method has proven effective.
- Nematodes on potatoes are also treated mechanically. Infected bushes are removed and destroyed outside the site.
- It is impossible to bring down lumps of earth from a bush; cysts are stored in them.
- Destroy infected plants with fire.
- The area where the infected bush grew should be treated with urea.
- An effective option is the destruction with the use of aggressive chemicals. The nematode on the potato can be barely noticeable, as some photos show, but more often it cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Preparations against nematodes
The golden potato nematode, as can be seen in the photo on the Internet, looks like a worm. In fact, this is a worm that can be effectively combated with various drugs. The potato nematode responds to different control methods, but the chemical is available to gardeners.
- Fitoverm can affect the golden nematode of potato contact and intestinal route. The effect of Fitoverm fast. As soon as the drug enters the parasite, or it eats the processed potato bushes, the substance acts on the insect, leading to paralysis and death. Fioverm is effective if applied in dry or hot weather.
- Phosphamide is a toxic substance that can help with the destruction of the nematode before harvesting. After processing the bushes, the potatoes are harvested after 20 days. The golden potato nematode completely disappears, the tubers will be healthy, as evidenced by the photos of gardeners who used this tool.
- The stem nematode of potato can be destroyed by such a tool as LH Ecogel. The tool helps to strengthen the defenses of the plant to counter various pests and diseases. Tubers are often treated with this substance before planting, which leads to the active development of the bush and healthy fruits.
- Nematophagin Bk is another toxic agent. Many gardeners and owners of personal plots give preference to this particular drug, because in addition to potatoes, it can be used for ornamental plants and strawberries.
Types of Golden Nematodes
Several subspecies of the golden nematode can be distinguished. Many people know the stem nematode of potato, which often affects early potatoes. The variety will suffer from damage to the leaves and stems, which later applies to tubers. Potato shrubs may be less lush with shorter internodes. The leaves affected by the parasite become pale and wavy.
Potato nematodes can be soil, methods of dealing with it are different. It is worth contacting them immediately. Cysts that live in contaminated soil can continue to develop for 10 years. The presence of a nematode in the soil is indicated by unnatural and uncharacteristic for the cultivar tubercles.
Gallic parasites affect primarily the root system, releasing toxic substances. They lead to the formation of different growths on the root system, which inside contain the parasite larvae. Gall nematodes can lead to the loss of productivity most quickly, because they disrupt the plant’s nutrition, closing the course for the consumption of nutrients and water with roots from the ground. Potato disease caused by the gall nematode also appears externally. The aboveground part of the culture rapidly withers and completely perishes.
Reviews
Maria:
“I’ve been growing potatoes for a long time. Golden potato nematode requires immediate action, quick reaction, fight. Often I saw how potato growers ignored the problem or could not distinguish the influence of the parasite from the influence of bad weather. Always in this case, for beginners, I advise you to pre-treat the tubers with special preparations and do not forget about growth stimulants. ”
Anna:
“The fight against potato nematodes is always difficult. In her life she only once encountered this parasite, but it was enough times to realize how quickly it can destroy the culture and ruin all the work done on the site. Now, when planting potatoes, just in case I buy Fitoverm to be ready for a possible attack of the parasite. ”
Michael:
“I heard about this pest from a neighbor who was previously engaged in small-scale farming and is well aware of effective methods of combating the nematode. I try to alternate cultures in fate, this is as a measure of pest prevention. There were no problems so far. ”
Konstantin:
“I always processed strawberries before planting, used only high-quality fertilizer, carefully looked after the plants, but they could not avoid the nematode adversity. I had to turn to friends for advice, they told me about such a drug as Phosphamide. It helped right away, but some bushes had to be removed from the site. It was already impossible to save them. In the future I will know about the characteristics of parasites. Before that I could not have thought that they are developing and oppressing the root system and bushes of the culture so quickly. ”