How to deal with white aphids on grapes and what is the best treatment to get rid of them

Many gardeners who decide to grow grapes on their plots expect to receive a bountiful harvest of sweet berries. And in the process of their ripening, admire the beauty of the grapes filling with juice and the picturesque shoots climbing the walls of the buildings. Unfortunately, the problem of pest control often gets in the way of achieving the desired result. One of the most dangerous and tenacious enemies of this crop is the aphid on grapes, also called phylloxera.

This rapidly reproducing and voracious insect did not leave North America until a certain point. Until in the 19th century it was introduced to Europe and other continents as far as Australia and New Zealand.

A real invasion began, devastating European vineyards. Because the varieties cultivated there were not resistant to this type of pest.

Aphids have also penetrated into Russia, settling in the southern regions where grapes are traditionally grown. At the moment, the vineyards of the Crimean Peninsula, Rostov region, Caucasus, Stavropol, Krasnodar Territory are under threat of aphid invasion.

The fight against aphids on grapes causes a lot of trouble for gardeners. It is necessary to take measures to destroy aphids as early as possible. Better yet, take care of preventative treatment of the vineyard in advance.

This article will talk about how to protect grape bushes from aphid attacks and how to defeat them if an infection does occur.

Causes of midges

There are several probable reasons why insect pests have settled on a grape bush. Sometimes the reason for this is ordinary ants, which use aphids like cows, specially breeding them to produce sweet milk.

There are 2 types of grape pests:

• living above, in the above-ground part;
• basal.

There is also an “intermediate” stage that connects both types. The source of aphids on grapes is wind, mud flow, sometimes these insects come on their own, attracted by the abundance of food. They multiply quite quickly, and if the aphid colony is not destroyed in time, the plants may die. Detection is seriously hampered by the fact that adult insects are inconspicuous and small - rarely exceeding 1.5 millimeters in length.

Pathogenesis

The development of this allergic skin reaction is hypersensitivity. As a rule, the first signs appear within 2 days after direct contact with the allergen. This process is started by special T-lymphocytes.

Langersans cells play a huge role in pathogenesis. They are the ones who provoke the development of the so-called barrier. In addition, cells are a powerful source of mediators. In fact, they simply provoke an inflammatory process. When an allergic reaction is provoked, the formation of a lymphoid-macrophage infiltrate begins.

As for the phase of immune alteration, it can damage the endothelium. This in turn leads to capillary thrombosis. Circulation is disrupted. The skin begins to lose its functionality. Contact with an allergen can lead to the development of serious complications in the future. Often dermatitis develops into the acute stage of eczema.

What types of aphids grow on grapes?

Three types of aphids parasitize grape bushes: root (underground), winged or gall aphids, and sexual aphids. They differ in size, appearance, habitats and life cycle.

Root aphids grow and feed below all their lives, destroying the underground part of the bush. Gall galls actively move (sometimes through the air), lay eggs on the leaves (swellings of a specific shape are formed - galls). The sexual form consists of males and females, its task is to carry out the only mating in its short life in order to carry an egg for wintering.

Root variety

Underground insects do not appear on the surface, affecting the roots and lower part of the stem. All of them are females, greenish-yellow or brown (not black) in color. The back is decorated with a pattern of symmetrical dots, and there is a proboscis on the head. Aphids have 3 pairs of limbs and 2 tentacles.

It reproduces by laying eggs. If the female manages to survive the winter, she lays about 800 eggs.

Subsequent generations are not as fertile. Therefore, when destroying the first masonry (by digging up the root zone), the owner can protect the plant and keep its root system intact.

Winged

The form is recognized by its “graceful” physique and the orange hue of its outer chitinous shells. They live above the ground and have rudimentary wings located above the upper (chest) pair of legs. They are called “nymphs” and come from the underground variety.

Getting to the surface, the aphid undergoes 3-4 molts and becomes winged. The length of the body is 1 millimeter, the color is yellowish, with light greenery or ocher. The limbs and tentacles are oblong, the wings are short, with their help “nymphs2” successfully move short distances. This "asexual" variety lays eggs on the undersides of leaves or on the surface of the bark.

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Description and rules for growing Lancelot grapesRead

The gall aphid got its name from the characteristic swellings that form on the leaf blades, reminiscent of a nut (galls), where it places its eggs. During the growth process, insects actively feed, suck the juice from the greens, destroying the grape bush. Some of the hatched larvae go down to the root: this completes the development cycle.

Sexual

Gall aphids lay eggs of 2 sizes: large ones carry females, small ones – males. This is how the sexual form appears. Its only task is to mate so that the female can lay a special, “winter” egg in a deep crevice in the bark.

Symptoms

Novice gardeners may not recognize aphid damage in tomato beds in time. The pest consumes sap from the top of the shoots, weakens them, resulting in greatly reduced growth. Tomatoes wither and yield decreases. By carefully inspecting garden crops, you can notice warning signs of pest infestation:

• clusters of small black and white dots are visible on the stems and leaves;
• droplets of sweet liquid appear on the leaf blades;
• seedling growth slows down, some leaves become deformed or look limp.

A sooty fungus often develops on the sticky secretions of aphids - a black coating appears. It can be easily removed with a damp sponge. Small lesions merge into solid dark spots

Having noticed signs of infestation, it is important to know how to treat aphids on tomatoes at home

Signs of vine infection

Aphids or phylloxera are considered one of the most dangerous enemies of grapes. It ends up on the bush, transferred with the wind, soil, water or from other plants (seedlings). The difficulty of detection lies in the fact that the insect has a complex life cycle and more than one form of development; it moves up and down the bush, destroying leaves and roots.

The underground species is difficult to identify due to its “secrecy” and the small size of the aphid. The gall form leaves marks on the leaves - this is what it parasitizes on. The foliage withers and becomes covered with growths. In general, any unnatural, depressed state of the vineyard is a reason to think about the presence of unwanted “guests”.

Description and characteristics of the pest

White aphid, or scientifically phylloxera, is a microscopic pest that can lead to the death of a vineyard. It was first discovered in Russia in 1879, but it turned out that it was brought from the American states. Now it is most common in the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, as well as in the Rostov region.

There are more than four thousand varieties of aphids, more than a quarter of them are common in Russian regions. Each of them lives primarily in one crop, but with a significant increase in population it can spread to others. Ants contribute to this: they feed on aphid honeydew.

White aphids parasitize grape crops. First it spreads to the root system, and with serious signs of the disease it moves up to the leaves. Reproduction occurs 10 days after the female lays eggs.

An individual white aphid does not exceed 1 millimeter in size, but the population is noticeable due to its large concentration.
Summer residents notice it by the appearance of growths - galls with eggs. The body is particularly ovoid, slightly elongated, and has three limbs. It is necessary to fight white aphids immediately after their appearance is noticed. Otherwise, it quickly migrates to leaves and fruits. As a result, the leaves fall off and the fruits stop growing. If further measures are not taken, the winegrowing crop will simply die.

How do aphids spread?

Introduced with planting material and soil, the “underground inhabitants” begin to reproduce: asexual females lay eggs in the roots so that the hatched larvae can suck the juice out of them, gnaw passages and parasitize on the plant. Some of the juveniles rise to the surface, and this is how the transition occurs to stage 2, the gall stage.

It is possible that the life cycle goes in a different direction: the aphid descends underground to continue reproducing there. In any case, without taking effective preventive measures, the plant may die.

Sewing a hole with a blind stitch

The hidden stitch should run from the inside of the product, remaining invisible from the outside. To disguise the tear, select a thread and a thin needle that matches the color of the outer material of the jacket. There are a large number of hidden seams; you need to choose any of them and seal the hole.

If it is possible to sew up the defect only from the front side, both parts of the incision are fastened and stitched with a needle alternately. The resulting seam tightens and makes the fabric on top visually solid.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with Spiders in the house: what they eat, how long they live, how they reproduce

Why is an insect infestation dangerous?

If aphids appear on the grapes, this will not lead to anything good. The unpleasant guest will not disappear by itself, and if it does, it will only completely destroy the entire bush and neighboring plants. The alternation of life cycles (activity in spring-summer and hibernation in winter) makes it difficult to timely identify the source of phylloxera.

It can be underground, in the form of adult insects or larvae, on foliage (in clutches) or winged form, under the bark (in eggs laid for the winter). The voracious pest, despite its miniature size, is capable of causing significant damage to a grape plantation.

pad

If a whitish, cotton-like fluff is noticed on the shoots of grapes, it means that the grape bud has settled on the vine. This small pest parasitizes the leaves and shoots of the crop, sucking out the juice.

The fluff protects the clutches of insect eggs that the female lays in the spring. Its fertility is amazing: up to 2-2.5 thousand eggs per season. The pest weakens the shoots, the plants' immunity is weakened, and yields decrease.

For control, grape vines are treated in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, with the drug “DNOC” (1%), as well as with the agents “BI-58” and “Antio”.

Grape pests are insidious and dangerous, and only proper prevention and compliance with the rules of crop care can prevent crop losses and destruction of plantings.

Natalia Severova

Chemicals for processing

To get rid of aphids, all methods are good, except extreme ones - cutting down and destroying the vineyard. Gardeners use pesticides by spraying the roots and upper part of the plant, pouring water, and treating with improvised means (soap solution).

Digging up the root zone and partially replacing the soil with sandy soil (aphids don’t like this) are effective. Pruning, removing fragments damaged by the pest, followed by burning in an open place, far from the bush, help a lot.

Fastak

A drug from the pyrethroid group affects the gastrointestinal tract of the parasite. It is not washed away by precipitation after watering. It is harmless to pollinators (bees), and produces an effect immediately after detection and treatment of aphid accumulation areas. Compatible with other fungicides and insecticides.

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Fozalon

Available in powder form, it has a specific garlic smell. It has a long-lasting effect and is used at temperatures between 13-15 ºС if other methods do not help.

Aktellik

Chemical of organophosphorus origin. The grapes are treated with the prepared aqueous solution. Helps with relapse of repeated lesions. The disadvantage is toxicity to all insects, birds, and animals.

Kinmiks

Effectively affects adult aphids and young aphids (larvae). Apply during the growing season, once or twice.

Mechanical destruction

You can save grapes from wasps and bees even before they appear on the site in large numbers. It is necessary to carefully inspect the area for the presence of nests. Ground wasps are poured with boiling water, doused with flammable substances, and set on fire. If the nest is located under the roof of outbuildings, in the attic, it is easier to drown it. They fill a bucket of water, carefully approach the wasp’s house, and quickly dip it in the water.

Traps

Ordinary plastic drink bottles will help protect grapes from wasps. The process of making a trap does not take much time and does not require special skill. In one trap, from several dozen to hundreds of individuals are caught per day.

1. Cut off the neck of the bottle and turn it inside like a watering can.
2. Fix with tape, adhesive tape, or stapler.
3. Bait for wasps is placed inside. Insects like fruit, sugar syrup, honey, jam, lemonade, kvass, and beer.
4. Hanging wasp traps throughout the vineyard.

The method does not provide 100% protection, but it significantly reduces the extent of damage to berries and prevents mass attacks.

Insect traps

Grids

If wasps eat grapes already at the ripening stage, you can protect the berries using special nets. The method is great for small areas where the number of bushes does not exceed 5 pieces. The bunches of grapes are immersed in a transparent mesh and a string is tightened on top. Such uniforms do not interfere with the ripening of the crop and prevent pests. The main disadvantage of the method is labor intensity. Each bunch of grapes must be sealed. Nets protect against wasps and birds.

Repellent

To protect grapes from wasps during their ripening, you need to know what they are afraid of. This can be done using products with a strong smell. The advantage of the method is accessibility and absolute safety. The disadvantage is the minimum validity period. Protection remains as long as the aroma is present.

• Grape, apple, and table vinegar are used for wasps. To prepare a solution, add 100 ml of vinegar to 1 liter of cold water. The grapes should be sprayed early in the morning.
• Soda against wasps is used during the ripening period of berries, when the use of chemical means of protection is prohibited. A soda solution increases the sugar content of berries, prevents the formation of rot, promotes the healing of berries after punctures by insects with proboscis, and helps repel wasps. For 10 liters of cold water you will need 5 tbsp. spoons of baking soda, 20 ml of liquid laundry soap. It is necessary to treat grapes against wasps in the evening or early in the morning.
• Liquid smoke, which is used for smoking fish and meat, will help scare away wasps from grapes. Soak the soil. The action continues as long as the smell is present.

The repellent method can be combined with other control methods to increase effectiveness. If wasps attack grapes, you need to act immediately. A small colony of pests can ruin a small vineyard in a few days. Spraying the solution is allowed during any period of crop cultivation.

Folk remedies

There are situations when the use of chemicals is undesirable or unacceptable, then traditional methods will help. For them, they use “decoctions” and “tinctures” prepared according to amateur recipes, which are used to water the affected plant.

Soap solution

For 500 milliliters of water, take 2 teaspoons of liquid soap solution, mix, add a tablespoon of sunflower oil. Spray the leaves, stem, and ground.

Tomato leaves

The fragrant leaves of nightshades are not to the liking of the garden pest. 500 grams of tomato tops are poured with 10 liters of water and left for 24 hours. Can be replaced with potato leaves. It is considered an effective remedy for combating aphids, devoid of toxic side effects.

Ash

Harmless to animals and bees, dangerous to aphids. Diluted in water; The above-ground part is treated with the resulting solution and the roots are watered.

Fighting methods

When deciding how to treat phylloxera, you need to consider the extent of the lesion. If the problem is local, it is easier to remove several seedlings. In case of massive but not extensive damage, it is advisable to use professional insecticidal preparations and traditional methods or use them in combination.

A radical method is to remove infected bushes. They must be uprooted, the roots removed and all plant residue burned. You can plant new bushes in the same place no earlier than 5 years later. After the removal procedure, processing by any of the methods is considered mandatory.

Insecticide treatment

In case of mass damage, three-time treatment with insecticidal preparations is used in the following periods:

• in the first ten days of May for the middle zone (approximate dates for other regions are determined depending on the growth phase; at least 2 leaves should appear on it);
• at the end of May, when more than 10 leaves appear on the plant;
• after 1 month, when the greens have fully opened.

When affected by leaf phylloxera, the following drugs are used:

• "Zolon";
• "Aktellik";
• "Marshal";
• "Inta-vir";
• "Confidor";
• "Karate";
• "Spark";
• "Kinmiks."

If there is damage to the root system, it is permissible to use carbon disulfide.

The drugs are used in doses specified in the instructions for use. Solutions cannot be kept ready-made; they are used immediately. Before work, you need to protect your skin and protect yourself from inhaling caustic substances using a respirator.

Traditional methods

Folk methods of combating phylloxera are used very rarely, especially as independent remedies. Insufficient prevalence is associated with low efficiency. Most often they are considered as disease prevention, but are not chosen for treatment.

The first treatment is carried out in the spring, after the risk of return frosts has been eliminated. Plantings are sprayed with a solution of iron sulfate from a spray bottle at the rate of 300 g of product per 10 liters of water. To eliminate root damage, use a solution with a higher concentration - 500 g per 10 liters of water. Make a hole 20 cm deep near the bush and pour the solution into it. After the liquid is absorbed, the depression is filled with soil.

Seasonal preventive measures

At the beginning of the growing season, it is useful to spray the grapes with chemicals, and in the fall, loosen the root zone and trim leaves with traces of the presence of the pest.

Spring

If the lesion is detected at the initial stage, treatment with an insecticide, mechanical removal of damaged leaves followed by burning, and repeated spraying after a few days will be sufficient.

Summer

In July, if the symptoms of the “disease” have not disappeared, they are re-treated with pesticides. Experienced gardeners know that it is not so easy to remove phylloxera, so you will have to spray the grapes often and regularly.

Shield: briefly about the main thing

Scale insect is a small harmful bug

There are more than 2.5 thousand species of insects. They are brought from abroad along with goods, replenishing the domestic fauna with hitherto unknown species. They are small. The main food is the juice of grapes and other plants. Oral apparatus - proboscis. Not very mobile. Because of the shiny and smooth shell, which, like a shield, covers the body of female imagoes, they got their name. The shell protects the living organism from the effects of pesticides and weather conditions. They begin to feed with the onset of sap flow, attacking young shoots of grapes and sucking the juice from them. After the mating period, the males die. The females continue their destructive activities for several more months.

Egg clutches appear in late May. They are numerous: each contains up to 150 larvae. After a couple of weeks, caterpillars emerge from the eggs. The damage is caused by larvae and adults, affecting leaves and fruits. The shield on the “youth” is formed only after a few weeks. At this time, the larvae are vulnerable to systemic or contact insecticides.

Precautionary measures

Working with insecticides in the garden is dangerous for humans, so you must first protect yourself from exposure to chemicals.

Spraying of vineyards is carried out in calm weather, after rain. Protective agents make the foliage vulnerable, so treat the bushes in the evening to avoid burns. Before the procedure, put on personal protective equipment - a mask or respirator, goggles, gloves. Cover all areas of your body, otherwise an allergic reaction may occur.

Spraying solutions are prepared before treatment, but not in advance. Follow the proportions recommended by the manufacturer.

Preventative work

In order not to look for a way to destroy phylloxera in vineyards, it is better to take time to attend to methods of its prevention. Individual recommendations are considered working. It is advisable to do the following:

• comply with quarantine conditions for new plants - keep them at a distance and process them before planting;
• in the spring, carry out three treatments using professional insecticides or traditional methods;
• choose varieties that are resistant to aphid attacks;
• use rootstock;
• it is enough to deepen the root system;
• choose suitable soil for planting.

Following these rules does not guarantee the absence of a problem 100% of the time, so you should regularly inspect your plants in order to detect signs of a problem early. Mineral fertilizers help reduce the risk of infection; they must be applied according to a special schedule.

When to process grapes in spring: timing of spraying

The first spring treatment of grapes is recommended in early spring, followed by continued preventive spraying as the vine develops. To spray the plant, 7 periods per season are distinguished.

Blooming grapes attract many pests

Therapeutic and preventive treatments of the vine are carried out during:

• enlargement of buds after gartering a plant freed from shelter;
• the appearance of the first leaves;
• budding, before the plant can open its inflorescences;
• the berries reach the size of a pea;
• shortly before picking berries;
• in the fall after harvest.

Some summer residents and gardeners process grapes during flowering, but it is not advisable to use strong products. Even prevention using folk methods may be enough to scare away or harm the insects pollinating the plant.

Of the listed treatments, the first three occur in the spring.

Resistant varieties

For many years, breeders conducted research in which thousands of seedlings were tested. , varieties resistant to phyllosphere were identified

• Muscat Bessarabian;
• Krasnostop AZOS;
• Anniversary of Moldova;
• Vierul-59;
• Kubanets;
• Starting;
• Jubilee Magaracha;
• Risus;
• Golodriga Ruby;
• Muscat Livadia and others.

Reference! Tempranillo is the most susceptible variety to phylloxera.

Grape phylloxera is a very dangerous insect. Every winegrower should know how to detect and manage this disease. Remember that the key to a healthy vineyard, a rich harvest and your peace of mind is prevention against grape aphids. These measures will protect the plantings not only from phylloxera, but also from various diseases caused by fungi or other pests.

"Tiovit Jet" (fungicide + acaricide) - instructions for use

This material contains instructions for use of “Tiovit Jet” - purpose, composition, treatment regulations, dosages and consumption rates, restrictions and safety when using it.

Purpose of "Tiovit Jet"

The drug "Tiovit Jet" is a unique product that combines the properties of a FUNGICIDE and ACARICIDE, as well as microfertilizers. Used to protect vegetable, fruit, flower crops and vineyards from powdery mildew and some other diseases, as well as mites. Those.:

a) on the one hand, “Tiovit Jet” is an inorganic fungicide for combating powdery mildew and other diseases on a wide range of crops.

Let me remind you that powdery mildew affects only young tissues (young leaves, shoots, buds, ovaries), which die over time. Outwardly, this is noticeable by a grayish-white powdery coating, which turns red over time. The disease is caused by marsupial fungi.

Let me remind you that herbivorous mites (spider mites, bud mites, fruit mites) are small insects up to 1 mm in size. General signs of damage by herbivorous mites are wilting and curling of leaves without visible damage.

You can find tiny yellowish-white dots on the underside of the leaf blades under a magnifying glass - these are the puncture sites of the mite.

Individual points quickly merge into spots, and shoots with leaves are still shrouded in a thin, barely noticeable web, sometimes as thick as felt.

Composition and dosage form

The functioning of the drug is based on the main active ingredient. This is sulfur, dosage 800g/kg. Available in the form of water-dispersible granules (WDG), which quickly and completely dissolve, forming a homogeneous suspension. Packaged in bags of 10g. and 20kg. for agricultural production and in bags of 15g., 30g. and 90g. for use in private household plots.

Read more about the options for using and the principle of action of colloidal sulfur to protect plants from fungal diseases in a separate material on the website.

Examples of the drug "Tiovit Jet" of different brands

The drug was developed by the Swiss company Syngenta AG, one of the world leaders in the production of plant protection products and seed material.

Application regulations and treatment features

“Tiovit Jet” is diluted as follows: first, the required dosage of the drug is diluted in a small amount of water and, with constant stirring, brought to the required volume (5-10 l.).

The working solution should be used on the day of use.

Caking of the dry preparation is possible during long-term storage; in this case, it is necessary to break it down to a homogeneous mass, or dissolve it with vigorous stirring.

Spraying is carried out in the morning or evening in calm weather.

The period of protective action of the drug "Tiovit Jet" is about 2 weeks (depending on the weather and the degree of damage to the crops). The effect of the drug is noticeable within a few hours after use.

Grape processing

Treatment of grapes with Tiovit Jet

The grapes are sprayed with a working solution throughout the entire growing season when a disease (oidium) or pests (spider mites) are detected. The consumption rate of working fluid is 10 l./100 m2. Read more about the processing of grapes and the preparations used in a separate material on the website

Processing apple and pear trees

Treatment of apple and pear trees with Tiovit Jet

When powdery mildew is detected on apple and pear trees, “Tiovit Jet” is diluted in a ratio of 30-80g/10l, which is enough to spray one hundred square meters.

Processing currants and gooseberries

Treatment of currants and gooseberries with Tiovit Jet

Berry bushes (currants, gooseberries, raspberries) can be protected not only from powdery mildew, but also from herbivorous mites (for example, bud mites). About measures of protection against spider mites and bud mites on currants in a separate material on the site - appearance, signs of damage and how to deal with it.

Processing of flower and ornamental crops

Treatment of flower (most often roses) and ornamental crops against powdery mildew with “Tiovit Jet” is carried out both in open and protected soils. The consumption rate of working fluid is 5-10l/100m2.