Diseases of flower seedlings and their treatment. Control of diseases and pests of seedlings. Disinfection won't hurt

the most common disease with waterlogging, low temperatures, thickened crops, lack of light and poor soil. It is caused by a range of soil fungi and affects many crops. But the symptoms are the same. In the lower part, at the root collar, the stalk darkens, rots and breaks. Nutrients do not come up and the plant dies. Control measures. The diseased plant is carefully dug out together with a lump of soil, the rest is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 10 l of water) weekly.

root rot can cause many fungi and bacteria with improper care (waterlogging, cold water, low temperature, poor soil, excess fertilizer or pesticides). The signs of root rot are as follows: the main root and root neck become brown, the stem becomes thinner, the leaves turn pale, the plant dies. Control measures. Remove diseased plants. Chalk, humus, sand are poured under the affected plants. Watered with a solution of foundationazole or copper-containing fungicides (oksihom, azophos).

. The disease is seed-borne and persists in the soil on infected plant debris. Infection begins from the root system, from where the fungus gradually spreads through the vessels and other tissues to above-ground organs. The leaves turn pale, then droop and dry out. Affected roots become brittle, diseased plants lie down and are easily removed from the soil. The stems rot near the root neck, with high humidity a pinkish coating of sporulation of the fungus is formed. Plants are more often affected after picking and transplanting, when the roots are badly damaged. Weakened plants are more severely and quickly affected. Control measures. Remove diseased plants with a lump of soil, the rest are watered with a solution of fungicides.

Gray rot. Aquilegia, balsam, dahlias and zinnia often die from the disease. Pale brown spreading spots appear on the leaves and stems. With increased moisture, the spots are wet, putrid, a dark gray, fluffy coating from the sporulation of the fungus forms on top. Control measures. Sprayed 2-4 times in 10 days with a copper-soap solution or other copper-containing fungicides, or a solution of potassium permanganate.

It mainly affects seedlings of barberry, petunia, rose, salvia, sedum, surfinia, cineraria, zinnia. A powdery powder coating appears on both sides of the leaves, which then becomes compacted. Young leaves are deformed, dry out or fall off, the stems are bent. Control measures. Sprayed 2-4 times after 7 days with a solution of foundationazole or topaz, or a 0.5% solution of soda ash, or a copper-soap solution.

quila affects seedlings of plants of the cruciferous family, for example, levkoy, alissum, arabis, obrieta, hesperis, lobularia, iberis, lunaria (lunar), cheirantus. Kila most often affects plants on wet, heavy, acidic soils. The pathogen can persist in the soil on the affected plant remains for 4-6 years in the form of resting spores. Under favorable conditions, they germinate and infect the roots, causing the formation of tumors and growths. Deformed roots are not able to fully supply the plant with water and nutrients. This leads to stunted growth and wilting. In diseased plants, underdeveloped inflorescences, or they do not bloom at all and dry out. Control measures. Removal and destruction of diseased plants with roots and a clod of earth. Moderate watering. The remaining holes are covered with chalk, crushed charcoal or ash, and fresh soil. Watered with a solution of fungicides (foundazol, oksikhom, sumilex).

Every gardener will certainly encounter many problems when growing seedlings. Then the seedlings will die, then nothing will sprout at all, then root rot will suddenly appear and all the work will go to waste. To avoid such incidents, you need to know the rules for growing certain crops. This article will focus on growing seedlings of flowers.

To grow healthy seedlings, high-quality seeds prepared for planting, a temperature comfortable for this flower, seedling soil, lighting at dusk, regular watering, and fertilizers are needed.

Required inventory

For growing seedlings of ornamental flowering plants, you need: a marker, a syringe for liquid fertilizers, cassettes, boxes, a watering can with a strainer, glass and various lamps for additional illumination, a spray gun, tweezers.

Growing seedlings will require practical knowledge and experience from you. If neither one nor the other was, then start with large seeds of dahlias, zinnia, petunia, purslane. They germinate quickly, do not require special conditions, unpretentious.

Depending on the speed of seed germination and the flowering time of plants, the timing of planting is determined. For example, levkoy before germination grow 3-5 days; calendula, aster, petunia, zinnia - 7-10 days, begonia and snapdragons - about 20 days.

Calendula, usually blooming for 40-60 days, is sown at the end of March, early April, petunia and purslane, blooming at 80-120 days - in mid-February, begonias, salvia and carnations of Shabo blooming at 120-180 days are sown at the end of the month of January .

Preparatory work

Seeds of disease-prone plants are soaked in a weak (0.1%) solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, and then washed with clean water. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use "Fitovital", phytosporin, "Stimulin" and similar drugs, which are used according to the instructions. We also recommend stratifying them to improve the germination of seeds - spread the seeds on the ground under polyethylene, keep them on the top shelf of the refrigerator for 2 weeks, and then put them in a warm place.

The soil

For sowing seeds, it is best to use peat-based soil. This fully prepared soil contains no weed seeds, is air and water permeable, and contains few nutrients.

It is not necessary to warm up, steam, sterilize the soil - after that it becomes dead, unsuitable for plants. There is also no need to shed it with fungicides and stimulants.

Soils for dived seedlings should be done independently, since the quality and composition of shop soils are unpredictable.

The composition of home soil is as follows: 3-5 liters of any purchased soil based on turf, 10% river sand and 20-30% humus. Stir until a loose, crumbly mixture without lumps is obtained.

About lighting

Since most annuals come from the tropics, in winter they need additional lighting with fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. Otherwise, the plants will turn pale, their stems will become thin and lifeless, and eventually the seedlings will get sick.

At a distance of 25-30 cm from the window sill plantation, a lamp is placed, which is used at dusk for at least 6 hours a day, it is possible for three hours in the early morning and evening. With such lighting, the seedlings will immediately get stronger.

Seedling temperature

The temperature of the room for keeping seedlings is also extremely important, because there are plants that are very whimsical in terms of heat. Give some heat, some cool.

Most of the plants germinate at a temperature of 18-20 degrees Celsius, but for some flowers a lower temperature is acceptable. For example, snapdragon sprouts at 8-12 degrees, ageratum, Goditia, sweet peas - at 12-15 degrees, aster and left-handed - at 15-16 degrees, viola and carnation - at 15-18 degrees.

Watering

When watering crops, the soil should not be eroded, so small seeds are sprayed from a spray gun, and large ones from a small watering can. Use ordinary tap water for irrigation, settled or boiled, at room temperature.

top dressing

When two true leaves appear, liquid mineral fertilizers for seedlings should be added to the water for irrigation. A small amount of fertilizer is diluted in water in accordance with the instructions. If the plantings begin to stretch, then they need to add lighting at night and pour calcium, and if the leaves begin to turn yellow, feed them with iron.

Growing seedlings requires a thorough knowledge of many rules. Let's dwell on some of them.

About timing

To obtain early flowering or early vegetables, similar methods of growing seedlings are used. Many flowers can be grown in seedlings, among them are poppies, annual phloxes, ageratum, snapdragons, etc.

In late January - early February, early seedlings are planted, flowers appear on it 10-12 weeks after sowing.

About "dishes"

There are a lot of containers for seedlings today, but they have one big minus - a large capacity and, consequently, a large amount of soil. Usually, gardeners use various small dishes, disposable cups, packaging from under something, and even cat trays. Deep pots will be needed only after picking. They are sold in many flower shops complete with a pallet, but it is cheaper and more profitable to use disposable plastic cups. Here, the land will take less, and much cheaper.

Sowing

We level the soil poured into the prepared dishes, crush it slightly, watching the filling of the corners.

Large seeds of morning glory and ornamental beans can be immediately planted one at a time without further picking.

We plant small seeds in small grooves with a wet toothpick so that the distance between them is about a centimeter. Coated seeds (coated with various fertilizers and stimulants) are best planted with tweezers. If you want to plant quickly, you can mix the seeds with sand and scatter a thin layer over the surface of the soil. In this case, later the sprouts will have to be thinned out.

Small and very small seeds in the grooves are not leveled, and those that are larger can be sprinkled a little on top.

Finished containers are covered with glass or polyethylene. The soil in such a greenhouse does not dry out, a crust does not form. However, periodically it needs to be ventilated and not watch for the complete removal of the cover - it is fraught with a black leg.

Care

After the emergence of seedlings, we carefully monitor the moisture content of the greenhouses. You need to ventilate and open every day, water or spray twice a week. When everyone who could climb has ascended, we open the greenhouses.

After the appearance of two true leaves, the plants dive.

Selected, large sprouts are carefully taken out, swooped down and transplanted into separate pots with light, moistened soil.

There is little room for development in the general box, so young plants dive as follows:

• Seedlings are carefully watered and a sprout is taken out of an earthy coma with a thin stick;

• The central root is shortened by about a third, but this is not necessary for thin seedlings of flowers - you can ruin the plant;

• The plant is planted in a recess in the pre-watered earth and the soil is compacted so that it stands upright.

• Lightly sprayed with water with epin or other energy drink and covered for 2 days.

After picking, the temperature in the room is lowered, and hardening begins.

This involves moving the flowers to a cool place and taking them out to a sunny balcony.

Heat-loving plants require daytime temperatures of 20°C and above, night temperatures of 15°C.

Cold-resistant tolerate fluctuations during the day from 16 to 25 ° C, and at night up to 8 ° C.

Transplanted into open ground only after spring frosts.

Possible problems and diseases

With excessive moisture, a black leg occurs, characterized by thinning of the stem, pale leaves and blackening at the base of the root. Sick plants are removed, and the rest are sprinkled with crushed chalk and watered with foundationazole.

When a fluffy, dark gray coating appears, the plants are sprayed twice with a solution of potassium permanganate, after a week the spraying is repeated.

Powdery mildew can destroy immature plants. It is characterized by damage to the leaves, powdery coating on them. In the future, the stems are bent, the leaves fall off. At the first sign of illness, spray with foundationazole or a solution of soda ash.

And lastly, flower seedlings, which you can easily buy both in the store and at the flower market - it’s better to try to grow them with your own hands. After all, in fact, this is the creation, the awakening of a new life. And it's always interesting, will something work out in the end? So, we wish you that this something will not only work out, but also endlessly delight you with its blooming appearance throughout the summer. No matter how difficult it is to grow flowers, in the summer they will thank their owner with a riot of colors and aromas. Good luck with your floriculture!

If you have some experience in growing flowers, please share your tips in the comments.

Healthy and strong seedlings are the key to a future harvest. When to plant seedlings, tell you. But at the very beginning of their development, immature seedlings can become victims of various diseases and pests.

There are many of them in nature, but they can and should be dealt with, including with the help of preventive measures. We will talk about diseases and pests of seedlings in today's article.

Seedling diseases

Both beginners and experienced gardeners often encounter such a phenomenon as blackleg. This is a fungal infection that is found in the soil. Infectious pathogens of the black leg get to the seedlings precisely with which we are preparing for growing seedlings.

A decrease in temperature or an excess of moisture provoke an “offensive” of infection on young seedlings. To prevent its appearance and development, a small amount should be applied to the soil intended for growing seedlings.

In addition, it is important to monitor the temperature regime and watering, trying to grow seedlings in optimal conditions for this. Excessive dampness is dangerous for both young and adult plants, so systematically add a small amount of river sand to the seedlings to be on the safe side.

If the black leg still managed to hit part of the seedlings, do not rush to give up. The fungus begins to capture the root neck of plants, while blocking their nutrition through the vascular system of the stem. As a result, seedlings no longer receive enough nutrients and moisture from the soil. Gradually, the seedlings begin to die. If you find that the stems of plants at the root collar have darkened and become unusually thinner, we are talking about black leg.

Black leg at the seedling

Cope with disease a temporary cessation of watering, removal of weak and seriously affected senets with their subsequent destruction, transplantation of more or less healthy seedlings into other containers with soil disinfected with potassium permanganate solution will help. Only in this way can the surviving plants be saved. After transplanting, it is better to water them with water with the addition of Energen and lime water.

It happens that the infection managed to destroy the entire population of young seedlings. In this case, you do not need to replant anything, it is important to destroy all the plants along with the clod of earth in which they were grown. Thus, you will destroy the infection and prevent its spread to neighboring containers with seedlings.

fomoz

One more fungal disease - phomosis. Most often affects young cabbage seedlings. And if the infectious pathogen of the black leg lives in the soil, then the phomosis infection is found in the seeds. For this reason, dealing with this fungus is much easier and more productive than with the insidious black leg.

To prevent the development of phomosis, you just need to soak the seeds in a disinfectant solution of potassium permanganate for about an hour before sowing the seeds. Otherwise, the infection can affect the seedlings. In this case, you will see spots with black patches on the stems and leaves of the growing seedlings.

It is almost impossible to save plants affected by phomosis . It remains either to destroy the seedlings and grow a new one, or to wait what will happen to the plants next. As a rule, in the open field, seedlings affected by phomosis begin to develop very slowly, its lower row of leaves acquires a blue or red tint, and the stem begins to thin and break, by analogy with the defeat of plants with a black leg.

If you do not see the disease on time and plant diseased seedlings in your summer cottage, then after that it will not be possible to plant crops from the cruciferous family on these beds for 5 years. Be carefull!

White leaf spot

And again we will talk about fungal infection. In most cases white leaf spot infects tomatoes. Initially, signs of the disease are found on the underside of the seedling leaves in the form of whitish spots with dark patches and a dark rim. Soon the disease moves to the whole plant, the spots begin to merge with each other, covering the leaves and stems of the seedlings completely. Gradually affected by the disease, the leaves begin to crumble.

The infectious agent remains in plant debris of affected plants. If they are not destroyed, the disease remains active in the soil, the reuse of which will infect a new group of seedlings.

To prevent the development of the disease , do not bring it into the soil in your summer cottage, it is necessary to destroy all plants at the first sign of white leaf spot.

And again this fungal infection mainly affects tomato seedlings. As with the previous disease, the fungus first captures the lower row of leaves, on the surface of which blurry yellow spots can be found. At the same time, an olive coating forms on the lower part of the leaves. Very quickly, the spots capture the entire plant, acquire a brown color. The leaves are starting to fall off. The disease spreads at lightning speed under conditions of high humidity and temperature.

It is important to destroy diseased plants as quickly as possible so that plant residues do not get into the soil, especially if the seedlings are already planted in open ground. To prevent the disease, it is important to remember that tomatoes love dry air and cannot tolerate excess moisture.

All activated due to high humidity. Therefore, if you grow seedlings in dry air, near central heating radiators and heaters, try to ventilate the room more often. When the opportunity arises, take the grown seedlings to fresh air under the rays of the spring sun.

The death of the root system in seedlings

Sometimes vegetable seedlings stop growing, stop growing, become lethargic, and eventually die. This happens more often in inexperienced gardeners. They begin to look for spots, a black leg, pests on the seedlings, but nothing of the kind is found, and the plants continue to die. What's the matter? Only in improper care of seedlings!

If you watered the seedlings with cold water, then the root system will inevitably die. If you put the seedlings on the windowsill, closer to the glass, trying to give them more sunlight, then you might not take into account that even in April it can be quite cool on the windowsill, especially for freshly watered plants. Cold destroys seedlings, remember this.

quila

Kila infects cruciferous plants and flower crops. The infectious agent in the form of spores continues to live in the soil for a long time, getting into it with the plant remains of diseased plants. When favorable conditions arise, keel spores begin to actively multiply and infect the root system of plants.

Roots affected by the disease look ugly - growths-tumors appear on them. A damaged root system is not able to fully nourish the plant, as a result of which it will soon die. In most cases, clubroot is found in heavy acidic soils.

How to deal with kila? First of all, this is the liming of acidic soil, a moderate watering regime, the destruction of diseased seedlings along with a clod of earth. The holes that remained after the seedlings were removed must be treated with charcoal, lime or.

Fusarium

Most often this fungal infection affects flower crops, in particular asters. The infectious agent lives both in the seeds and in the soil. Initially, the disease begins to affect the roots of the plant, and then, in an ascending way, it rises along the stems of the seedlings and captures all the organs of the seedlings.

As a result, the root system begins to rot, and diseased plants are effortlessly pulled out of the ground, as if they had no root at all. Following the roots, the root neck and stem begin to rot. The leaves begin to turn pale and crumble. The disease more often affects seedlings, which hardly endured the picking process, during which they suffered damage to the root system.

As a fight the selection of seed material is used exclusively from healthy plants, the disinfection of seeds and soil before sowing, the destruction of diseased seedlings and the complete replacement of the soil in the focus of the disease.

seedling pests

Aphid control consists in the treatment of plants with infusions of garlic and wormwood, special insecticides.

This the pest affects mainly vegetable crops, petunias and fragrant tobacco. The whitefly can be seen in incident light - this insect reaches a length of 1 mm, pale yellow in color with two pairs of wings. The main harm to plants is delivered by larvae that feed on the juice of the plant, which leads to its withering and complete drying. Larvae can be found on the underside of the leaves. The insect is also dangerous because it can infect seedlings with other viral diseases, as it is their carrier.

To combat the greenhouse whitefly should apply Phosbecid or Karbofos by spraying the plant with these preparations during the growing season. You can also wash the bottom of the seedlings with cool water, and then carefully loosen the soil to bury the pests that have fallen during washing. On warm sunny days, the greenhouse whitefly can accumulate on window panes, at which time it can be destroyed with Dichlorvos.

Often settles on young seedlings sprout fly, which fell into the soil along with humus. In warm conditions, it begins active life, laying eggs on the surface of the soil and damaging the first seedlings of plants. In size, the germ fly reaches 3 mm, so it can be seen with the naked eye.

To destroy the sprout fly , it is important to steam the soil immediately before growing seedlings and before picking. It is also important to avoid overwatering.

Almost invisible to the naked eye, but far from a safe pest that affects almost all seedlings -. The disease becomes noticeable with an abundance of ticks - the leaves of the seedlings begin to turn pale, turn yellow and crumble. The spider mite is destroyed via Aktellika and Fitoverma.

How to deal with seedling pests?

In fact, chemicals are practically powerless in the fight against pests, since the latter quickly restore the size of their population. In addition, chemicals are not safe for the structure of the soil and the plant itself, since they contain pesticides. For this reason, the most relevant are preventive measures, not a chemical attack.

The basic rule in the prevention of diseases and the appearance of pests on seedlings is maintaining optimal humidity and temperature conditions as well as seed material. If the soil intended for growing seedlings is steamed ahead of time, then harmful insects and microorganisms can begin their development again, for example, an excess of nitrogenous compounds improves the conditions for the development of aphids and spider mites.

Pest control should begin either immediately after their discovery, or focusing on the coming dates - he will tell you the most successful day. Preference should be given to biological plant protection products, which you can read about in. From what you can buy, Fitoverm, Agrovertin and CE (low-toxic means of microbiological synthesis) will help. Before using any drug, be sure to read the instructions that come with it.

O. O. Beloshapkina,
doctor of agricultural sciences

Growing healthy, strong seedlings of flower crops is not an easy task, because seedlings quite often suffer from infectious and non-infectious diseases. Timely prevention and protective measures will help prevent plant damage or reduce damage if the disease has already manifested itself.

SUBSTRATE - LOOSE AND NUTRITIONAL

A properly prepared soil substrate must, firstly, meet the requirements of plants in terms of its agrophysical properties: be loose, moisture-intensive, with a certain acidity, provided with nutrients. Secondly, do not contain soil pests and pathogens, weed seeds, and toxic impurities.

Today, a fairly wide range of ready-made soils is on sale. Their basis is low-lying or high-moor peat, with certain acidity indicators, usually pH 5.5-6.0. Sometimes, for better aeration of the roots, peat is mixed with perlite.

The seeds contain all the nutrients needed by the plant at the first stage, so the soil substrate does not have to be fertile. But for further successful cultivation of seedlings (from the beginning of the development of true leaves), it is required to provide it with a complex of macro- and microelements located in the soil, or in the form of additional nutrition with top dressing.

Sometimes, to control the growth of seedlings, it is required to introduce elements in a strictly defined ratio; in this case, a relatively poor peat substrate is more suitable. The necessary elements are applied with mineral and organic fertilizers.

To reduce the acidity of peat substrates, and sometimes soddy soil, lime or compounds based on it are added. Liming is carried out no earlier than 1 month before planting seedlings; acidity must be checked, at least with the help of litmus paper.

WILL NOT INTERFERE DISINFECTION

If the possibility of contamination of the substrate with soil-dwelling bacterial and fungal pathogens is not excluded, it should be disinfected. True, there are no highly effective chemical or biological preparations that can completely improve soil substrates.

For disinfection of soils, treatment with high temperatures in thermostats or steaming is more often used.

Well-rotted manure and leafy soil intended for adult seedlings (plants) should not be steamed, because. bacteria and antagonist fungi, the enemies of pathogenic microorganisms for plants, will die.

Under production conditions and when growing very small seedlings, organic fertilizers are usually not used, due to the unstable ratio of nutrients in them and the high probability of contamination by weed seeds and spores of phytopathogens.

Before filling the seed boxes with the substrate, it is recommended to treat them with hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate or modern disinfectants such as kickstart, ecocide, virocid. It is highly desirable to clean and disinfect glass, lamps, shelving and greenhouse structures.

Begonia shoots on the wrong substrate	Fungi-saprotrophs on the substrate

GOOD SEEDS ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS

With modern technologies for growing seedlings, seeds that have undergone industrial processing are used. Such seeds do not require additional processing before sowing and allow you to get high quality seedlings.

SEEDS ARE VERY VULNERABLE

Seeds germinate only under certain conditions. The soil should be moderately moist. The optimum substrate temperature for most flower crops is 20…25°C; from the moment of emergence of seedlings, it is slightly reduced, to 18 ... 20 ° C. Light accelerates the germination of begonia, petunia, tobacco, lobelia seeds, so they are not sprinkled with a substrate when sowing. Many other crops sprout only in the dark. After the appearance of the first true leaves, the hydrothermal regime is also maintained at the level recommended for each species, and sometimes varieties.

Avoid drafts and sudden fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

When the leaves of the seedlings begin to close, they must be picked. Then they are watered, fed, if necessary, therapeutic and prophylactic treatments are carried out. It should be remembered that seedlings are sensitive to high salt concentrations resulting from the introduction of large doses of fertilizers or fungicides. To increase the stability of seedlings after picking, it is desirable to spray it with immunomodulators. Before planting in open ground, plants are hardened, gradually adapting to low temperatures. Such seedlings quickly take root when planted in a permanent place and grow well.	Delay with a pick

Often, despite the observance of preventive measures, seedlings of flower crops are affected by a number of phytopathogenic microorganisms, which can lead to significant damage.

downy mildew
The causative agents of downy mildew, or peronosporosis, are oomycete pseudofungi.

Symptoms: signs of damage on the cotyledon leaves are similar to those of powdery mildew. But on real leaves, plaque forms only on the underside, and yellowish or brownish spots appear on the top. The leaves dry up, often wrinkle or rot, die off. Symptoms of the disease are similar to those of gray rot. But necrosis with downy mildew is darker and a characteristic gray-brown coating does not form on them, but a weak white coating of sporulation appears on the underside of the leaves.

Affected crops: antirrinum, alyssum, salvia, cineraria.

Risk factors: pathogens persist in plant debris, the surface layer of the soil, less often in seeds. The disease develops only in wet conditions. Similar signs of damage occur with late blight caused by a similar pathogen. In conditions of high humidity, plants of the nightshade family: petunia, tobacco, suffer greatly from it.

Protective measures: The lesions are eliminated by spraying with copper preparations, Ridomil Gold.

BLACK LEGS AND ROOT ROT

The most common infectious diseases of seedlings. They are caused by several types of soil-dwelling fungi: pytium, phytophthora, fusarium, less often - rhizoctonia.

Symptoms: the root neck is affected, its tissue turns black, softens, a constriction forms, the roots turn brown, die. Sick plants wilt, may die within 3-4 days. Mature seedlings show brown small lesions at the bottom of the stem; plants do not die, but develop worse. On the affected tissue, a whitish, pinkish or brownish coating may be noticeable, depending on the type of pathogen.

Harmfulness: local death of plants, inhibition of their development.

Affected crops: most often affected are annual aster, levkoy, zinnia, antirrinum, alissum, lobelia erinus, petunia, brilliant salvia, dahlia, deviated tagetes, balsam.

Risk factors: the main source of infection is the soil substrate. The development of the disease is facilitated by the continuous use of substrates for a number of years, their compaction, thickened crops, sowing of poorly ripened seeds, violation of the regime of temperature, humidity, and lighting.

Protection measures: use a high-quality uncontaminated soil substrate, disinfected seed boxes. Do not allow a strong drop in temperature and stagnation of moisture in the root zone. Seedlings are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and microelements, without overfeeding with nitrogen. Sprayed with biologically active preparations: immunocytophyte, zircon, narcissus, super humisol, which increase plant resistance. Picks are carried out in a timely manner in separate cells, rejecting specimens with signs of damage.

Lunges from the black leg

When foci of root rot appear, plants and soil are sprayed with chemical preparations previkur, topsin-M, ridomil gold. For treatment and prevention, they treat with biopreparations alirin-B, hamair, phytosporin, pseudobacterin, add glyocladin, alirin-B to the soil. A partial healing effect is provided by watering plants and soil with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. With additional pouring of peat or sand above the lesion, roots are formed, due to which the plants develop better.

GRAY ROT

Seedlings are often affected by gray rot, the causative agents of the disease are anamorphic fungi of the genus Botrytis.

Risk factors: high soil and air humidity, temperature fluctuations and its decrease, insufficient lighting, excess nitrogen fertilizers.

Protection measures: the development of the disease is prevented by the light location of the plants, good air circulation and the rapid drying of the foliage after watering or condensation. Fungicides should be used only in case of severe damage and after the removal of diseased plants. For treatment, 2-4-fold sprayings with a copper-soap solution, fungicides (Bordeaux mixture, abiga peak, pure flower, foundationol) are recommended.

TRACHEOMYCOSIS WILTING

Tracheomycosis (verticillium or fusarium, depending on the pathogen fungus) wilt affects plants at any age, including at the seedling stage.

Protective measures: in general, as against a black leg. It is also possible to use resistant varieties. Withered plants are removed with a clod of earth, the remaining holes are covered with chalk, lime, crushed charcoal.

LEAF SPOT

Septoria, ramularia, ascochitosis, anthracnose - a group of diseases caused by anamorphic fungi.

Protective measures: signs of the disease often disappear when the light improves and the humidity decreases, for example, after thinning. Sensitive plants can be treated several times with copper-containing fungicides (abiga peak, Bordeaux mixture), as well as pure flowers (or soon), strobi. Spraying of seedlings with biopreparations phytosporin, gamair is effective.

BACTERIAL DISEASES
Phytopathogenic bacteria rarely affect seedlings of flower crops, but the damage from them can be significant.

Occasionally, bacteria can cause wilt in susceptible plants (annual dahlias, petunias, tagetes deviant, ageratum), especially when the soil substrate is reused.

Growths similar to bacterial cancer appear on the roots of young plants of the cabbage family (alissum, levkoy, iberis). But their cause is a fungal disease of keel, the causative agent of which also remains in the soil substrate.

Vascular bacteriosis levkoy, matiola are ill. At the beginning, yellowing of the lower leaves is observed, and then the withering of individual shoots or the entire plant. On the section of the stem, darkened vessels are visible. The pathogen persists in seeds, plant debris, incl. other affected crops of the cabbage family.

Harmfulness: inhibition of plant development, decrease in decorative effect.

Protection measures: effective methods of protection against bacterioses do not yet exist, it is necessary to increase the immunity of plants, observing the technology of growing seedlings, and discard the affected specimens. To curb the development of bacterioses, spraying with copper chloride, copper-soap solution, Bordeaux mixture is carried out with an interval of 10-15 days. It is desirable to add solutions of microelements (zinc, boron, molybdenum, manganese) to them, which increase the resistance of plants. There is a positive experience with the use of the antibiotic phytolavin.

VIRAL DISEASES
The main symptom of the defeat of flower plants by viral diseases is the formation of light green or yellowish mosaic spots on the leaves of seedlings.

Viral mosaic often affects begonia, zinnia, ageratum, balsam, annual dahlia, petunia. From viral deformation of the leaves petunia, ageratum, annual dahlia, brilliant salvia most often suffer.

Harmfulness: the decorative effect of plants is significantly worsened, their growth is inhibited.

Black leg (lat. Syngenta)

In seedlings affected by this fungal disease, the stems darken and become thinner, and then constrictions appear in the affected areas. At an early stage of plant formation, rotten sprouts can be easily pulled out of the ground.

Causes of blackleg seedling disease

• too abundant watering;
• indoor temperature is high.

How to protect plants from blackleg

• Disinfection of soil and seeds before sowing;
• Frequent loosening of the substrate;
• Not plentiful watering;
• Mulching the soil with sand after watering;
• Treatment with "Healthy Earth";
• Monitor the humidity and temperature in the room.

All of the above measures are preventive, since the black leg can only be dealt with radically, by removing diseased plants from the root and cultivating the soil with gardening tools containing potassium permanganate.

Root rot (lat. Tomicus piniperda)

The root neck of the sprouts, when affected by root rot, becomes covered with a brown coating, the stem becomes thinner, the leaves turn pale. Usually diseased seedlings die.

Having found seedlings affected by root rot, it is urgent to take preventive measures. In this way, healthy plants can be protected.

Causes of a fungal disease

• Not too high quality substrate;
• Frequent and abundant watering;
• Using too hot or cold water for irrigation;
• Too much fertilizer.

Precautions against infection with root rot

• Sprinkle the soil with humus or fine sand, chalk;
• At an early stage of the disease, plants are treated with azophos, HOM, or other fungicides containing copper;
• At a later stage, seedlings are removed.

How to save seedlings from gray rot (lat. Botrytis cinerea)

Seedlings affected by gray rot are covered with pale brown spots. If the culture is planted in a too wet substrate, the spots become covered with a pink fluff.

• Seedlings with signs of disease are treated with fungicides containing copper every ten days. For example, Bordeaux liquid, cuproxate, copper sulphate. It will take at least four procedures.

A method for protecting seedlings from powdery mildew (lat. Erysiphaceae)

It appears as a white coating on the leaves, which gradually changes their shape. As a result, the leaves dry up and then fall off.

• Treatment of diseased plants with Topaz, or a 0.5% solution of soda ash. It is necessary to spray the seedlings every seven days, for 2-4 weeks.