Fusarium wilt is a harmful pathogen that takes place due to a fungus called Fusarium oxysporum. It is well known to take over garden areas quickly, attacking every plant that is planted in soil. The family of plants belonging to nightshades is highly at risk of getting attacked by fusarium wilt and also hundreds of other plants, flowers, and vegetables that you have planted in your backyard or garden.
Once the soil is contaminated by the fungus, drastic steps should be taken to tackle them, so the best way to kill fusarium wilt is by implementing all the preventive measures available and known by the individual in action
This will help keep it out of your garden from the very beginning of the plantation process.
But, if fusarium wilt has already done its job in your garden, there are several steps you can take to try to destroy it before it causes more damage, and becomes out of control.
THE PLANTS THAT ARE UNDER THE RISK OF FUSARIUM WILT?
Many types of plant species are at great risk of getting infected by fusarium wilt. Legumes, sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, melons, crisphead lettuce, eggplant, and other majorly grown food crops are at a high risk of fusarium wilt attacks.
When fusarium wilt attacks banana trees, it is known as Panama disease.
Plants that are affected by fusarium wilt experience delayed growth as well as several other symptoms that can be so harmful. A healthy plant with vibrant green leaves turns yellow or pale as the plant is subjected to infection. After some time it will become worse and the plant will eventually die out.
SYMPTOMS OF FUSARIUM FUNGUS.
The plant itself cannot fight with fusarium wilt and if you feel like they are fighting then you can expect them to die soon. Also, the infected plant must have infected the soil which will further infect the plants planted on that soil. So strict actions should be taken to prevent any future damage.
The symptoms of this fungus will not appear that soon. It might look that the plant is completely healthy at first. You may see that older leaves are turning yellow which is often very normal. But, as the disease grows and spreads in a larger area the younger leaves start to shed off and by that time it will be too late.
Not all infected plants die from fusarium wilt. Some other fungi are also a major reason for the dead plants. Some just perform very poorly at the time of harvest action. Some tomato plants, for example, will take the attack but will not produce healthy fruit. The fungal infection hits the vascular tissue, roots, and stems of the plant.
You can easily tell which areas of your plants have been affected the most by the wilt because dark streaks will be seen in the veins of the leaves and stem. The lower part of the stem area starts to rot and in no time they give up and die.
You may see drying out and older leaves turning yellow which might feel normal buy it is not. Yellow color is not a sign of healthy plant
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN FOR FUSARIUM FUNGUS TREATMENT.
The fusarium wilt takes place at high temperatures and takes over your garden soil, then the fungus does not need anything else to spread it will do the entire job on its own.
- Crop rotation is proven to be helpful, it prevents the fungus from attacking the same plants again and again. Plantation of fusarium-resistant crops is highly beneficial as it stays away from such seeds and gives them an ample amount of time to fight.
- In the long term, sterilization is the most effective weapon against the fight against this fungus. You can use a bleach solution to clean pots and garden tools.
- This will keep the fungus at bay for some time.
- But sometimes there is no cure for an infected plant. Pull it up the instant you find it is infected and never compost these, only discard in the trash.
Ideally, you will also dig all the soil around it and eliminate that too as it will be infected as well.
TAKE REQUIRED AND EFFECTIVE ACTION AGAINST FUSARIUM WILT.
One highly effective technique used to kill off fusarium wilt is the process of solarizing the soil in the garden. Fusarium wilt grows best in warm temperatures around the range of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Solarization destroys the fungus by increasing that temperature up to an extreme level where no fungus is capable enough to survive or exist.
Another measure that can be taken against fusarium attack is a well-made product called Actinovate, a product that can be used for soil drenching. Actinovate is a pesticide and fungicide that is specially made to target diseases that damage leaves and makes root rot with the help of microbes and bacteria.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE A WILTED PLANT TO RECOVER.
- If it lacks water, it might recover after two or three days, unless it has dried out, which makes it difficult to recover.
- If it is overwatering, it might recover after several weeks, as the plant took that much time to regrow damaged parts. However, if it is overwatered and rotten, then it is gone for sure.
- If this is caused by infection, it might recover after the plant has gone under treatment, damaged parts might take and need weeks to recover.
- If it is because of pesticides, then this depends on how much damage the pest has caused. Some can recover easily within a couple of weeks, while others will cause damage so fully and deeply that the plant is dead.
- If it is environmentally caused by stress like cold blasts, intense heat, or strong wind, the damage is likely to be permanent.
- The plant’s age also has a deep influence. Younger plants can be damaged easily but also recover faster.
One of the best ways to detect any upcoming problems in your plants is to hire an arborist who will always make you aware and prepared for any future damage.
