It has long been known that apples contain a large amount of vitamins necessary for the human body. It is rare to find a garden without apple trees. They give good yields in summer and autumn, depending on the particular variety.

It is always unpleasant for the owner of the garden when fruit trees are exposed to diseases. One of these diseases is called black cancer, and it is increasingly spreading to summer cottages. It is a fungus that affects primarily apple trees and pears.

Many parts of the tree are affected on the apple tree. These are leaves, apples and bark on which blackening occurs. Without dealing with this serious disease, you can get a weakening of the apple tree, as well as such a result that the culture will die.

Black cancer on apple tree

Signs of black cancer

Nothing can be done if the black crayfish on the apple tree is in the last stage of its development. Apple trees in the garden require frequent inspection for signs of illness. The earlier the symptoms are recognized, the more effective the treatment will be.

What manifestations can you recognize as a cancer:

  • The description can begin with the appearance of the leaves on which the spots appear. This happens exactly when the foliage begins to bloom. At first, these spots are very small and purple in color, but then they become much larger, in proportion to the development of the disease;
  • On the crown of the apple tree, you can see the so-called pycnidia. These are the fungi of black cancer themselves, which means that the disease is entering its last stage;
  • Before the fruits ripen, a symptom of falling foliage appears. Just before the ripening of apples, about 2 weeks later, the tree suddenly begins to drop leaves that have been infected;
  • The spots appear on the fruits, at first they are small, but then they rapidly expand. It may happen that the spots cover the whole fruit. After that, the apples usually begin to darken and rot;
  • Not all fruits on the apple tree can fall, some of them will remain hanging, even after the leaves are completely discarded.

Fruit stains

Sometimes black apple cancer is called tree gangrene or a tumor, as its appearance is very similar to this disease.

There may also be such symptoms:

  • The trunk of the apple tree turned black, as if charred;
  • Gaps are formed between the diseased and the parts not yet affected by the disease on the bark, and cracks of rather large sizes appear;
  • The bark flakes off and turns black, over time it begins to fall off;
  • The leaves on the apple tree turn black.

Why does the trunk of the apple tree turn black? This is because all parts of the apple tree that are located above the area damaged by the disease begin to die off. In this case, it is very quickly necessary to remove the part that is damaged.

Why are the branches of the apple tree turning black? Black crayfish fungus leaves a soot-like coating on the leaves. At first you can see dots of red or brown tint, then they may darken.

The trunk and branches of the apple tree turn black

Anthracnose

Scab on an apple tree

This disease often attacks the plant if it is seriously weakened or has poor immunity. In other words, when the tree has practically no protection. Then the disease penetrates into the existing wounds and cracks. The spores of the disease are easily blown by the wind and can travel in this way over very substantial distances.

Also, her good helper is the high humidity of the air and earth, then the fungus develops very quickly.

Beginning anthracnose can be identified by common signs, primarily by the affected leaves, they have reddish-brown spots. They grow along with the course of the disease and subsequently merge into a single whole.

Then the fungus captures shoots and branches, forming lesions on them, in places as if depressed. It is very difficult for nutrients to pass through such lesions, sometimes even impossible.

Apple anthracnose

In warm weather and dryness, the affected areas begin to crack. During the heavy rainfall, everything that the disease has captured begins to collapse. This is such an active process that branches can break in even a slight wind.

Important! The fight against this disease of apple trees is carried out with the help of antifungal drugs or fungicides. They must be processed more than once in order for them to have their positive effect. Apple trees are sprayed several times, with an interval of a week. You can change the means to achieve the best result. You should not do the procedure in rainy weather, in this case everything can simply be washed off with water.

European cancer

Small leaves on an apple tree, the reason

Most often, apple tree trunks suffer from damage and skeletal branches turn black. The fungus penetrates through damaged areas, for example, after the tree has been burned by the sun, or into the remaining wounds after not quite correctly pruning an apple tree.

Signsby which the gardener can identify European cancer are:

  • Formations appear on the bark - brown spots, which seem to be pressed into the bark;
  • In the spring, red bumps can be observed around such places. These are nothing more than fungal spores;
  • The next stage of the disease is the death of the tree bark. It dries up and is separated by whole round plates;
  • Rather serious wounds with sagging edges remain on the trunk.

European cancer

It is not too easy to achieve success in the treatment of such a disease: the more advanced stage of development a European cancer is, the more difficult it is. However, slowing down the disease is possible if the necessary measures are taken; in some cases, the disease can be completely interrupted.

On a note! The wounds on the apple tree are cleaned and treated with copper sulfate. They also clean the hollows and clog them with gravel. Bordeaux liquid is used for spraying.

Black cancer

The leaves on the apple tree turn yellow: what to do

There are a number of factors that significantly contribute to the appearance of this serious disease in apple orchards:

  • The garden is vulnerable to many diseases, including black cancer, due to its age. Young trees are much more resistant and less likely to get sick;
  • Tree care is also important in reducing the risk of apple trees. It is necessary to water the garden in the right way, otherwise it becomes more vulnerable. If you do not feed the apple trees, this can lead to a predisposition to the disease;
  • Another reason for the development of black cancer is that the tree can burn in the sun or get frostbite. In spring, with the arrival of warm days, the apple tree heats up quite a lot, and at night frosts are still quite possible. It is these changes in day and night temperatures that lead to similar burns. Burns are the same wounds, through them the infection gets into the tree;
  • Improper pruning may well lead to morbidity. Done too late, it also exposes the apple tree to an infectious invasion. Untreated instruments and pruning wounds contribute to infection.

Black crayfish on apple tree

How to treat

The trunk of the apple tree turned black, what should I do?

The correct sequence for treating apple for black cancer will help to achieve the best results:

  • The very first step is to remove all the affected tree bark.The entire diseased segment is cut with a sharp knife, plus about 2 cm of untouched wood;
  • After the removal of the affected parts is made, the trunk is processed. They use garden var, with which they cover up the wounds on the tree. You can use oil paint or varnish. Some gardeners use brilliant green in these cases;
  • Copper sulfate is used to treat places that have escaped damage;
  • Disinfect the trunk and branches with a manganese solution. The use of salt with a small addition of iodine is allowed, as well as the most ordinary washing powder;
  • After all these actions, apply smearing with clay mixed with mullein;
  • Bordeaux liquid is treated with the affected leaves at the end of flowering;
  • All that was cleaned off and torn off must be burned without fail.

The black trunk of the apple tree what to do? To destroy fungal spores, the entire garden is treated with anti-fungal drugs. Do not dig near the apple tree trunks. Small wounds can remain on the roots of the tree, and this is an additional risk.

Antibiotics are sometimes used instead of medications that contain copper. Diseased trees are sprayed with streptomycin. This is done after all wounds in the tree have been cleaned.

Spraying apple trees

Some experts are confident that the use of antibiotics to treat black cancer on the apple tree is more environmentally friendly than the use of traditional drugs with a chemical composition. The reason for this is less toxicity and the natural process of producing antibiotics.

There is a method of stem injection, which also involves the use of streptomycin during the treatment procedure:

  • A hole is drilled in the apple tree trunk at a distance of 1 m. Its depth should be about 2 cm. The hole should be made away from the affected areas, cracks and others. This is done so that the solution remains inside and does not leak out;
  • Then a hose is placed in the drilled hole to supply the solution;
  • Streptomycin is pumped under pressure through this hose;
  • After the filling process is completed, a plug is inserted into the hole;
  • On the branches, you can also make such holes, departing from the point of the beginning of growth by 40 cm;
  • Such a procedure is capable of exerting an effect not on the entire tree, but only 2 m up and 1 m down;
  • Such treatment is applied every week, in total there are no more than five procedures.

Important! Antibiotics are used for the most part to fight bacterial infections, however, they can also be an assistant in the treatment of black cancer on apple trees.

Preventive measures

For the prevention of black cancer, the gardener, first of all, should not use those cuttings that are affected by the disease for grafting. Even if there is complete confidence that the cuttings have been cured, there is no need to take risks. It is preferable to plant varieties of apple trees that are resistant to this disease.

Hygiene and sanitation measures are very helpful to help fight disease. Fertilizing the apple tree is a must, as it keeps the trees immune. Boron and magnesium are very useful for apple trees.

There is a need for timely pruning. Sick branches must be removed, as well as dried ones. Tools must be disinfected using products that contain alcohol.

Apple pruning

A very important point in prevention is the whitewashing of apple trees, which should not be neglected in winter. This procedure, which, despite its apparent simplicity, significantly helps tree trunks, must be done on time. Whitewashed trunks are protected from sunburn in the spring. Timely whitewashing reduces the risk of contracting the disease.

You should also pay attention to the ground that is under the trees. It must have the correct balance of moisture and acidity. It is also very important to avoid stagnant moisture under the apple trees.

For apple tree trunks, it is necessary to apply protection from the sun and frost using special materials.It is also necessary to periodically process pests.

Additional Information. There should be no trash from last year in the garden. Weeds must be removed in a timely manner.

Resistant varieties

To prevent the appearance of black cancer in an apple orchard, varieties should be selected that are resistant to this disease. In principle, there are no varieties that absolutely do not get sick.

There are varieties with minimized probability:

  • Summer varieties, medium in defeat: Rubin, Alesya, Antey, Orlik and others;
  • Autumn varieties resistant to black crayfish: Papirovka, Alva;
  • Winter, medium-resistant: Resistant, Zarya Altau, Kharalson.

Black cancer on apple trees is considered a rather dangerous disease, you should not underestimate it. Having found it in the garden, it is necessary to approach the treatment correctly, the most important thing is to start doing it on time. Otherwise, it can threaten the loss of entire trees.