Why do spots appear on gooseberry leaves?

White, yellow, brown, black, red and even purple - all kinds of spots are found on gooseberry bushes. They can be small, the size of a pea, or occupy the entire leaf blade. Spots signal the presence of diseases or insects that can destroy the entire crop and infect nearby crops. The article will tell you why gooseberry leaves curl and spots appear and how to recognize the disease by its signs.

Diseases of gooseberry leaves

Gooseberries get sick for various reasons. Some plants lack light and warmth, others suffer from waterlogging or lack of nutrients in the soil. Sometimes the symptoms of the disease are noticeable immediately, sometimes they are difficult to see with the naked eye.

Spots on leaves

Spots are a sign of many diseases. For example, when infected with anthracnose, brownish-brown spots with a diameter of about 1 cm appear on the leaves, which increase in size over time. The spots merge with each other, the leaves dry out and soon fall off.

The causative agent of anthracnose is a marsupial fungus that actively spreads in hot and humid weather. The first signs of anthracnose are observed at the end of the flowering phase, around May-June. The disease also occurs due to improper care: due to excessive watering, excess or lack of mineral and organic substances.

Spots on the leaves are also a sign of septoria, or white spot. The damage is gray-white and has a clear outline.If measures are not taken to treat the gooseberry, the leaves curl and fall off. Sick branches produce weak growth, the commercial quality and taste of gooseberries deteriorate. Meanwhile, small black dots form on the spots. The development of white spotting is favored by warm weather, so the disease is more common in the southern regions. Septoria blight also occurs due to weak immunity of the variety and dense plantings.

Curling and curling of leaves

Why do the leaves curl? A common cause of this is powdery mildew. A common disease that affects young and old shrubs. At the beginning of infection, all parts of the plant are covered with a white coating, which eventually turns dark brown.

The leaves become brittle and curl, and the berries stop growing and fall off. If measures are not taken, the gooseberry will die. Spores of fungi that cause powdery mildew are easily carried by wind or insects; they overwinter on plant debris and are resistant to heat. The causes of infection are unhealthy seedlings, dirty garden tools, and diseased plants in the neighborhood.

Interesting! The leaves curl as a result of damage by spider mites or gooseberry shoot aphids. The plates become deformed, dry out and curl up. Insect pests overwinter in the soil and become active in the spring when warm weather arrives. The length of the insects is about 0.2 mm; to detect their clusters, it is recommended to regularly inspect the leaves from the inside and outside.

Leaf curl is a sign of doubleness (reversion). The disease is viral and cannot be treated. Pathogens are transmitted through ticks and live on plant cuttings.If reversion is detected, infected bushes are removed from the site and burned, and the remaining plants are disinfected with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Bronze shade

The bronze tint on the leaves appears due to goblet rust, a fungal disease. Dark spots with an orange tint appear on the plates, and yellow spore pads are visible.

Fungal spores are carried by winds and rain; the disease occurs due to weeds and dense plantings. The rapid spread of the disease is facilitated by sudden changes in weather and high humidity. Goblet rust can destroy up to 80% of the crop, so it is important to detect its symptoms in time and begin treating the bushes.

Blackheads and plaque

Blackheads appear due to scab. The disease is widespread in all regions of Russia and affects shrubs of any age. Appears due to the close occurrence of groundwater, growing bushes in lowlands, and an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. First, a light, loose coating appears on the leaves, and then black dots—mushroom fruiting bodies. The spots expand and the leaves fall off. If a dense brown film has formed, it means that the disease is progressing and saving the gooseberries is becoming more difficult every day.

The black coating occurs due to spharotheca - a marsupial fungus, the causative agent of American powdery mildew. Along with the leaves, the ends of the shoots and fruits turn black and dry out. Adult plants are especially severely affected. Favorable conditions for the spread of the disease are soil with an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Purple and red leaves

The leaves get a purple tint not because of disease, but because of a lack of minerals - phosphorus and potassium. The lower parts of the shoots and petioles change color and stop growing. To eliminate the deficiency, mineral complex fertilizers are applied. At the same time, they monitor watering, regularly loosen and mulch the soil.

In addition to the purple color, red is also found on the bushes. Gooseberry leaves turn red due to a lack of iron or boron. They solve the problem by adding fertilizing: dilute 20 g of iron sulfate in 10 liters of water. The plants are sprayed with the solution, and after 3–5 days the redness subsides.

Yellow leaves

Yellow leaf color - a signal about the appearance of a mosaic. Yellow patterns appear on the affected bush, which over time turn the leaves wrinkled and dry. The viral disease is spread by insect pests, mainly aphids and spider mites.

Interesting! In addition to spots or plaque, mold also appears on gooseberries: white, yellow, gray, brown. The reasons for its appearance are a damp growing area, excess fertilizing, and thickened planting. They get rid of the problem with the help of ash infusion: for 12 liters of water, 1 kg of dry ash and 500 ml of liquid soap. The solution is infused for 3 days, filtered and watered over the gooseberries.

Mosaic appears if annual sanitary pruning of bushes, do not remove dry and old shoots. The disease reduces crop yields and quickly spreads to neighboring plants.

How to treat bushes

To avoid the occurrence of diseases, experienced summer residents recommend paying attention to preventive measures.

Such procedures include:

• disinfection of seedlings and cuttings;
• planting gooseberries in a clean area without last year’s plant residues and weeds;
• disinfection of garden equipment before procedures;
• maintaining distance when boarding;
• regular spraying with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or folk remedies;
• inspection of bushes;
• collection and removal of fallen leaves;
• keeping the beds clean.

To treat viral and fungal diseases, the systemic fungicide “Topaz” is used. It is suitable for the treatment of all varieties of gooseberries, has flexible terms of use and long-lasting action. To prepare the working solution, use 10 liters of water and 2 ml of the drug. Gooseberries are sprayed with a spray bottle in dry weather, in the morning or evening. “Topaz” is used against powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose and white spot.

To get rid of insect pests “Tanrek” is used: it destroys adults and larvae. The product is not washed off by rain and is not affected by high temperatures, destroys aphids and spider mites. Pests die within 2-3 hours. After 2-3 days, the effect of the procedure is secured with garlic infusion (300 g of peeled garlic per 10 liters of water). The solution is mixed and filtered, and used for spraying.

Against bacterial diseases use a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. For preparation, you need 10 liters of water, 100 g of copper sulfate and 100 g of quicklime. The ingredients are mixed and sprayed every 2–4 weeks throughout the growing season.

Conclusion

Light leaves on gooseberries indicate infection with powdery mildew, red or purple spots indicate a lack of mineral elements, yellow patterns indicate a mosaic.

In order for gooseberries to grow healthy and bear fruit consistently, it is recommended to treat them with antimicrobial agents and inspect them for external signs of infection.When the leaves curl, the shrub is sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture; when spots appear, with an ash solution or Topaz fungicide.