Content
Aphids on plum trees can appear at any time throughout the growing season. Every gardener should know how to deal with it in order to preserve the harvest. After all, this pest, despite its small size, can cause a lot of trouble. And not only in the current, but also in the next season. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with what can be used to treat a tree in spring and summer if aphids have attacked the plum.
Aphids do not cause the death of trees, but significantly weaken them
Description and types of aphids
This pest is distributed throughout the world. In total there are about 5 thousand species of aphids. But only three of them can appear on a plum. They are all similar to each other, but they also have some differences.
Gall aphid on plum
This type of aphid is characterized by an ovoid body shape. Its size barely reaches 2 mm. The color is pale green with a yellowish tint. The body of the pest is covered with sparse light hairs. During the season, 4-20 generations of gall aphids appear.
As a result of the pest's activity, the plum leaves become deformed. Characteristic swellings appear on them - galls. That is why this species got its name.
Gall aphids primarily attack white and red currants
Green aphid on plum
On plums you can also find green aphids, the shade of which is more saturated than that of the gall aphid and has a gray tint. The body shape of this species is close to ellipsoid. The cover is soft. The size of an adult varies between 2-3 mm.
The body consists of three sections: head, chest, abdomen. The mouthparts of this and other species are of the sucking type.
Green aphids are difficult to detect when their numbers are low due to their color
Black aphid on plum
Plum trees can also suffer from black aphids. This is a small insect with an ovoid body, the size of which is 1-2 mm. The colony is localized on the reverse side of the leaves. Despite having six walking legs, the black aphid moves slowly.
In terms of body structure and appearance, this aphid is in many ways similar to its relatives. Up to 15 generations are formed per season.
Each female black aphid lays 60-80 eggs throughout her life.
Reasons for appearance
In the middle of the season, winged females emerge from the laid eggs and are responsible for the spread of the species. It is they who subsequently lay eggs on the plum. From them emerge the founding females, who cannot fly but are highly fertile. Thanks to them, the colony quickly grows in a new place.
Ants also contribute to the spread of aphids. Because they feed on the product of their vital activity - copper dew.They not only protect aphids from natural enemies, but also store their eggs in an anthill in the winter, and with the arrival of spring they raise them to the tops of plum shoots.
What does aphid look like on a plum tree?
It is difficult to detect damage when the number of aphids is small, since they lead a secretive lifestyle. But with a significant increase in the colony, the signs become obvious.
Among them:
- deformed leaves;
- plates folded into a boat;
- twisted young branches;
- drying of shoots;
- shedding of the ovary;
- reduction in fruit size;
- leaf fall
Ants scurrying everywhere should be a cause for concern. Because this is the first sign of aphids appearing in the garden.
What harm does
The pest feeds on plum cell sap. This leads to disruption of metabolic processes and negatively affects the development of plums. Against this background, its resistance to adverse weather conditions decreases. As a result, plum yields are sharply reduced and the taste of the fruit deteriorates.
An aphid invasion is especially dangerous for young immature seedlings. Because this can lead to their freezing in winter.
Copper dew, which is secreted by aphids, is a favorable environment for the development of sooty fungus. It appears as a thick black coating on the leaves. Sooty fungus interferes with the process of photosynthesis. And this leads to a deficiency of nutritional components, which only enhances the negative impact.
Aphids are carriers of viral diseases
How to save a plum from aphids
If a plum is attacked by aphids, it is necessary to take comprehensive control measures.Chemical and biological preparations, folk remedies, as well as a mechanical method of pest control help to cope with the problem, which will protect the plum at any period of its development.
Chemicals for killing aphids on plums
You can quickly destroy aphids on plums using insecticides. However, their use is prohibited during the period of flowering and fruit ripening. Treatment should be carried out in the evening or morning in dry, windless weather. When using insecticides, safety precautions must be observed.
The following drugs will help remove aphids from plums:
- Actellik. This drug has contact-intestinal and fumigation effects. It is a concentrated emulsion that must be diluted with water. The active component is pirimiphos-methyl. The drug begins to act almost immediately after spraying. To remove aphids from plums, you need to dilute 7 ml of the drug in 10 liters of water.
Actellik is an organophosphorus compound
- Spark Double effect. The high effectiveness of the product against aphids is due to the presence of two active components in its composition: cypermethrin and permethrin. The drug also contains anti-stress substances and fertilizer, which speeds up the recovery process. Available in tablet form, which should be dissolved in 10 liters of water.
Spark Double effect provides protection against aphids for three weeks
- Fufanon. This product has a contact-intestinal and fumigation effect. Contains the active ingredient malathion. The drug immobilizes aphids 1-2 hours after spraying, which leads to their death within a day.If the plum is attacked by aphids, you need to dissolve 5 ml of the product in 10 liters of water and evenly spray the crown, trunk and skeletal branches.
Fufanon is also effective against ticks
Biological preparations against aphids on plums
The peculiarity of these drugs is that they do not contain synthetic toxic components. Biological products are of natural origin and are safer than chemical ones. Their waiting period does not exceed three days. This allows you to treat plums against aphids even with fruits.
You can get rid of the pest using:
- Guapsina;
Guapsin combines the properties of an insecticide and fungicide
- Fitoverma;
Fitoverm has three hazard classes
- Aktophyta.
Aktofit has a specific smell
Folk remedies for aphids on plums
Folk remedies also help cope with pest infestations. Their advantage is that treating plums against aphids is possible even during the fruiting period. However, it should be understood that folk remedies give a short-term effect and should be used every 7-10 days.
They are also ineffective when the colony size is large. Because they do not cause the death of pests, but only have a repellent effect.
The best folk remedies for aphids on plums:
- Tobacco. To prepare the working fluid, you need to cut the leaves and shoots of the plant and fill them with hot water in a ratio of 1:2. Let the product sit for a day, then boil for 30 minutes. Clean after cooling.Before spraying the plum tree against aphids before and after flowering, as well as throughout the entire growing season, it is necessary to further dilute the concentrate with water in a ratio of 1 to 3.
- Wood ash. This component helps not only get rid of the pest, but also feed the plum. To prepare the product, add 200 g of wood ash to 1 liter of hot water, stir and leave for 24 hours. Before use, the product must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 3 and filtered. Wood ash can be used even if aphids appear on a flowering plum tree.
- Garlic. Grind the young tops or cloves of the spicy vegetable. Pour the mixture with warm water in a ratio of 1 to 3. Leave for three days, strain. Before processing plums, the concentrate must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2.
- Onion peel. To get rid of aphids on a drain in the summer, you need to pour 500 g of the component with hot water and boil for 30 minutes after cooling, strain the product. Before use, the solution should be further diluted with water 1:2.
Mechanical method
To destroy aphids, you can use special trapping belts. They should be installed on the plum tree trunk in the spring. Ants will not be able to overcome such a barrier, which will significantly reduce the number of aphids.
You can also fight the pest with the help of birds. To do this, you should hang feeders in the garden, regularly filling them with food.
How to protect plums from aphids
The likelihood of injury can be reduced by taking preventive measures. However, their effectiveness depends on regularity.
Basic preventive measures:
- collecting and burning fallen leaves;
- removal of root shoots;
- destruction of anthills;
- scraping off exfoliated areas of bark followed by whitewashing;
- close planting of garlic, onions, marigolds.
Varieties resistant to aphids
An aphid invasion can be prevented by giving preference to plum varieties characterized by increased resistance to adverse external factors.
These include the following types:
- Starting;
Starter needs pollinators
- Zarechnaya early;
Zarechnaya early is distinguished by large-fruited
- Moscow Hungarian;
Hungarian Muscovy is characterized by stable productivity
- Firefly;
Firefly belongs to the category of early ripening unpretentious varieties
Conclusion
Aphids on plum trees may appear in spring and summer. After all, this pest is activated at elevated air temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly inspect young leaves and shoot tips to prevent mass spread. This will allow you to process the plum in a timely manner and minimize damage.
