Symptoms of microelements Deficiency

1-Nitrogen

-Little leaves with pale green.

-Shoots are frequency shorter and the bark may have a reddest tings.

-In severe deficiency causes reddish leaves and shoot-hole Usually occurs.

-Growth is restricted, fruit size is reduced.

2-Phosphorus

-Leaf buds failing to break dormancy.

-Lower branch leaves appear with brown spots.

-The affected leaves become dry and drop.

3-Potasium

-The levee margin becomes brown.

-Reducing in fruit size and total sugar contents.

4-Boron

A-On fruit:  the tissue becomes dry and withered.

If this occurs while the fruit is small, growth will be

Slowed and the fruit will fail to size. If the cells in the

Skin are injured because boron was inadequate, a

Rough scabby skin will develop. However, the fruit may Crack without showing noticeable cork.

B-On foliage and growth  Boron deficiency is probably observed most often in then early spring. It is characterized by dieback, withered blossoms, rosettes, deformed leaves, bark disorders, or refusal to grow.

5-Iron:

-Laves of iron-deficient trees are yellow with a fine net Work of green veins .In severe cases, all the green is lacking and dead tissue nay develop. Around the edges and some times within the body of the leaf.

-Iron deficiency occurs in trees growing on alkaline soils and is usually more sever when too much water has been applied or when soil aeration is poor.

6-Manganese

-Usually only older leaves are affected .the veins, and the tissues next to the veins, stay green. It is not more severe on wet or poorly drained soils.

7-Copper:

-wither tip and terminal leaves becomes yellow.

8-Zinc

-Zinc deficiency often called (ROSETTE) or (little leaf)

9-Magnesium

-Yellow areas develop between the veins or along the edges of older leaves. These areas may die and turn brown. Many of the affected leaves drop prematurely. Severe cases causes reduce in fruit marketable size.

10-Sulfur:

-Sulfur deficiency causes poor growth and pronounced yellowing of the leaves.

Diseases of Apricot:

Physiological diseases:

A- Gumming of apricot trees (apricot gumboil)

Severely symptomatic trees were more than 10 years old.

Disease symptoms:

-Affected trees were smaller and exhibited shoot dieback and less overall vegetative growth than healthy trees

-the trunk, branches appeared rough with gummy spots in inner bark tissues.

-By the developing of symptoms leaves become yellow and may drop

The causal organism:   High level of water table.

Acidity in the soil and irrigation water.

Control:

- Improving drain system in the orchard.

-good washing soil after rain fall

B-Chlorotic of apricot tree

Disease symptoms:

-eaves on the higher branches appear with yellow spots.

-by the time many leaves turned to yellow color.

The causal organism:

Deficiency of iron or not available.

Deficiency of manganese.

Control:

- Foliar spray with FETRILON COMBI 2 (200-300G/fed)

(2-3 times/growth season)

C- Gum spots on apricot fruits:

Disease symptoms:

-water soaked spots under the outer layer of the fruit surface associated.

-Explosion of the damage area and leakage a gummy liquid.

Cause:

Damage in the irrigation system. -

-Boron deficiency.

Control:

Utilize micro Kat
(Calcium, borne and amino acids)

Fungal diseases

A – Root Rot:

The disease in widespread among stone fruit production orchards. Losses have been greatest in nursery.

The causal organisms:

Under Egyptian environmental conditions, many pathogens able to cause root rot.

Rhizoctonia solani, Botryodiaploia the obromae, pythium sp. And fusarium ssp.

Disease symptoms:

-Disappear of many small planters in the nursery.

-Post-emergency plants if infected will be wilted.

-Infected plants appear with yellow leaves.

-Easy to put out the infected plants.

Control:

-In case of Rhizoctonia solani

Use

Mon cut 25%WP (one kg\fed)

-Avoidance excessive irrigation water.

B- Armillaria Root Rot:

All species of stone fruits and many other woody plants may be affected by Armillaria root rot .the disease is common in orchards planted with infested soil.

The causal organisms:        Armillaria mellea

Disease symptoms:

-Trees infected when older than five years often exhibit poor terminal growth and undersized leaves, and gradual yellowing of leaves followed by defoliation.

-A fan-shaped, white fungal mat often is present between the bark and the wood of affected trees.

-Dark brown to black thread like Rhizomorphs may be observed on the surface of the bark.

Control:

-Fumigation has been only moderately effective in controlling the disease.

-Deep plowing in affected areas before replanted.

C- Powdery Mildew:

The causal organism of powdery mildew on apricot is Podosphaera Clandestina. The pathogen still in dormant buds over winters and become a very important source of new infection.

In orchards, the largest economic losses usually result from fruit infections but foliar mildew is most damaging in nursery plantings.

Symptoms:

-Young leaves are most susceptible to the infection, and early symptoms on foliage include a fine, netlike growth.

-As infection progress, large numbers of conidia produced on the leaf surface result in a white, mealy appearance.

-Infected shoots are commonly stunted and may be covered with a white felt like growth.

-Infected fruit usually are deformed, with slightly depressed or raised areas with mycelium typical of powdery mildews.

-Severely infected leaves may become distorted and fold longitudinally.

Control:

Control of powdery mildew on apricot trees as follow:

a - Shortly after bud break

Use kumulus-s 80%wg    200-300G/100L.W

(Regular treatments help to control red mite too)

b - When early symptoms appears on leaves.

Use BELLIS     38%WG   30G/100L.w

c - After 15 days

Use AMISAR 25%sc 40cm/100L.w.

Rust of apricot:

-Rust of stone fruit crops is of world wide distribution.

Apricot leaf rust usually appears in late seasons. Leaf rust does not develop until about tow months after flowering and does not affect fruit set during the year of infection.

The causal organisms:

Tranzschelia pruni – Spinosae

Symptoms:

Leaf symptoms begin to develop as pale yellowish spots on both leaf surfaces. The spots are some what angular in shape and become bright yellow.

-Twig infections show nothing more than slight water –soaking and swelling .As twigs continue to grow, the infected areas split open lengthwise, and become easy to penetrate by insects.

Control:

To control rust disease on apricot trees one of the following fungicides is effective

a- Amistar       25%Sc   40CM/100L.W

OR

b- Bellis           38%G     30G/100L.W

SHOT_HOLE of APRICOT:

Shot _ hole disease, can be severe on apricot and peach.

The causal organisms:

Wilsonomyces Carpophilus.

Symptoms:

-The pathogen infects and kills dormant buds. Dead buds sometimes are covered with a gummy exudates that gives them a varnished appearance.

-leaf and fruit lesions begin as small purplish areas that expand to brownish spots. On fruit, lesions develop mostly on the upper side and eventually become corky and rough.

-Leaf lesions abscise in dry environment; thus the name   "shot hole".

Control:

Control of shot _ hole on apricot requires protection of dormant buds, leaves and fruit as follow:

a- First treatment at dormant period

Use

COBOX 50%WP 250G/100L.W

b- Second treatment immediately   after fruit set

Use    AMISTAR 40CM/100L.W

Die back of Apricot (Eutypa die back).

Eutypa die back is one of the most destructive diseases of apricot.

The causal organisms:

There are many fungus can cause die back on apricot trees under Egypt conditions.

Eutypa Lota OR Botryodiplodia

OR Alternaria sp.

Symptoms:

-Die back may be seen in apricot trees of almost any age, but its incidence increases rapidly from year to year as the trees grow,

-The first visible symptoms is a branch canker .Extending up ward and down ward from the canker, a zone of discolored sapwood may be found.

-Leaves on the portion of the branch beyond an established canker may wilt suddenly death of that part of the branch

Control:

-Pruning wounds are very important, and reduced amounts of the pruning are beneficial.

-Trees should be pruned soon after harvest then

Use   KOBOX   50%WP      250G/100L.W.

Fruit Rots of Apricot

Brown Rot :

Brown rot, a major disease of apricot fruit in most regions of the world.

The causal organisms:

Monilinia  laxa.

Symptoms:

-Symptoms appear first on immature fruit as a small red spot, by the time and high level of humidity. The spots enlarged

-Infected fruit loss its water content or May dropped on the floor, and consider major source to re-Infection

Control:

-Avoid wounds on fruit surface.

-Before maturity of the fruit

Use BELLIS 38% WG      30G/100L.W

Apricot Scab:

Scab is an important disease of peaches and nectarines, but the disease rarely on plum and apricot.

The causal organisms:

Venturia Carpophilia

Symptoms:

-The symptoms are most noticeable on fruit as a Circular greenish spots on exposed fruit surfaces, most frequently near the stem end.

-By the time of fruit growth, the spots become large and cover great area of fruit surface.

-Young branches and leaves may infect.

Control:

-Pruning trees in a manner that allows good penetration of sunlight and unimpeded air movement can help in scab control.

-Four or five sprays (once every two weeks) should be applied till    21 days before harvest as follow:

Amistar      25%SC           40CM/100L.W

Bellis          38%WG          30G/100L.W

Bacterial Disease of Apricot

Crown gall

Crown gall is a widespread and important bacterial disease that affects woody plant species

The causal organisms:

Agrobacterium  tumefaciens.

Symptoms:

Galls develop on Roots, crowns, and occasionally aerial parts of apricot. The galls are composed of disorganized vascular and parenchyma tissues and appear first as rapidly growing, white, fleshy swellings that usually become tan to brownish during the dormant season.

-The crown gall pathogen causing stunting in the trees

Nematode Diseases of Apricot

All plant-parasitic nematodes possess a sty let in the anterior region of the digestive system, through which they parasitize plant tissue by mechanical sty let penetration of the host cells and various chemical mechanisms. Nematodes that parasitize stone fruit trees feed on root tissue as ecto-parasites migratory endo-parasites, or sedentary endo-parasites.

Pathogens, nematodes cause infectious disease of stone fruit by damaging root tissues and disrupting water and nutrient uptake. Plant-parasitic nematodes also predispose trees to other infectious diseases and to environmental stresses caused by physical factors such as cold temperature.

1-Root-knot Nematodes

The Causal organism                    Meloidogyne incognita

Disease symptoms:

-Root-knot nematodes are highly specialized plant parasites, and their infection is characterized by gall formation resulting from hypertrophy.

-At the cellular level, they feed at sites known a synctyia, which are metabolically very active.

-As infection progresses, the size of the galls and degree of root deformation increase.

-Root-knot nematodes disrupt normal root growth and nutrient and water uptake.

-The combined effect of these changes is an altered host physiology, reduced root and shoots growth, small shoot and root biomass, leaf choroids, low fruit yield, poor fruit quality, and sometimes tree death.

Control:

-Precautions must be taken not to introduce infected plant material into a new orchard and to remove old roots in a replant situation.

-Fumigant and no fumigant nematocides have been used for root-knot nematode control.

2-Root-lesion Nematodes

The causal organism                    Pratylenchus vulnus.

Disease symptoms:

-Much of the damage caused by root-lesion nematodes results from their ability to induce extensive root necrosis.

-These nematodes generally feed in the root cortex.

-Nematodes invasion of young roots induce reddish brown, elongated lesion, darken with age, and often spreads to affect the entire root, the root dies.

-sever infection may destroy the fin roots.

-symptoms are more common on young trees than old trees.

Control:

-Fumigant nematodes are commonly used as replant treatments.

3- Dagger Nematodes:

The causal organism                    Xiphinema americanum

Disease symptoms:

-High populations of dagger nematodes injure stone fruit trees, but their major importance is as vectors of certain viruses.

-Dagger nematodes cause extensive root necrosis and swollen tips of fine root hairs.

-heavy infestation cause poor yields and stunted growth are common.

Insect Pests of Apricot

Red Beetles. park Beetles            Scolytus amygdale

-park beetles are one of the most serious insect pests of apricot trees lead to the death of trees and the degradation of the bark in a relatively short period.

-Damage of park beetles can be identified easily by numerous small gummy balls on leaves, bark and branches, lead to small holes in the case of developed infection.

-Branches become thick, drought terminals.

-easy to remove the outer layer of the bark where dig tunnels full of sawdust and eggs of larva.

-the beetles larvae found in the orchards most of the year from February-December

(5_6 generations during the year)

Control:

Use: NOMOLT               50cm/100L.W.

B- Excavators             Chlorophorus various  

-Borer causing week trees branches and finally break the drought branches before the death of the trees.

-The major injury fir the existence of this borer in apricot orchards is exit holes on the bark and branches of trees.

-Progress of the injury and intensification, lead to separated the bark tissues appear beneath larvae tunnels full with residues larvae module.

-Bearing female eggs inside creaks especially in places pruning the trunks of trees and egg white in color and oval shape. Eggs hatch in a bout a week to dig larvae directly in front of the wood because no larvae legs and whenever dug larvae in the wood they are pressuring sawdust and remnants drilling continues in larvae nutrition and drilling for about eleven months.

-The insect found in the apricot orchards from April until September-October.

(One generation/year)

Control:

2 - Acacia Bark Excavator

(Macrotoma Palmata)

- The digger destroys apricot bark trees and branches causing weakens trees, dry up and the trees die in the end.

- Can be identified in faction in apricot orchards through the presence of a large oval hole on the bark and the branches of trees, and the existence of sawdust on the branches and the bark and on the ground around the infected trees.

- By the progress of damage, injury break, the more branches by the wind or mechanical damage, then tunnels can be seen full of sawdust and larvae residues.

- Bearing female eggs were found inside the cracks, and places of pruning wounds .Eggs are grey in colors and oval shape.

1- The digger has on generation every 3 years.

2- Borer larvae found in apricot orchards throughout the year.

3- Beetles starting out from June – October.
Control:

NOMOLT               50cm/100L.W.

3-Plum Stem Excavator

Ptosima Undecimmaculata

-The injury of this borer causing severely weakened the trees and die at the end.

-Infection can be distinguished on the apricot trees through oval flat holes on infection bark.

-By injury progress, the bark of the infected trees become cracks with appearance of larvae tunnels on the surface directly full of sawdust compressed with remnants of the larvae.

-Bearing female eggs inside cracks and wounds of branches and bark. Egg is white in colour and oval shape.

-Borer larvae found throughout the year
-Beetles starting out from March-April to October.

C-Insights peach bud Alan area:

(Anarsia Lineatella )

-The insect causing wilt the terminals tender (Labalib) and then the infect parts die.

-The insect attacking and damaged fruits and lead to stagnation.

-In the case of sever injury; the terminals of the branches seem burned.

-On the infected fruits, powder pink color can be seen as a sing of larvae entrances within fruits.

-Anarcia lineatella have 3 generations, the first in the spring and summer, and the others during summer.

Control:

Use: NOMOLT             50cm/100L.W.

Scale Insects

1-Alphenjainh fig Insect

(Russellaspus Pustulans)

This insect hit the bark, branches and leaves.

It absorbs succulents and causing drier and death of the terminal branches severely affected.

Control:

Use: ACTELLIC             150cm/100L.W.

2-Black Crust Insect

(Chrysomphalus Ficus)

-The crust of female, round and its color from brown to black with gray edge.

-In the sever infection, the crust of the insect may completely cover the leaf surface especially the lower surface followed by emergence of yellow lines on the leaves and fruits as well.

-leaves pf infected trees may drop and the twigs seem totally empty.

Control:

Use: ACTELLIC               150cm/100L.W.

3-Welcome year book Insect.

Lepidosaphes ulmi

-The crust of female, triangular form elongation stripe parallel circular with brown color.

-In sever infection, the crusts of female cover the branches, and bark and caused drought and death of branches.

Control:

Use: ACTELLIC               150cm/100L.W.

Crusted plum Insect

Parlatoria Oleae

-The female bearing eggs inside the fruit by the egg-laying machine, which makes a small room where eggs develop one or more.

-The insect have 10 generations per year

-Infected pre-mature fruits lead to appearance of small gummy spots at the point of infection

-Infect mature fruits lead to appearance of discoloration at the point of infection.

Control:

Use:  The following solution

Use: ACTELLIC               150cm/100L.W.

-Tropinota squalida

-Full insect is beetle, 1cm length, black color; the legs are very strong and prepared to dig in the soil.
-Full insects begin to appear at the beginning of winter where feed on flowers of winter plants until the emergence of apricot blossoms, then put eggs in a rich organic matter under the tree and in municipal compost piles.
-The insect cause sever damage to apricot trees especially in reclaimed land whereas damages the flowers as a result of feeding on their members.
-The insects were very active in full brightness of the sun during winter and early spring.

Aphid Aphis gossipii

-the insect absorbs plant succulents of leaves, flowers and fruits. As a result of feeding, the residue of the insect called "honeydew" was turned to black color by airborne fungi which reducing the market value of the fruits.

Control:

Use:  The following insecticides

        Aphox             50g/100L.W.

 or    NUDRIN       75g/100L.W.

Virus Diseases of Apricot

  1-Moor bark-Mottle virus:

-virus transmission by vectors has not been reported, but spread by grafting.

Symptoms:

- On the trunk: green region varied in its shape. And the infected tissue becomes cracks.

-On leaves: green strips on the leaf surface.

-Symptoms were very clear in December and January

-First leaves develop without symptoms.

-On fruit: infected fruit is very small than healthy one.

Host Range:

Apricot transplants.

Peach transplants.

  2-Apricot Ring pox (ARP)

Apricot ring pox is known by various names, such as apricot ring spot and apricot pit pox. The virus is graft-transmission.

Symptoms:

-The first leaves develop without symptoms .vine banding, chlorite spots, streaks, and rings develop on later-emerging leaves and increase in severity during the growing season. In midsummer, many of the spots and rings become necrotic and drop off, giving a shot-hole appearance.

  3- Plum pox virus = SHARKA

The virus causes serious losses in stone fruit trees with the exception of cherry.

Symptoms:

-Leaf symptoms consist of pale chlorites spots, rings and lines that are visible from early summer onward.

-Fruit of some cultivars, however, are severely marked and may be misshapen, with flavorless, dry flesh around the stone, which is usually marked with pale rings, lines or spots.

Control:

-Removal of infected trees

-Rigorous for aphids may delay the spread of virus.

-Use tolerant cultivars