When it comes to diseases that can wreak havoc on fruits and vegetable , blossom oddment rot is one of the most uncouth — and damaging — problems that hobby James Leonard Farmer face . The Ohio State University Extension figure that in some pillowcase , up to 50 percent of craw lossescan be attribute to blossom end rot .
“ [ Blossom goal buncombe ] is a very common trouble , but we see it most often during drouth , ” explain David Goforth , agricultural extension agent for Cabarrus County in North Carolina .
By learning to tell apart the disease ’s symptom , you’re able to take stone’s throw on your farm to remedy the problem and harvest a good harvest time .
Spotting the Signs
Blossom ending rot is a nonparasitc disease have by a want of Ca , which affects member of the nightshade and cucurbit sept , including tomatoes , black pepper , garden egg , crush and melons . The likely culprit is calcium deficiency in the soil or a low proportion of calcium compared with food , such as nitrogen and atomic number 19 . It ’s also potential for the soil to contain passable atomic number 20 levels that the works is ineffectual to absorb . Extreme fluctuations in moisture can also be to charge .
The disease is called blossom end hogwash because it affects the blossom end of the plant ( the part opposite the stem ) . Most obvious on tomatoes , a belittled water system spot on the fruit is often the first sign of the disease . As flower end hogwash progress , the round office gets dingy and continues expanding , sometimes consuming more than one-half of the fruit .
Blossom end buncombe can be more difficult to spot on melons , Goforth say . Instead of causing a piddle spot , the tissue of the skin develop a leather - like appearance and the fruit ripen originally . On common pepper , the disease have tan - colour in spots that often seem on the lobes , not the bloom end . It ’s often befuddle with sunscald .
On all crops , flower close rot is most often espy on unexampled fruit .
Preventing the Problem
To avoid seeing blossom end moulder on your summer crops , testing your soil ’s pH level is an important starting point . A soil test can usually be done through your local USDA department or extension agentive role .
If you have a low pH , meaning the soil is acidulous , total calcined lime ( aka calcium carbonate ) to the grime will raise the ph and help prevent the disease . However , if a stain psychoanalysis establish the pH is correct , amending the soil with gypsum can help upraise calcium levels without changing the ph . call back , amending the filth to change the balance of nutrients should be done months before planting .
However , if you are already well into growing time of year when you spot prime end buncombe , there ’s still hope . spray foliation and stanch with anhydrous calcium chloride will facilitate get calcium to the fruit at once . The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences atNorth Carolina State Universityrecommends applying the solution at a pace of four pounds/100 gallons of water / acre four time per week at the first sign of the disease .
In case where extreme differences in wet levels are to blame — such as might be the case in a period of drouth — it might be necessary to re - evaluate your irrigation practice .
“ Installing a drip irrigation system will put up regular water and keep the plant life from go into tension , ” Goforth articulate .
Mulching can also aid regulate soil wet . Montana State University Extensionsuggests using constitutional mulch over disastrous charge card .
Treating the Problem
Unfortunately , when you notice blossom end rot on your crop , that yield is ruined . absent it from the plant and toss it .
“ The fruit has a poor quality mouthful and is unsellable , ” Goforth articulate .
While blossom end rot despoil yield , it does n’t have to ruin the entire crop . Once the affected fruit is removed , pH and Ca levels are tested / correct and plants are receiving enough water ( without overwatering ) the next yield set should n’t be affected .
