How to protect apple and pear trees from scab in summer

 

Each year the number of trees affected by scab increases. Unstable rainy weather, an abundance of dangerous insects, crowded plantings and insufficient care—all these factors contribute to the active development and spread of pathogenic fungi

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At first glance, it may seem that it's not a big deal if the fruits are covered with spots: just cut off the unsightly parts—and everything's fine! But in reality, scab is a serious disease that over time can completely destroy a tree. And curing the plants is not so easy. Therefore, it is best to focus on prevention and spray the trees with special agents throughout the season. Special attention should be paid to apple and pear trees on which the first signs of scab appeared last year.

!!!!!!!Scab-causing spores overwinter on fallen leaves, in bark cracks, and the topsoil layer. In spring, they spread throughout the garden and beyond with raindrops, carried by wind, birds, and insects. Pathogens are especially active in wet summer weather. Apples and pears are most commonly affected by scab. But the disease also occurs on potatoes, beets, and cherries.

Apple scab – signs and consequences

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The first signs of scab infection appear after flowering: the leaves on both sides become covered with oily round spots. Over time, a gray-green coating appears on them. They dry out and fall off. Already in the first year after infection, the fruit set may drop, and the plant's winter hardiness worsens. The following year, the apple tree flowers less and slows its growth. With each passing year, the condition worsens: cracks appear on the bark, shoots become thinner.

But the easiest way to diagnose scab is by the fruit: they become covered with dark spots, which later turn corky. Over time, cracks may appear in these spots, apples become deformed and unsuitable for long-term storage. Their taste quality also suffers. By the way, it's best to consume such fruits after heat treatment, having removed the affected parts first. In subsequent years, fruits become smaller and fall prematurely, and yields drop rapidly.

Pear scab – signs and consequences

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On pear trees, scab manifests similarly. Initially, the leaves are covered with brown spots with a velvety coating. Then the fungus affects the flowers, and later—the fruits. Affected leaves and flowers dry up and fall off. Fruits grow small, are covered with dark hardened spots and cracks. In advanced cases, the bark on the pear tree begins to peel off, and ulcers appear.

Treating apple and pear trees for scab in summer You should begin combating scab as early as spring. However, it’s not too late to focus on protecting your trees in summer when fungi are especially active, and again in autumn after the harvest. The main thing is not to postpone treatments until next year.

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The first summer treatment of apple and pear trees is done at the beginning of summer, when the fruit set reaches the size of a hazelnut, about 2 cm in length. You can use chemical fungicides for spraying during this period. If the temperature is below 15°C, use Horus. At higher temperatures—Skor.

!!!!!!!!!Always prepare the treatment solutions strictly according to instructions. Increasing the dosage in hopes of higher efficacy can harm both plants and people. Reducing the concentration to save resources won’t yield results and will allow the pathogen to adapt to the treatment.

From the moment the fruit set reaches the size of a walnut until harvest, spray apple and pear trees with pesticides cautiously. Ideally, avoid it altogether, but if it's important to preserve the crop and stop pathogen spread quickly, chemical fungicides can help. Just remember that all treatments must stop at least 21 days before harvest.

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It’s safer to use biofungicides that protect trees from scab and other fungal diseases and preserve the environmental safety of the crop. For prevention, sprays are performed on average every 14 days. If signs of scab appear—every 7–10 days. Popular biopreparations for scab and other diseases: Fitosporin-M, Fitosporin-AS, Gamair, Alirin-B, Bactogen, Trichocin.

During crop ripening, you can use the growth regulator Silar to treat fruit trees. It has antibacterial and antifungal effects against phytopathogens and stimulates plant immunity and development. The preparation Sulfur 400 can also help deal with apple and pear scab—it has acaricidal properties as well.

After harvesting early-ripening apples and pears, trees must be treated with industrial systemic fungicides (Skor, etc.). Repeat this procedure in autumn for the remaining trees.

Folk remedies to protect against scab

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In addition to biopreparations, during active growth and fruit ripening, it’s safe to use folk remedies, such as:

Garlic infusion – pour 2 L of warm water over 200 g of garlic, infuse for a day, strain, dilute in 8 L of cold water, and add 30 g of soap;
Mustard infusion – mix 4 tbsp of mustard powder in 10 L of water, add 30 g of soap;
Horsetail infusion – fill a quarter of a bucket with crushed horsetail, pour boiling water and infuse for three days; strain, top up to 10 L and spray.
Spraying should be done in dry, windless weather. Preferably, no rain should be forecast soon; otherwise, the treatment will have to be repeated. Beforehand, clean the trunk circles and moisten the soil in them with the prepared solution.

Additional measures to protect apples and pears from scab

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Don't rely solely on fungicide spraying. It’s also important to:

combat pests that actively spread fungal and other diseases—such as aphids, mites, leafrollers, codling moths, pear psylla, etc.;
remove heavily infected plant parts, and clean up fallen fruits and leaves in the trunk circles;
use sharp and disinfected tools for pruning;
don't forget to apply mineral and organic fertilizers that boost tree immunity;
water trees during heat, especially young ones;
apply preparations based on Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma (Fitosporin-M) to the soil.

Scab pathogens affect leaves, fruits, flowers, shoots, bark, cause fruit set to fall, and promote fruit rot. We're sure you don’t want such problems in your garden, so don’t forget to protect your apple and pear trees from scab in summer—and a good harvest is guaranteed!