Content
Any lemon disease is a potential threat to the life of the plant. Without timely treatment, there is a high risk of death of an ornamental tree or a deterioration in its general condition, a decrease in the volume of fruiting.
Indoor lemon diseases: causes and treatment
When growing homemade lemons, owners are faced with diseases and pests. Bacterial and viral infections and parasitic insects interfere with normal growth and fruiting.
Viral
The main reasons that provoke the development of diseases are violations of the rules of plant care. Due to improper planting, watering or pruning, the lemon's immunity is reduced, which allows viruses to quickly destroy the tree.
Citrus cancer
Infection occurs through the mouths of leaves when the lemon is damaged. As the cancer progresses, dark brown spots with a yellow rim appear on the leaf blades. Citrus cancer gradually spreads to the fruits of the plant.
At home, a lemon affected by the disease sheds its leaves and stops growing. Photo of citrus cancer:
The shoots gradually die off, the affected fruits stop ripening and fall off.
Tristeza
Translated from Latin, the disease stands for “sad virus.” Young trees are especially susceptible to tristesis.
The initial symptom of the disease is deterioration in growth and shredding of the fruit. Whitened veins on the leaf blades help determine the presence of tristeza. They gradually turn yellow and dry out. In a lemon affected by the disease, the leaves fall off, convex furrows appear on the bark, and the plant dies.
There are no varieties of lemons resistant to Tristeza. The virus can remain dormant for a long time and not manifest itself externally. This increases the risk of infection of other plantings when using lemon cuttings for grafting.
There are no effective treatments for tristeza; it is recommended to destroy the tree.
Sheet mosaic
The affected leaf blades change their shade: dark and light spots appear on them, similar in appearance to a mosaic. As the disease progresses, they turn pale, lose their shape, young shoots develop with defects, and the tree grows more slowly. To distinguish mosaic from other diseases of lemon leaves, just look at the photo. Treating a viral disease is ineffective: the plant quickly dies. The lemon is moved to quarantine, and regular feeding is carried out. A completely affected tree should be destroyed.
Fungal and infectious
Fungal spores and harmful bacteria that penetrate the plant weaken its immunity, which provokes its rapid death. Their timely identification and destruction allows you to save the lemon.
A favorable environment for fungi and bacteria is a small amount of light and high soil moisture, and improper fertilizing.
Anthracnose
The fungus affects the above-ground parts of the plant: small leaf plates turn black, pale green spots appear on the finally formed parts of the shoot, gradually changing color to light brown.
Lemon disease affects not only the leaves, but also the fruits. From the photo it is possible to evaluate the appearance of a plant suffering from anthracnose.
When the fungus appears during the flowering period, the buds wither and fall off. From the surviving ovaries, fruits are formed with defects and small sizes.
Where the trunk is damaged, cracks form, the color changes to black, and gum formation is possible on young branches.
Therapeutic measures for anthracnose of lemon: the damaged parts of the tree are removed, mineral fertilizers are added to the soil, and watering is monitored. To destroy the fungus, use the drug Previkur or Bordeaux mixture (1% solution).
Malsecco
A fungal infection is characterized by the appearance of yellow veins on the leaves in the initial stages. Then the non-lignified shoots wither and the plant gradually dries out. On the diseased lemon trunk, pycnidia of the fungus appear, almost invisible to the human eye.
The main symptom confirming the development of malsecco is a change in the color of the core of the shoots to red.
In the early stages of the disease, it is impossible to identify malsecco, so when caring for lemons, it is recommended to adhere to the rules of agricultural technology. A completely damaged tree cannot be saved.
Root rot
Lemon is destroyed by a certain type of fungus - late blight, which lives in the soil. When favorable conditions are created for them (high humidity), they attack the root system. The absorption of moisture and nutrients is disrupted, which affects the appearance of the lemon.
Characteristic signs: the leaves turn yellow and die, the fruits are small, the bark near the trunk is damaged, gradually peels off, and gum oozes over its surface. When extracting the roots, a change in their color, the presence of exfoliated surfaces, and wateriness are noted.
To treat lemon from root rot, it is recommended to replant the plant; before doing this, cut off the affected roots, treat them with fungicidal agents, and ensure soil drainage.
Scab
Young shoots, unripe fruits and leaves are susceptible to warts (scab). The branches become covered with growths, and spots of first orange and then brown appear on the fruits.
To destroy fungus spread by insects and wind, use the drug Strobilin. Before treatment with the product, the affected parts of the tree are cut off and burned. It is recommended to irrigate the cut area with a 1% vitriol solution.
For prevention, primary treatment with the product is carried out in March, then in June and July. If possible, the plant is replanted.
Gommoz
The main symptom of lemon disease is gum discharge. Brown spots appear on the trunk, in place of which the bark gradually dies, and yellow gum is released from the resulting cracks.
The cause of gommosis is a deficiency of potassium and phosphorus in the soil, and an excess of nitrogen.Provoking factors are shallow drainage and improper planting.
To treat gum disease, the damaged lemon bark is cleaned with a sharp knife, then the wound is treated with copper sulfate (3% solution). Garden varnish is applied on top of it.
Sooty fungus
This type of mold is characterized by the appearance as a result of the activity of aphids and scale insects. Pests distribute honeydew over the leaf blades, on which fungal spores that were previously in the soil multiply.
The fungus is characterized by the appearance of a black coating on the leaves, reminiscent of soot. Due to the activity of bacteria, other diseases are often associated with sooty fungus.
To get rid of sooty fungus, you need to get rid of scale insects and aphids. After disinfection, the aboveground part of the lemon is washed using Neem oil.
Indoor lemon pests and their control
It is impossible to prevent the attack of harmful insects. They tend to reproduce quickly and tend to destroy the plant. To prevent their rapid spread throughout plantings, regular inspection of trees is important.
Root aphid
A small insect, whose place of residence is the root system, damages the plant, which, due to the activity of the pest, is not able to fully receive nutrients.
When root aphids appear, signs of lemon death appear: fruits and ovaries fall off or do not develop, leaf blades curl.
To get rid of aphids, it is important to regularly destroy weeds, which have a beneficial effect on the reproduction of the pest.
It is recommended to destroy damaged plants, or if the disease is detected early, treat the lemon with insecticides Akarin, Fufanon or Guapsin.As a result of spraying, the aphids are paralyzed and die.
Common aphid
Among the diseases and pests of homemade lemons, aphids are the most common. The result of its life activity is the destruction of leaf plates. The insect damages their lower part, gradually moving upward, sucking out the juices. The castings dry out and fall off.
To get rid of aphids, the affected shoots are pruned, after which complex fertilizer is applied to the soil. In case of a massive pest attack, the lemon is irrigated with an insecticide or garlic infusion. To prepare the latter, 4 heads of garlic are poured into 5 liters of water and left for 24 hours. Spray the plant with the prepared solution.
Shchitovka
The pest appears on lemons that are grown at home, penetrating from the street. It is brought along with flowers or fruits or contaminated soil.
Scale insects are very small and move quickly, making them difficult to see. When there is a massive accumulation of the parasite on the leaves, you can see brown tubercles. As a result of the life activity of the scale insect, yellowish spots remain on the leaves.
Among the mechanical methods of getting rid of the indoor lemon pest, it is recommended to clean the tree of insects with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. Actara or Actellik are used as chemical treatments.
Spider mite
This insect is an almost invisible representative among diseases and pests of indoor lemon. The size of the tick does not exceed 2 mm; it can be seen through a magnifying glass.
The pest feeds on plant sap, living on the underside of the leaves. As its activity progresses, the shoots dry out. You can find yellow spots and cobwebs on the leaf.
Common chemical agents for controlling spider mites:
- Demitan;
- Phytofarm;
- Actellik.
Among the traditional methods, it is recommended to use a soap solution, which is used to wipe each lemon leaf, then the pot and all nearby surfaces.
How to treat lemon against pests
Taking preventative measures against insects is one way to protect lemons.
It is recommended to wash the wood once a month in the shower using a soapy solution. Before the procedure, cover the soil in the pot so as not to damage the root system.
Mustard solution helps prevent and get rid of indoor lemon pests. The powder is poured into 1000 ml of water and left for 72 hours, after which the wood is treated. Before the procedure, the product is diluted with 3 liters of water.
Infusion of tobacco with soap is also effective against pests. To prepare it, 50 g of tobacco is poured into 1000 ml of boiling water and left for 24 hours, then boiled for half an hour and cooled. Add 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of soap shavings to the solution. The resulting product can be used for spraying or washing.
Set of preventive measures
The main way to prevent pests and diseases from appearing on lemons is to follow the rules of agricultural technology. The tree must be planted in well-drained soil and provided with sufficient light and moisture.
It is necessary to regularly inspect the lemon: all damaged shoots are removed, wounds or cuts are treated with garden varnish.
Conclusion
Any lemon disease can lead to the death of the plant, so timely tree care and preventive measures are crucial. Most insecticides and antiseptics have a wide range of applications and are therefore used for the same diseases. The success of treatment depends on the degree of damage to the lemon and the plant’s resistance to the disease.
The indoor lemon has lords on the leaf, the edges of the leaf are green, first they live yellow, then the leaf, then the leaves fall off.