Cherry tree diseases

We know that the cherry tree is somewhat delicate and can be affected by different pests and physical diseases of fruit trees if it is not cared for in good conditions. Even with this, you are prone to some classic diseases. Today we are going to talk about the pests and diseases of the cherry tree to know what its symptoms and possible treatments are.

In this article, we are going to tell you which are the most frequent pests and diseases of cherry trees and which are the authorized treatments for their control.

Main characteristics of the cherry

Before knowing what are the diseases of the cherry tree, we are going to know its main characteristics. The cherry is a fruit that grows quickly and has little room for maneuver for the application of the different phytosanitary treatments for the pests and diseases that attack it. The treatments must be applied at an ideal time if we want to have fruits of the highest quality. Much of the care of this tree must be directed to deal with the possible pests and diseases present. That is, a large part of the care that the plant needs goes beyond the location, soil, irrigation, etc. But it is also important to carry out preventive activities for pests and diseases.

All this makes it essential to combat pests in a preventive way before eliminating them once they have already attacked the tree. If you have several cherry trees planted in your field, it is advisable to follow the recommendations of the phytosanitary bulletins issued by the plant health services of the various autonomous communities. Let’s see what are the different pests and diseases of the cherry tree.

Cherry tree pests

pests that attack the cherry tree

We are going to start by studying the main pests that attack this tree. The prevention and control treatments of the different pests are essential if we want to keep our trees in good condition. To produce these fruits with good quality, we must use various authorized control measures to deal with pests and reduce damage. Let’s see what are the main pests that attack this fruit tree:

  • Aphid : it is the most common pest in this type of fruit trees in which it has a greater impact on the cherry. That is, it is the one that directly attacks the fruit and decreases the quality of the product. The time has come when the aphid’s natural predators are overwhelmed and cannot control the populations. Therefore, the application of authorized control treatments is necessary. Among the damage caused by aphids we see a reduction in the number of cherries, a later ripening, a sticky appearance, a worse flavor and a lower commercial value.
  • Fly: the cherry fly has a great capacity for adaptation. And it is capable of increasing its area of ​​influence quite quickly. It affects early production areas and causes significant economic damage. Cherries become softer and their flavor noticeably worsens.
  • Bighead worm: can be quite serious if cherry trees suffer from water stress. Therefore, greater vigilance must be taken into account in drought episodes. Among the damage caused by the big-headed worm, we see damage to the trunk of the cherry tree since these larvae feed on the cambium of the trunk and cause them to gradually shrink and dry. It is one of the main causes why we see cherry trees drying out.
  • Drosophila Suzukii: it is one of the new pests with great danger and that attacks the ripe cherry. These are the most worrisome in the sector.
  • San José louse: it is not very relevant although it can cause damage to plantations if its control is neglected. Its main treatment is based on winter oil because it is quite inexpensive and helps control the pest.
  • Cherry borer: they grow best in trees with low vigor and cause serious damage when dried.

Cherry tree diseases: fungi

trunk affected by diseases

We divide cherry tree diseases into fungi and bacteria since they can attack in different ways. Apart from insect pests, fungal diseases have a great impact on cherry tree cultivation. Let’s see what are the main diseases of the cherry tree with fungal origin:

  • Monilia: affects the flower and the fruit, damaging the production of cherries. This makes them unsuitable for commercialization. Losses can be large, especially in rainy years. There are some cherry varieties that are more sensitive and can end in serious disasters when control treatment measures are not applied.
  • Anthracnose: control treatments against Anthracnose are essential if we want to obtain good quality fruits. The disease not only affects the leaves, but also the fruit. Attacked, preventing its development and reducing the total vigor of the cherry tree.
  • Screening: it is also known by the name of Perdigonada and it is a fungal disease that mainly attacks the leaves. It can affect the fruit producing some spots, reducing the commercial value.
  • Gnomonia: this disease increases the number of fruits affected by cracking, and can cause significant damage to the entire harvest.

Cherry tree diseases: bacteria

signs of cherry tree diseases

As we have mentioned before, we divide cherry tree diseases into fungi and bacteria. Now we are going to analyze which are the diseases that attack the cherry tree and which are produced by bacteria. Bacteria are much more difficult to fight than pests and fungi. Therefore, its preventive control treatment is essential.

  • Xylella fastidiosa : it is a bacterium that worries not only the cherry tree, but also other stone fruit trees such as olive trees.
  • Gummosis: it mainly affects areas where there are significant temperature variations. The bacteria infect the trunk and cause serious damage. The main symptom is cherry gum.

As you can see, most pests and diseases of the cherry tree can be prevented with some control methods. It is more important to prevent the disease than to try to eliminate it. Especially if you have a harvest objective to sell, we cannot allow the commercial value of the fruits to decrease.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about cherry tree diseases and their characteristics.

Cherry tree diseases

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