A disease to the leaves causing them turn brown from the edges and eventually dying. Some leaves turning like a mesh before falling off. There are lot of big black ants along with tiny pest (looks like a miniature fly but crawls) roaming these trees. This is happening to all plants (avenue tree saplings) on the farm including Sunn Hemp which is just coming up (about 3 to 5 inches high). There were lot of weeds on the farm since rains started but about 3 weeks ago Sunn Hemp was sowed and rotovated the entire land. Photos are attached for clarity.
I am trying to save about 250 tree saplings that were planted 3 months ago. For 90% of tree saplings roots were established and new leaves are coming but they are being destroyed by this desease. Nursery who provided the trees recommended applying combination of celecron and blightex to the tree in addition to sprinkling gamaxin at the base. I would like to know if there are alternatives to pesticides to control this desease so trees can be established.
I’d appreciate any help understanding the issue and potential remedy to fix it.
HI,
It seem that you have to first track the pest, then only the specific measure for control can be adopted.
as a precaution or First aid. Spray Neem Extract at the dawn or dust, and repete the same after three days, I am sure this will help you to bring the problem in control.
As mentioned by Samarth you will have to identify the pest during Dawn and Dusk, most of them are active during this time. I feel it is some sort of fungal growth.
My first line of defence is plain cows urine. If things don’t work I use the below mixture. But note I am not doing it on large scale. Not sure of the effectiveness on large scale vegetable farms or fruit orchids.
But many people are effectively using this. Best time to spray is during dawn and dusk.
I have started to use a mixture of equal amounts of chilies and garlic (100 grms)along with 1/4 of ginger. Grind all well, make it into a paste form and mix cows urine(Urine being the base and major constituent, use as much needed to cover your crops and increase other ingredients as well) Now add a little neemoil(this will hold on the leaf of the vegetable even during slight rains and dew) this has effect on wide range of germs and pest.
As per some experts best results are achieved if the mixture is left in copper vessel for 10 days. I use it directly or after a day or 2.
But I have felt it is only necessary when plants have just sprouted when they are vulnerable to pest, very crucial period. Once it has established you also need pest to pollinate flowers.
This is a lethal combination. provided you get good quality and not the hybrids which lack strong essential pungent oils.
Sorry for my delayed reply and thank you for your advice. I am not equipped to try this yet as I am still setting up infrastructure. It will take me at least 2 to 3 months more to have some decent infrastructure on the farm. I am looking for a quick solution since Orchard is really young and I want these 2 year old trees get a chance to establish.
One update I have is that I was able to identify the pest. It’s a black & green worm like creature which establish itself in a leaf (kinda wraps the leaf around). Attached some pics. Spraying neem oil would work?
did you find a solution to your problem? I suggest you try Samarth’s solution or you can also spray the bio insecticide consisting of Beauveria bassiana. This will cause some fungal infection to the worm and kill it within 3-4 days plus the pores of this fungus from the dead body of the insect can furthur kill the other worms. you need to spray 2-3 times than the fungus creates a population of itself and take care of your field.
