Birds pecking on the young saplings are not the only threat to your precious plants. If you think that putting up a garden net and using insecticides is all that it takes for your precious plants to thrive and grow up in good health, then you are not fully aware of the various plant diseases that exist.
While a lack of proper sunlight, water or poor soil nutrients are amongst some of the major causes, other factors such as fungi, bacteria and plant viruses can also do some major damage to your otherwise healthy plants.
It can be quite disheartening when despite the care that you provide, your plants look less than stellar. So, to avoid such heartbreak look out for the following signs.
Bacterial spots
Small, dark spots on the leaves could be due to lack of proper sunlight. Keep the plant in a well-lit area but if you don't notice any improvement after a few days and the spots are raised or swollen above the leaf’s surface then it is probably due to bacteria.
Bacterial spots are mostly caused by excessively warm and humid environments. Therefore, move the plant to partial shade if possible. Otherwise, you can also apply a fungicide. If you notice bacterial spots in a crop, then its recommended that you destroy the infected parts altogether.
Bacterial blight
Large, yellow spots on leaves that gradually turn to brown are a sign of bacterial blight. It is caused by cold and wet weather.
If you notice similar patches on your plants, then remove the infected plants and ensure proper spacing between the remaining ones.
Bacterial Wilt
Bacterial wilt occurs due to contaminated soil or weeds and will cause the leaves to wilt during day time. It can be cured by discarding the unhealthy plants and replacing the soil completely.
Consult the relevant personnel to test the soil composition if you still have any doubts.
Black root rot
Black root rot can be prevented by using a fungicide. It stems from damp soil that has temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
This pant disease will results in stunted foliage as is evident by its name, roots that begin to turn black. Look for any dark areas near the base of the plant to identify if this disease might be silently spreading.
Cucumber mosaic virus
Sometimes this virus might give the leaves a rather unique look. Nonetheless, it is not good for their health obviously. Spread by aphids, the cucumber mosaic virus will cause several tiny yellow spots to appear on the leaves and sometimes evens streaks of various yellow shades.
If you notice similar signs, immediately get rid of the affected plant and follow a proper aphid control regime.
