Phalaenopsis disease care and treatment. Viral diseases: is it possible to save the plant

The very word "orchid" is fraught with some charm and mystery. Growing it amazing plant at home it is a real pleasure, especially when the pet begins to delight you with its truly royal flowers of the most unimaginable colors. But all this is possible only with the right care. The plant is quite unpretentious, but at the same time has its own "character". Very often you can encounter all sorts of troubles, so it is important to know their treatment.

First of all, it is worth saying a few words about the proper care of these plants. After all, this is the main factor in the prevention various diseases and a guarantee of good flowering.

7 major mistakes in the care of orchids

• overweight and frequent watering- this is one of the main reasons why an orchid dies. Strictly follow the recommendations regarding the water regime.
• Cold drafts in the room. Remember that they in no way replace ventilation and are not an equivalent concept.
• Too dry air in the apartment. Orchids are residents where the humidity is close to 100%.
• Hit direct in the summer. From the midday heat, the plant must be shaded.
• Wet leaves. Spray and water the plants should be in the morning. If you systematically do this in the evening, then you will surely provoke diseases of orchid leaves.
• A source of heat nearby, namely, radiators. Most often this leads to damage to the leaves.
• Too much abundant top dressing fertilizers. It is impossible, firstly, to make them during the dormant period, and secondly, in an arbitrary concentration, strictly follow the instructions on the package.

To avoid the question of how to save orchids, adhere to these basic postulates. Otherwise, you may experience some difficulties.

Problems associated with care errors

The fact that something is wrong with the plant, first of all, we learn from the leaves. This is the most important indicator, or at least the most visible one for us.

The first signal that not everything is in order is a change in the color of the leaves. If they purchased yellow tint or turned red, then perhaps the reason is too bright sun. If the emerging new leaves have become too dark, then most likely they do not have enough light. A sign of malnutrition can be a change in color intensity, when all the greens become uniformly pale. These changes are not fatal. And if there is no question about how to save orchids, then helping the plant is simply necessary.

A more serious sign is the wilting of leaves or even their fall. The first thing to do is to carefully inspect the plant for pests. If his appearance is healthy enough, then the cause may lie in dehydration. Surprisingly, it is a fact: the same symptoms can indicate both an excess of moisture and a lack of it. When the substrate dries out, the roots of the orchid lose their source of water and, accordingly, cannot supply the leaves with it. And with an excess of moisture, they simply rot and also do not cope with their function. As a result, you get wilted or falling leaves.

Well, another most common situation is the appearance of black spots. They appear either on the entire surface of the leaf, or only at the tips. In the first case, the reason lies, most likely, in an excess of sun, and the plant simply burned, and in the second, waterlogging and drafts are to blame.

Bacterial diseases of orchids and their treatment

This is perhaps the most difficult category of diseases, because by the time signs are noticed, it is usually too late to do anything. Brown leaf spot is specific to orchids, especially Phalaenopsis. A leaf affected by this disease first turns yellow, and then acquires brown shade. Infected tissue becomes soft and covered with ulcers, from which cell sap comes out. The question arises, how to save orchids with such a disease. First of all, a diseased plant must be isolated from the rest. Areas of leaves affected by brown spot are carefully cut out, while capturing healthy tissue. Slices are best sprinkled with chopped. This measure is effective at the initial stage. After all the sections have dried, the plant should be treated with special preparations (fungicides). For example, "Strobi", "Vectra", "Fitosporin", etc. If the flower is damaged too much, including the bulb, then it will no longer be possible to help it, you will have to throw it away.

In addition to bacterial and fungal diseases, orchids are often attacked by pests. Let's consider each option in more detail.

Aphid

These are small (from 1 to 4 mm) insects, which, depending on the species, may have a green, yellow or black color. They suck the juice from the plant, so buds, flowers, young leaves and sprouts are a favorite location. In places of their greatest accumulation, a copper coating is formed, on which dark mold subsequently develops. At the initial stage, the plant should be washed with soapy water, and the buds and flowers affected by insects should be cut off. If the colonies are too large, then insecticides are used, for example, Fitoverm, Inta-Vir. Keep in mind that most often they all require re-treatment after a certain period, so read the instructions carefully and follow the safety measures.

thrips

These are very small flying insects with a yellow or black body. Most often they can be seen with the naked eye. In addition, signs of the appearance of thrips are spots and stripes on leaves and flowers of silver color. Buds affected by insects begin to deform. Their appearance and active reproduction is facilitated by prolonged drought. Therefore, it is so important to know what kind of soil for an orchid is needed and how to maintain constant moisture in it.

spider mite

A small insect that most often appears on orchids with soft leaves, such as cymbidium. Its active development and rapid reproduction is facilitated by dry indoor air and elevated temperatures. characteristic feature is the appearance of first pale, and then darkening spots, sometimes a cobweb is noticeable. Control and prevention measures are the same. Treat the plant once a week. Similarly, when a false flare appears.

Shchitovki

This is a very insidious pest. Often his abilities are underestimated, as a result, it is simply impossible to save the plant. The appearance of pests resembles plaques of brown or gray color. They suck the juice from the plant, so they can be found most of all on the leathery leaves. The female adult spends her entire life immobile, protected by a wax shield. It is with this feature that it is difficult to get rid of them. The appearance of scale insects may be the answer to the question of why the orchid dries. Insects draw the juice from the leaves, as a result of which they begin to wither, then turn yellow and eventually fall off.

The main object of these pests are, first of all, weakened plants with impaired metabolism, “overfed” with nitrogen fertilizers. You can get rid of the scale insect, but it will take some effort. Initially, isolate the affected orchid from other plants. Next, you should wash it with water or ordinary soapy water - this will help get rid of young and mobile individuals. There's a lot folk ways, but is it worth the risk and run the disease even more? Therefore, we advise you to immediately use insecticides. Treat the plant carefully, scale insects like to hide in the axils of the leaves, especially in orchids with sympodial branching.

Mealybug

These are very small insects, which seem to be covered with fluff, resembling cotton wool. They, as a rule, settle in the axils of the leaves or on their underside, on the pseudobulbs. With the formation of large colonies, the plant stops growing. Wilted leaves can also be a sign of their appearance. Very often, a mealybug can be brought home with a freshly purchased plant. Therefore, it is so important for the first few weeks to keep a new orchid, and any other flower, in isolation from others and observe. In this case, the advice especially applies to phalaenopsis. Ways to deal with mealybugs are similar to those with the appearance of scale insects.

Slugs and snails

Of course, in room conditions they are unlikely to appear. Slugs and snails are a scourge for those who breed and keep orchids in greenhouses and conservatories. These mollusks primarily damage buds and flower stalks, as well as the tips of rhizomes in orchids. Prevention of their appearance is the timely removal of garbage and plant residues from greenhouses. These pests are nocturnal, so at nightfall, you can try to collect them by the light of a flashlight. But it is best to decompose special anti-slug granules.

The whole secret of a healthy plant is proper care behind him. Observing the desired temperature and humidity, choosing correct soil and the location of the plant in the house, by setting a competent watering regimen, you will save yourself from many problems.

How to understand that the orchid is sick and what to do in such cases? It all depends on the cause of the disease of the flower. There is a huge variety of different diseases: fungal, viral infection, cercosporosis, heat or sunburn, bacterial rot, furazior wilt (turns yellow top sheet or growth point), phyllosticosis, septoria, flat, spider mites, stangosporosis, altenarios (ring spot), brown, dry rot, fomopsis, anthracnose, lack of minerals, shell mite, phytophthora, pytium, wet bacterial rot, overdose of growth stimulants, scab, gray, white rot, mealybug, bugs, slugs, nematodes, snails, leaf cracks, leaf lethargy, swelling, bumps on the leaves.

How to treat an orchid

We will consider the most popular of them and ways to treat orchid diseases at home, which an ordinary florist can handle. If there is a suspicion that the plant is not feeling well, it should be quarantined immediately, away from other flowers.

Nutrient deficiency

The problem is expressed by softening of greenery with a lack of phosphorus, calcium. Foliage distortion may also occur, the cause of which is a small amount of copper, phosphorus. Sometimes shell mites, overheating. It is expressed by the dark green color of the sprouts (phosphorus), the yellow-brown tint (potassium). To replenish calcium, if the orchid is sick, the leaf has become soft, you can fertilize dolomite flour, and phosphorus by feeding with a high content of this element. The lack of nitrogen is expressed by the softness of the foliage, their light color, close to yellow, poor growth, small flowers. The solution to the issue is transplanting into a new soil, regular fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers for the period of green growth. Iron deficiency is indicated by stunted growth, light streaks of foliage. The solution to the problem is to lower the acidity of the substrate to 5-6.5 with filtered water, fertilizing with iron-containing stimulants.

Sticky drops inside the leaf

You need to quickly figure out what to do when the orchid is sick, because transparent dots indicate pest damage: aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, large differences in night, daytime temperatures or their absence. It is necessary either to improve the conditions of the plant, or treat it with laundry soap, and then with chemicals. Sometimes running cases pest infestations require transplanting into a new substrate with preliminary soaking with potassium permanganate, disinfection of the pot.

leaf crack

Appears due to mechanical damage, cooling after watering, rare moisture, excess nitrogen. Watering phalaenopsis is carried out in winter every 7-14 days, which depends on lighting, humidity, air temperature, in summer - once in 5-7 days. Remember, Phalaenopsis roots should dry out between waterings. When overfeeding with nitrogen, there are additional symptoms: leaf elongation, dark color, active growth. Then it is necessary to flush the root system warm shower, emergency transplant, refusal of nitrogen fertilizers for 3 months, the use of phosphorus, potash.

Rot

In the case when your orchid is sick with brown rot, you should immediately remove the affected areas by cutting them out sharp knife, sprinkling with cinnamon, charcoal. Black rot is almost incurable, arising from cold temperatures. Remove the plant for quarantine, cut out a rotten place, even if it is on the neck, otherwise the flower will die. Root rot leads to loss of green turgor. It is eliminated by removing all dead roots, soaking with a solution of foundationazole, Topsin, potassium permanganate. Gray rot treated by removing damaged areas, spraying with fungicides.

Phalaenopis orchid is a popular plant among flower growers, known for its long and decorative flowering. At the same time, it is a capricious and whimsical flower that has low disease resistance.

The plant is affected by a wide range of diseases, each of which, if left untreated, can lead to the death of the orchid. The risk of infection increases significantly with poor quality care and choice. wrong conditions content. In the article, we will consider the most common diseases of the phalaenopsis orchid, what to do if the flower is damaged and how to treat it.

This is large group fungal, bacterial and viral diseases arising from the use of low-quality soil, improper care and conditions of detention. Infection develops quickly, if treatment is not started, the flower dies in a short time. To combat infectious diseases, the use of fungicides and synthetic antibiotics is required.

A fungal disease that affects orchid leaves. Most often occurs due to high humidity indoors, incorrect watering of the plant. As it develops, small rounded spots appear on the leaf blades, gradually connecting to each other. They gradually grow, forming large black lesions. With a long course of the disease, a characteristic pinkish-yellow coating appears on the leaves and shoots.

It is possible to fight only with early anthracnose. All deformed leaves must be removed, and the plant treated with a copper-containing fungicide. Processing is carried out twice with an interval of 10 days. To avoid the appearance of fungus, keep the humidity at 40-65% and check the leaf axils regularly.

Bacterial spotting

A typical disease for the Phalaenopsis orchid. The causative agent is pathogenic bacteria that live in poor-quality soil. Provoking factors for infection are considered too bright lighting and non-compliance with the regime of watering, fertilizing. You can determine the disease by yellowing of the leaf blades in the marginal part. Then the leaves become dark, crack and deform. In places where bacteria accumulate a large number of liquids.

To avoid the death of a flower, you need to cut off all the affected areas of the plant, treat the cut points with ash or iodine. Conduct full processing plants and soil with a complex broad-spectrum fungicide, repeat the procedure after 10 days.

powdery mildew

A fungal disease that develops in conditions of high humidity and temperature. The main sign of infection is the appearance of a whitish coating on the leaves and buds of the orchid. As the disease progresses, the flower dries out, if the treatment is not started on time, it dies within 1-2 months.

To fight powdery mildew only fungicides are used, for example, Topsin-M, Skor or Aktellik. Colloidal sulfur also demonstrates great efficiency. To prevent infection with a fungus, it is recommended to treat the plant once every 3 months. biological fungicides(Fitosporin-M, Fitocid-R), maintain optimal humidity soil and air.

Rust

Among other fungal diseases, rust is much less common when growing orchids. It occurs due to the use of contaminated soil or non-compliance with the irrigation regime. In the early stages, the disease can be identified by characteristic light spots on the underside of the leaf. Then soft formations of a red color are formed on them. First of all, only weak vegetative parts of the plant are affected, then the fungus moves to strong and healthy leaves.

If rust is found on an orchid, all infected areas of the plant must be cut off by treating them with charcoal or a weak solution of iodine. After that, carry out a two-stage treatment with a complex fungicide with an interval of 10 days. To avoid a recurrence of the disease, it is recommended to transplant the orchid to a new place and maintain air humidity.

A common fungal disease that often affects young plants. Rot of this species leads to softening of the roots, as a result of which metabolic processes are disturbed, the vegetative parts begin to fade. The leaves turn brown, and then soften and dry out. As a rule, root rot occurs against the background of excessive watering or high humidity in room conditions.

To combat the disease, first of all, you need to adjust the conditions of detention. It is advisable to change the soil and pot, observe the irrigation regime. Then carry out a complete processing of the roots with chemicals(Topsin-M, foundationol), completely immersing the container in the solution. Re-treatment is carried out after 3 weeks.

Gray rot

A disease typical of all types of orchids. It develops when the plant is kept at high humidity and low air temperature. In addition, it can be triggered by an excess of nitrogen compounds in the soil.

When infected, dark spots with slight pubescence appear on the leaves, but the first symptoms can also be found on the buds. As the disease progresses, the rot spreads to the soil and the root of the plant. It leads to the death of the flower, if control measures are not taken in time.

Treatment of gray rot - long and difficult process. First you need to carefully remove all parts of the plant with signs of the disease, treat the cut points with a disinfectant. All parts of the plant should be treated with a fungicide, the soil should be replaced. If after 10 days the drug is not used again, there is a risk of recurrence of infection.

black rot

A fungal disease that often affects young orchids after being infested with pests or when the flower is kept in a cold room. It is not difficult to determine the disease - asymmetric black spots appear on the roots and leaves, which gradually merge with each other. The orchid begins to dry out and slowly die.

As with the treatment of other types of rot, first of all, you need to replace the soil and transplant the plant into a new pot. During transplantation, cut off all deformed parts of the flower, treat the places with charcoal or iodine. As a treatment, copper-containing preparations are used, for example, Bordeaux mixture.

brown rot

A bacterial disease dangerous for young plants that appears when wrong mode watering or using contaminated soil. A typical feature disease is considered the appearance of large dark spots on the underside of the leaf blade. As the disease develops, they increase in size, spread to the buds and the root part of the orchid.

To combat brown rot, you need to remove all infected parts of the flower, treat the plant with a copper-containing preparation. To reduce the likelihood of recurrence, treatment with a 1% solution blue vitriol recommended every 3-4 weeks.

Fusarium rot

This type of rot is the most dangerous for orchids, often leading to the death of the plant. It occurs when the flower is kept in a stuffy room, the wrong watering mode. When affected, the leaves begin to turn yellow, and then curl and deform. In the later stages of development, they acquire pink color are gradually dying off.

The treatment is long, since there is a risk of re-infection even after transplanting the plant to a new place. The most effective way to combat Fusarium rot is considered to be daily treatment with a 0.2% solution of foundationazole for 10-12 days. You need to spray not only the leaves, but also young shoots, buds. For prevention, it is recommended to put the orchid in a place where there is no threat of drafts.

A fungal disease that appears only against the background of the vital activity of pests. It usually develops after infection of an orchid with a scale insect, a worm or aphids. The mechanism of the formation of black fungus is that insects limit the passage of light to the leaves, clog their mouths and reduce the ability to photosynthesize. In addition, some pests leave honeydew or juice on the plant, which provokes the development of a fungal infection.

Treatment of this disease is quite complicated and takes place in several stages. First, for 5-7 days, you need to regularly wash the leaves, destroying most insects. Then apply a complex insecticide, cut off all the affected and deformed parts of the flower. Only after that fungicides are used, for example, Ridomil, Topsin-M, Skor, Khom. Treatment with these drugs is carried out twice with an interval of 10 days. After treatment, it is advisable to transplant the orchid to a new place.

Violations of care and conditions of detention

In addition to infectious diseases, when growing orchids, there are violations that have arisen solely against the background of improper care and conditions of detention. They are easier to treat, usually do not require the use of chemicals.

Leaf burns

A common leaf disease among orchids that occurs when the sun is active from the second half of spring until the end of summer. The appearance of burns on leaf blades is associated with direct sunlight. In this case, light areas with a pronounced brown edge are formed. If measures are not taken in time, this leads to the drying of the vegetative parts, the appearance of through holes (see photo).

If burns are found on the leaves, it is urgent to shade the plant, reduce the amount of watering to a minimum. If there are severely affected areas, then they need to be cut off, the edges processed wood ash. During the entire period of recovery of the orchid, top dressing should be completely excluded.

Waterlogging

Watering mode - main part orchid care. Due to an excess or lack of moisture in the soil, disturbances in metabolic processes, in particular, photosynthesis, occur. This leads to lethargy or swelling of the leaf blades, increasing the risk of rot.

As a preventive measure, you should properly water the plant, and after abundant watering, you must definitely dry the sticky spots on the leaves, for example, using a napkin or filter paper. If puffiness is detected, watering should be reduced and scheduled spraying should be limited.

Leaf deformation

The change in the structure of the leaf blade of an orchid can be due to many reasons. Such a problem occurs against the background of infection with diseases and pests, a long stay of the flower in the sun or with a lack of water. Leaf deformation can also be associated with a deficiency of potassium and phosphorus in the soil, especially during the period of budding and flowering.

wilting buds

There may be several reasons for this problem. Often the wilting of the formed buds is observed due to improper watering but can also be the cause of a bacterial or fungal infection.

Most often, wilting is observed when the plant is kept indoors with insufficient lighting, to avoid this, you need to plan the location of the pot and use fluorescent lamps with a lack of light. In addition, wilting of the buds can occur against the background of hypothermia of the plant, especially with a late onset of flowering. In this case, you need to adjust the temperature regime, prevent the temperature from dropping below 22 ° C, and the humidity below 65%.

Darkening of flowers

The appearance of small dark spots on the flowers - typical problem for all kinds of orchids. It can occur due to even slight mechanical damage, for example, during the transportation of a plant. In addition, the spotting of the petals appears after moisture gets on them during irrigation, condensation forms. Less often, spots form when the plant is kept under constant exposure to direct sunlight.

Proper care of an orchid at home

The Phalaenopsis orchid is known for its moodiness and difficulty in care. To achieve long flowering and plant health, the following rules must be observed:

• place the pot away from direct sunlight, it is best to place the container on the east or west window sill of the apartment;
• the optimum temperature in summer is in the range of 20-25°C, and in winter - 16-18°C;
• it is required to regularly water and spray the plant, especially with increased dryness of the air in the room. However, during the flowering period, you need to carefully add water, avoiding moisture on the petals;
• water for irrigation should be at least room temperature, necessarily settled and clean;
• you need to replant the plant no more than 1 time in 3 years, using special soil for orchids;
• top dressing is carried out up to 3 times a month during the active growing season in summer and spring, in autumn and winter, the amount of fertilizer is reduced by half;
• as a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat the flower once a month with copper-containing preparations or colloidal sulfur.

To work with orchids, it is recommended to purchase soil and top dressing specifically for this type of plant, since they contain all necessary elements and minerals. This is especially true of the substrate for planting, which is difficult to recreate on your own.

Phalaenopsis orchid is a capricious plant with weak immunity and resistance. There are several dozens of diseases characteristic of this flower. To avoid infection and death of the orchid, it is very important to observe comprehensive care and maintain the conditions of detention depending on the stage of vegetation, climatic conditions in the room.

Three types of diseases are affected: fungal, viral and bacterial. It is also not uncommon for these exotic plants to start to get sick due to improper care (creating unsuitable temperature and humidity conditions, excessive watering or placing flowerpots in drafts). To deal with orchid diseases as effectively as possible, carefully read the recommendations presented on this page.

Fungal diseases of orchids: how and what to treat diseases (with video)

fungal diseases orchids, which always accompany tropical plants in culture, cause various pathogenic fungi, which in the process of life are capable of releasing mycotoxins that poison plant tissues. And often the same fungus is able to release not one, but several toxins at once. Symptoms of the disease can also manifest themselves in different ways, they largely depend on the type of host plant, its general condition, cultivation characteristics. Anthracnose. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. - sexual stage, Glomerella cingulata - asexual stage of the same fungus. A not very aggressive orchid disease that appears more often on leaves than on stems. Black spots on the leaves or on the tips of the leaves have a yellow edging. The spots gradually grow, and over time, necrosis can spread to the entire leaf.

Control measures. These fungi are most active when elevated temperature and humidity combined with low light. Therefore, at the first symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to immediately transfer the plant to a drier, cooler place, to provide better illumination and good ventilation of the room.

The affected areas are removed, cutting off not only necrotic spots, but also capturing another 1-2 cm of living green tissue. If the leaf is severely affected, it should be cut off completely. After each cut, the tool should be treated with vodka or alcohol, you can also ignite the cutting surfaces of the secateurs over the flame. In the treatment of this disease of orchids, sesame plants in plants should also be disinfected - sprinkled with crushed activated carbon or ground cinnamon, anoint with a fungicidal paste or alcohol solution. I recommend this set of measures for orchids affected by any fungal infections. In the case of a highly progressive infection, it is necessary to remove the damaged areas and treat diseased plants with cineb (0.4%), thiram (3%) or systemic fungicides, adding adhesives (a few drops detergent).

The rot usually appears on flowers that have not yet opened, which turn yellow at the bud stage and soon fall off. The rate of spread of this fungus is so great that only about 20 days can pass from the moment of infection to the complete death of the plant. The use of fungicides can prevent the death of plants, but their shoots still remain severely deformed, the pseudobulbs are skewed and shrunken, and the roots die off completely. Control measures. First of all, a diseased plant should be isolated from healthy ones to prevent the spread of infection. Then it is necessary not only to remove all diseased areas of plants, but also to completely destroy them (for example, burn them). Great importance have preventive agrotechnical measures, such as disinfection of pots and drainage. When transplanting, only fresh substrate and new drainage should be used. Regular ventilation will also help prevent the spread of infection. As a chemical measure to combat this disease of orchids, spraying and watering with a 0.2% suspension of foundationazole, benomyl or topsin three times in a row with an interval of 10 days is recommended.

Fusarium disease of flowers ( Fusarium moniliforme Sheld. J.).

On flowers, buds and peduncles, sunken dark brown and black spots appear, which are covered with whitish mycelium with small pink fruiting bodies like dust. On the leaves, this disease manifests itself in the form of small spots; here, as a rule, sporulation is absent. Inside the plants, the pathogenic fungus penetrates through small wounds.

Control measures. This disease of orchid flowers very rarely manifests itself in conditions of proper agricultural technology with good ventilation. But if the pathogen is nevertheless identified, it is necessary to remove all the affected parts of the plant, lower the temperature, increase the illumination and refuse to spray the flowers and leaves, since the Fusarium can spread with water droplets.

As chemical treatments, it is recommended to carry out the same measures as for the fight against other types of Fusarium (see Fusarium oxysporum), as well as 3-fold spraying with cineb (0.4%) every 4-7 days.

These spots quickly become purplish-brown or black-purple, sometimes with a yellowish rim where they come into contact with healthy leaf tissue. Damaged areas gradually increase and, when pressed, can release liquid. With age, these lesions turn black and dry out, but when in contact with healthy parts of the plant, they can also transmit the infection. In addition, the infection can also spread through the internal tissues of the plant along the roots and rhizomes. This happens especially quickly in wet conditions.

Infection of young shoots is easily identified visually by purple or purplish-brown areas with yellowish edges. Most often, these symptoms appear with high humidity and water stagnation inside the leaf rosette of developing shoots.

It is possible to infect pseudobulbs and rhizomatous shoots through the roots. In this case, the pathogen spreads through the internal tissues and may visually look like hemming of the base of the shoots and leaves. Sometimes the infection is concentrated in the shoots, while the leaves do not show any signs of infection, but they become brittle and quickly fall off. On flowers, the infection appears as light brown weeping spots.

Control measures. Among the preventive measures to combat this orchid disease is proper care with controlled temperature and humidity, which should not be too high.

It is also recommended to remove all parts of the plant showing signs of disease and to refrain from spraying shoots and leaves in order to prevent the spread of infection through water droplets. When transplanting, a prerequisite is the use of clean, disinfected containers and drainage, as well as fresh substrates. After removing all the affected parts, the plants are sprayed with cineb (0.4%), spilled with Bordeaux mixture (1%), copper sulfate (1%) or powdered with thiram.

Black rot orchids ( Pythium ultimate Triw.j).

This pathogenic fungus penetrates the plant through the roots, spreads along the rhizome and infects the pseudobulbs, and then the leaves. At the same time, pseudobulbs shrink, harden and mummify, and orchid leaves with this disease become glossy black, soft to the touch. When pressed, liquid flows out of them. In conditions of excessive moisture, leaf rot can occur from the tip. Black rot kills orchids in bulk and in a short time. Seedlings and young plants are especially affected by this disease. In seedlings, as a rule, the growth point located at the base of the shoot rots first.

Control measures. Pythium thrives best in cool, humid conditions, so an increase in temperature and a decrease in humidity help prevent the spread of the disease.

Since this infection is transmitted from plant to plant through water spray, spraying of plants should be avoided and orchids should be spaced more freely so that their leaves do not touch. To treat this leaf and root disease as effectively as possible, all diseased plants must be immediately culled - this is one of the most important protective measures preventing the spread of black rot.

This is especially true for seedlings. You can try to treat adult plants by removing all the affected areas and immersing them for 20-30 minutes. in a solution of copper-containing preparations - copper oxychloride (0.5%) or copper sulfate (1-3%).

In the event that several orchid seedlings are planted in a common pot at once, not only the affected, but also all other plants must be soaked in the fungicide.

leaf rot ( Pythium splendens Braun.).

The leaves of orchids affected by this disease are covered with oval or rounded dark brown spots. These spots have blurred edges that vary in color from dark brown to light brown to green, gradually merging with the normal color of healthy parts of the leaf. The spots gradually increase in size and eventually the leaf dies.

Rhizoctonia ( Rhizoctonia solani J. G. Kuhn).

Although this fungus first infects the roots, the first symptoms of infection with this disease appear on the leaves, which turn yellow, thin and deform. Young shoots develop oppressed, weak, and if the spread of infection is not controlled in time, not only seedlings, but also adult plants can quickly die. On the roots, the infection appears as a brown rot with white and brown hyphae of the fungus on the surface.

Control measures. This disease is quickly transmitted from one plant to another, so it is necessary to remove and destroy diseased parts of plants, complete replacement of the substrate, use of sterilized tools and auxiliary materials (pots, drainage).

Often, root rot begins due to an unfavorable environment inside the pot, which is created by regularly waterlogging the substrate, watering with hard water, or with too much fertilizer concentration. In this case, you need to transplant the plant into a fresh substrate, providing it with good drainage and optimizing the salt concentration of irrigation solutions. Among the chemical control measures, it is recommended to water the plants with systemic fungicides (benomyl (0.2%), fundazol (0.2%)), or spraying with cineb (0.4%), thiram (1-3%). Methods for treating this orchid disease are shown in these photos:

Gray rot ( Botrytis cinerea Pers.).

The manifestations of this disease (small gray, black or brown spots on flowers) are mainly associated with a prolonged decrease in temperature at high relative humidity. Often one cold night is enough for the flowers to be completely covered with gray rot.

Control measures. Among the preventive measures, it is recommended to refrain from spraying buds and flowers, as well as to remove faded and diseased flowers in time. In addition, an increase in air circulation around the plants, a decrease in relative humidity and an increase in night temperatures are recommended.

The infection can be transmitted by greenhouse pests (slugs, snails, insects), so it is recommended to constantly monitor their numbers.

Among the chemical measures to combat this orchid disease, treatment with systemic fungicides is used - benomyl (0.2%), fundazol (0.2%).

Leaf tip rot Botrytis sp.).

The infection appears on the leaves as dark spots that gradually grow and move to the ends of the leaves. The tips of the leaves are covered with spores. This disease often appears on orchids watered with hard water or regularly receiving an excess of mineral nutrition. In such plants, the leaf tips are weakened and susceptible to Botrytis infection.

Control measures: As preventive measures, it is recommended to balance mineral nutrition and optimize the acidity of irrigation water.

To learn more about the treatment of orchid diseases, watch this video:

Phyllosticosis ( Phyllostictina capitalensis Henn. and etc.).

Spots can appear both on leaves and on pseudobulbs. They first appear as lighter whitish-green or yellowish oval or round spots that turn brown and black over time. The spots can be small or larger, in the form of dashes, ovals, rhombuses or stripes. Each individual spot in diameter reaches no more than 6 mm. If the infection progresses, then black or dark brown sporulation appears in the center of the spots. The disease is transmitted through drops of water, a poorly disinfected instrument, etc. From the moment of infection to the onset of signs of the disease, 3-6 weeks pass.

Control measures. Sick plants should be isolated by removing all affected areas from them. Because phyllostictosis thrives in high humidity and temperatures above 25°C, low temperatures, good lighting, regular ventilation, and phytosanitary measures can prevent this infection.

Among chemical methods treatment of this orchid leaf disease, spraying with systemic fungicides - benomyl (0.2%), foundationazole (0.2%) and copper-based preparations - copper oxychloride, Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate can be recommended. In the next section of the article, you will find out which viral diseases can hit orchids, and how to deal with them.

Viral diseases of orchids: photos and how to deal with diseases

Cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMMV).

This viral disease is extremely widespread among orchids and occurs exclusively in members of this family. At different kinds orchid its symptoms manifest themselves in different ways. The disease is called orchid black necrosis, orchid mosaic virus, cattleya variegation and so on.

On phalaenopsis flowers, this virus manifests itself in the form of spots and streaks that are paler than the color of the flower, randomly located on the petals and sepals. These divorces are especially clearly manifested on the flowers 1-2 weeks after the buds open.

On the leaves, this disease of domestic orchids begins with the appearance of small or larger shapeless pale green chlorosis spots, which then necrotic. Spots can be arranged in the form of parallel black small strokes, rings, concentric circles, straight or curved lines located at an acute angle to the main leaf vein, and so on. When combined with other viruses, spots of a different nature may appear on the same sheet. In orchids with thin leaves, the virus appears on the leaves 3-5 weeks after infection, primarily on young shoots.

At first, chlorotic mosaic strokes and spots appear, which then become more clearly defined and darken. In older leaves, necrosis of the affected areas is observed. The intensity of growth and flowering is reduced.

On the leaves of phalaenopsis, the manifestations of a viral infection are very diverse. These can be both light green chlorotic spots, and deeply depressed necrotic, as well as weeping spots. Necrosis is more common in bottom surface leaves. Severely affected leaves die off. Sometimes, however, the external symptoms of a viral infection are completely absent even with positive test for the presence of a virus. Effective measures to combat this disease do not yet exist, so all diseased plants are destroyed.

Orchid tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-O).

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is often confused with orchid tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-O), but the latter has a special nature and infects only a few indicator plants besides orchids, while tobacco mosaic virus infects countless objects.

Most tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) carriers do not infect orchids. The TMV-O virus is often found together with other viruses.

Effective measures to combat viruses do not yet exist, so all diseased plants are destroyed.

Phalaenopsis mosaic virus (CyMV + TMV-O).

This disease results from a combination of two viruses, the cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMV) and the orchid tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-O). Look at the photos - with this disease, orchid leaves are covered with intermittent light green or chlorotic spots:

Leaf tissues are destroyed: on the upper side, the leaf blades are covered with chlorotic and necrotic spots, and on the underside, wide chlorotic grooves or weeping spots appear, with time the spots become depressed. Effective measures to combat viruses do not yet exist, so all diseased plants are destroyed.

Trichopilia virus (T1).

This virus was found in Germany in tropical epiphytic orchids of the genus Trichopilia (Trichopilia). It appears in the form of continuous or dashed light and dark lines located in a “fence” and running at an acute angle to the main vein of the leaf. No further information about this virus is available. The following is a description of bacterial diseases of orchids and tips on how to treat plants.

Bacterial diseases of orchids and measures to combat them

Soft bacterial rot ( Erwinia carotovora 0ones Holland).

This infection first appears as small weeping spots that soon turn brown, the rot quickly spreads through the tissues, and the leaves and roots are affected several times faster than the rhizomes and pseudobulbs. When pressed on the diseased areas, a brown, foul-smelling liquid is released. With the defeat of the core of young growing shoots and nights of renewal, the plants die, and only 2-3 days can pass from the onset of the development of the disease to the complete death of the orchid.

Control measures. Responding to the first manifestations of this disease should be immediate. First of all, you need to isolate the affected plants and treat the place on the rack that they occupied with a 10% solution of Na hypochlorite or a 25% solution of any household detergent containing active oxygen.

In order to prevent the spread of infection through water droplets, spraying should be avoided and the relative humidity of the air should be reduced. In addition, this disease is spread by phytophages (mites, insects and mollusks), so it is necessary to constantly monitor the presence of pests. As shown in the photo, when treating this orchid disease, all affected areas must be removed from leaves and other parts of diseased plants, disinfecting the instrument after each cut:

Then spray with preparations containing antibiotics (active ingredients myomycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, ampicillin, previcur, phytobacteriomycin). In addition, it is recommended to treat the sections with a paste of systemic fungicide(foundazol, benomyl). After treatment, it is necessary to reduce watering and keep the diseased plant for 2 weeks at low air humidity (55-60%).

To prevent infection, you can spray diseased plants with some kind of biological fungicide, for example, "Fitosporin-M" or "Pseudobacterin-2", having prepared a working solution by diluting the drug with water 100 times.

Bacterial rot of chrysanthemums ( Erwinia chrysanthemi Burkholder et alj).

The disease appears on the leaves. In species with thin soft leaves, along with the appearance of rapidly darkening weeping spots, yellowing of the leaf blade is observed. Phalaenopsis, with fleshy, leathery leaves, shows translucent patches at first, which quickly turn black and sunken.

Control measures. Care for households affected by this disease is the same as for Erwinia carotovora.

Bacterial rot of venus slippers ( Erwinia cypripedii (Hori) Bergey, Harrison, Breed & Huntoonj).

Initially, small round or oval weeping spots appear on the leaves, which eventually increase in size and turn dark brown. Most often, these spots begin to develop in the center of the leaf and appear both on the outside and on the inside of it. They quickly spread through the tissues of young growing shoots, causing their death. As you can see, this disease begins to appear as small round spots that are yellow and watery at first, and then become reddish brown and sunken:

The symptoms of this disease are easily confused with those of bacterial rot caused by Pseudomonas cypripedii.

Control measures: possible preventive spraying with tiram (3%), "Pseudobacterin-2", "Fitosporin-M".

brown spotting ( Acidovorax avenae subsp.. cattleyae, synonym: Pseudomonas cattleyae)

The disease begins with the appearance of small soft watery blisters. These vesicles are green at first, but then they increase in size, the tissues collapse, and the affected areas turn brown or black. They ooze fluid containing masses of bacteria, especially when the lesion reaches the coccyx of the leaf.

Control measures. This infection is easily transmitted through irrigation water, pests, and cutting tools. Therefore, special care is required when carrying out agrotechnical measures.

Tools, racks, utensils and drains must be thoroughly disinfected. From a diseased plant, it is necessary to remove the affected areas, not forgetting to process the tool after each cut. Because this pathogen prefers moist warm conditions, reduce humidity and temperature, and avoid spraying the leaves. Chemical control methods are the same as for Erwinia carotovora.

What are non-infectious diseases of orchids

Often diseases of indoor orchids do not occur due to infection, but as a result of improper agricultural practices. They can suffer from a lack or excess of light, sunburn, incorrect spectral composition of light, low air humidity, an imbalance in temperature conditions, an unbalanced diet, the use of pesticides, etc. All these cultivation errors can cause various spots on the leaves, drying out of shoots, and dying off. roots, refusal to bloom. See what non-infectious orchid diseases look like in these photos:

Often, orchid growers are faced with the sudden appearance of depressed white and black spots on the leaves of phalaenopsis, which they consider to be a manifestation of a viral infection. In fact, the root cause of the appearance of such spots is a decrease in air temperature to 4-6 ° C (a short one-time or repeatedly repeated over several nights in a row) or spraying the leaves with cold water.

Highly light leaves point to chlorosis, which is observed in epiphytic orchids in the case of a lack of iron, which is absorbed only in an acidic environment and becomes inaccessible to the plant in case of watering with hard water, when using carbonate substrates, and also when there is an excess of phosphorus in fertilizers.

In the treatment of this disease of domestic orchids, the manifestation of chlorosis can be eliminated if iron chelate is added to a slightly acidified solution of macronutrient fertilizers and periodically carried out foliar top dressing plants with micronutrients. Colorless weeping spots may appear on the leaves of frost-bitten orchids briefly kept at temperatures below 0 ° C. If frostbite has not affected the tissues of the stem (in monopodially growing orchids) or rhizomes (in sympodially growing orchids), areas with weeping spots should be removed immediately.

The other extreme of extreme temperature exposure is sunburn. Spots from instant burns remain on the leaves until natural death, unlike spots caused by pathogens, they do not increase in size.

But sometimes tissue deformation is caused not by the sun's rays, but by constantly high temperatures, when a closed greenhouse is left on a sunny window. The direct sun may not fall on the leaves of the plants in it, but when the temperature in the greenhouse rises to 30 ° C and above, the plants begin to react, taking water from the tissues of the leaves, flowers, pseudobulbs, roots. Such thermal burns appear gradually, and their consequences are much more dangerous. In addition to sun and thermal burns, chemical burns can also be noted, caused by too concentrated subcorks or fungicides.

The tender tips of young growing roots are most susceptible to chemical burns.

With nightly drops in temperature, young leaves of monopodially growing orchids may suffer from water accumulated inside the leaf rosette. To avoid rotting of the apical meristem and not to provoke a fungal or bacterial infection, the water after watering must be removed by blotting with a napkin. If the top of the shoot is still rotten, it should be treated with a fungicide, and then be patient and wait for the lateral shoot buds to awaken. The appearance of deformations and spots on the emerging peduncles, pseudobulbs, leaves and roots can be explained by many more reasons, from drafts to the banal gnawing by cats or cockroaches.

Treatment of orchid diseases during home care (with photo)

In the fight against pests and diseases, preventive measures are most effective. General recommendations- regular inspection of plants, keeping pots and working tools clean, steaming the substrate, weeding weeds - pest reserves, preventive spraying with biological fungicides, consisting of heterogeneous strains of active bacteria, to prevent fungal and bacterial rot.

Do not allow standing water on the leaves of plants, especially with a lack of light, as well as during long winter nights. For vegetative propagation, it is desirable to select only known healthy plants.

When transplanting, after each incision, you need to disinfect the instrument with alcohol, immediately after transplantation, you need to clean the workplace from plant residues. When introducing new plants into the house, they must be carefully examined. Various patterns and spots on leaves and shoots, deformations of pseudobulbs and leaf blades, sooty fungus- all this points to hidden diseases and pests that may appear soon after planting.

If in doubt, you need to allocate a special isolated place where all newly acquired orchids should be placed for a while. Regular preventive treatment of this place with insecticides and fungicides is desirable. This temporary isolation will help prevent the introduction of new pests.

You can also bring pests with a substrate, so plant components (earth, peat, leaf litter, bark, sphagnum and others) must be checked for the presence of earthworms, leafworms, wood lice, slugs, snails, as well as their eggs. Steaming a freshly prepared substrate is one of the most effective preventive measures. Orchids (especially their flowers) are quite sensitive to pesticides. Therefore, before chemical treatments, fungicides must be checked for phytotoxicity. Spray orchids early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding high air temperature and direct sunlight.

In the fight against a complex of pests (spider mites, flat red mites, thrips, coccids, wood lice) and diseases (fusarium and root rot, anthracnose and other spotting) it is possible to use combined mixtures of pesticides.

These photos show the care of orchids at home, during the treatment of diseases:

Each combination of drugs must be coordinated with a special drug compatibility table and must be pre-checked for specific types orchids.

Working solutions of pesticides are usually prepared immediately before processing, strictly adhering to the specified concentrations. For better wetting, adhesives or surfactants are added to the solutions. Usually it is soap (potassium, liquid or laundry). Soap is diluted in a small amount water and added to working solutions immediately before use at the rate of 3-4 ml per 1 liter of solution.

When working with pesticides, special precautions are observed, exposed skin surfaces are protected with clothing and rubber gloves, and the respiratory tract is protected with a special respirator.

Eradication chemical treatments with combined mixtures of pesticides, which are carried out against a complex of pests for the treatment of orchid diseases at home, should be timed to coincide with periods of greatest activity of pathogens. These dates are usually in spring and late autumn. So, for example, during the year, outbreaks of reproduction of mealybugs and scale insects occur in February-March, July-August and November-December. The increase in the number of spider mites occurs in February-March, as well as May (exit from diapause), July-August (penetration from open ground) and October-November (decrease in air humidity due to the beginning of the heating season). The maximum activity of pathogenic fungi occurs in summer and autumn (especially before the start of the heating season).

Therefore, regular treatments with combined mixtures of pesticides that are allowed for use in protected ground, carried out only twice a year - in spring (April) and autumn (end of October-November) - are the most effective and pose the least danger, both to human health and to decorative effect. orchids.

Remember that prolonged use of the same pesticides causes resistance in pests and pathogens. In order to overcome resistance to pesticides, it is desirable to give preference to biological preparations, as well as to alternate pesticides from different classes of chemical compounds (carbamates, phosphorus derivatives, pyregroids, etc.). Here you can see photos of caring for diseased orchids:

The leaves and flowers of a healthy orchid delight the eyes of its owners for a long time. Spots on orchid leaves, sometimes appearing for no reason, will not hide from the gaze of an experienced gardener. Why did these white dots appear and what should be done to treat the spots that are visible on the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid?

Any depigmentation of a plant always indicates the presence of certain disorders in its vital activity. These can be white spots, watery spotting, eventually turning into necrotic black spots, dry brown spots, in place of which the plant tissue crumbles and breaks off. Spots that may appear on phalaenopsis leaves indicate a disease or disorder. mineral nutrition your pet.

Depending on the cause of the spots, they will have to be treated in different ways. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between signs of diseases and physiological problems of the plant. Let's take a closer look at why spots of different colors appear, and the worst thing is white spots on orchid leaves.

Phalaenopsis diseases

There is a large list of diseases whose symptoms are dots on the leaves. They can be divided into two categories - diseases caused by fungi and diseases caused by bacteria. Among the fungi, spots on the leaves cause phytophthora, fusarium, cochliobolus, pseudocochliobolus, causative agents of septoria and cercosporosis.

Bacterial causative agents of spotting mainly belong to the genus Bacillus, but there are exceptions. Most of these diseases are manifested in early stages in the form of the appearance of whitish or yellow spots over time, blackening from the center of the lesion. Sometimes the spots merge and form massive necrotic areas with dark edges.

Hives

Urticaria is caused by the fungus Uredo Japanika. Dark spots up to 3 mm in diameter appear on the leaves. Over time, the entire surface of the plant is affected, which is why it dies. Usually the appearance of this disease is a consequence of poor control of the environment of the plant. Most often, phalaenopsis are infected that are in a room with low temperature and high humidity.

Bacillus Cypriped

This bacterium is the causative agent of wet rot in orchids. This is a very dangerous disease that cannot be adequately treated. At the first sign of the disease, it is recommended to remove the affected leaf.

The manifestation of the disease is very characteristic and begins from the edge of the leaf blade. First, a dark watery spot appears there, which quickly spreads down the tissue. The affected area becomes lethargic, the leaf becomes limp, an unpleasant odor characteristic of bacterioses appears.

Rot develops literally by the hour. A light affected spot darkens to yellow color, after - to brown. On the second day, the whole plant becomes brown.

Dry spots

Dry spots are caused by Cladosporium Orchideorum. Small spots of brown color, dry consistency appear on the plant. Quite quickly, they cover the entire surface of the photosynthetic organ, forming black sporulation on it.

late blight

Phytophthora palmiala is a fungal pathogen. This pathogen causes black leaf base rot. An extremely dangerous disease. Pathogen spores are capable of long time persist in the soil. It begins with the appearance of small black spots on the leaves of the orchid. Progresses rapidly, infecting and killing the entire plant. Virtually no cure. Phytophthora loves wet, cool conditions and infects the flower only in the presence of drip moisture.

Mesophyll collapse

A disease called leaf cell death. The causative agent has not been identified. It looks like single brown pits on the surface of phalaenopsis. The development of this disease is associated with watering the leaves with cold water.

Bacterial spotting

This term most often refers to spotting caused by a fungus of the genus Cercospora. It looks like white, concentric specks on the top of the leaf. From the bottom side, you can observe the development of mycelium. The disease will spread quickly under the right conditions - high temperature and high humidity.

Phyllostictina Pyriformis

Yellow leaf spot is caused by a fungus. It develops slowly, but on a large scale - the fungus quickly spreads by spores, infecting the entire plant. The spots are yellowish at first, and later darken. The fungus is an aggressive necrotroph and quickly kills the leaves of a living plant.

Chlorosis

Destruction of chlorophyll in plant cells. It looks like an uneven, light striped spotting on the surface of the affected organ. It is the result of a huge range of problems ranging from insufficient moisture or minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus) to the presence of root rot. Chlorosis is a symptom of the disease

Burkholderia gladioli

Wet bacterial rot, unusual for our latitudes. The causative agent Burkholderia gladioli lives in plant cells and causes local darkening of tissues due to the destruction of mechanical structures. The affected area becomes slimy and jelly-like in consistency.

Treatment

The treatment of spotting comes down primarily to prevention. Treat your plants in a timely manner, prevent them from freezing and stressing, make sure that there is no dripping moisture on the sheets. At the first sign of illness, remove the affected leaf to save the whole orchid. Having accurately determined who is the causative agent of your disease - a fungus or a bacterium, use the right drug

Video “Orchid diseases”

From this video you will learn about the mistakes in care and the causes of diseases.