Welcome to our blog post on Common Gerbera Plant Diseases! Gerberas are beautiful garden additions with their stunning blooms and various varieties. Still, like any plant, they can be attacked by a range of common diseases that can hinder their beauty and health. This blog post aims to discuss the top 10 common gerbera plant damaging diseases, including their symptoms, treatments, prevention, and management. So, buckle up to explore these gerbera plants’ ten most common diseases.
Important Points to Identify & Manage Diseases in Gerbera Plants for Beginners
- Identifying the disease: The first step is identifying the disease infesting your gerbera plant so that you can approach it with the most effective control method.
- Regular Monitoring: Monitor your gerbera plants regularly for signs of diseases. This will help you to identify an infestation early when it is easier to control.
- Sanitation: Remove the infected plant debris and burn them.
- Natural Control: Several natural control methods can help to manage diseases. These include plant extracts, essential oils, composting, and organic fungicides.
- Chemical Control: If natural controls are ineffective, use fungicides as a last resort, and follow the label instructions and dosage carefully.
10 Common Gerbera Plant Damaging Diseases
Anthracnose Disease in Gerbera Plant
- Disease Symptoms by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides: Circular to irregularly shaped spots with dark brown or black centers and reddish-brown margins appear on the leaves. Infected plants show extensive leaf browning, defoliation, necrosis, stem lesions, girdling, wilting, dieback, and flower and fruit rot.
- Survival and Spread: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides prefers a warm and humid environment of 25-30°C. Overhead irrigation, poor air circulation, plant stress, injuries, debris, and overcrowding contribute to the disease.
- Treatment, Maintenance, and Control Measures: Spray azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, propiconazole, tebuconazole, copper sulfate, copper oxychloride, thiophanate-methyl, or mancozeb. Treat with bio-fungicides like Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis.
Stem Rot Disease in Gerbera Plant
- Disease Symptoms by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: The characteristic feature is the presence of sclerotia and the development of white, cottony fungal growth on the infected stems. The base of the stem becomes water-soaked, soft, mushy and can easily be crushed by hand. Infected plants show flower lesions, wilting, chlorosis, stunted growth, and death.
- Survival and Spread: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum prefers moderate temperatures and moist conditions of 15-25°C for their growth and reproduction. Prolonged leaf wetness, higher plant density, overwatering, plant debris, and airborne spore dispersal can contribute to the disease.
- Treatment, Maintenance, and Control Measures: Spray carbendazim, metalaxyl, propiconazole, tebuconazole, boscalid, azoxystrobin, and thiophanate-methyl. Drench the soil with Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis.
Foot Rot Disease in Gerbera Plant
- Disease Symptoms by Phytophthora cryptogea: The disease primarily affects the roots and crown of Gerbera plants. Infected plants show leaf wilting, chlorosis, root discoloration, decay, water-soaked symptoms, and crown rot.
- Survival and Spread: Phytophthora cryptogea prefers a mildly warm and humid climate of 15-25°C. Soil-borne oospores, excess moisture, poor drainage, plant stress, dense canopy, overhead irrigation, and poor airflow contribute to the disease.
- Treatment, Maintenance, and Control Measures: Spray metalaxyl, mefenoxam, dimethomorph, fluopicolide, fosetyl-aluminum, and phosphorous acid. Maintain adequate drainage and follow crop rotation and proper sanitation.
Powdery Mildew Disease in Gerbera Plant
- Disease Symptoms by Erysiphe cichoracearum and Oidium erysiphoides f.sp. gerbera: The characteristic symptom of the disease is the white or grayish powdery fungal growth on the leaves, stems, and flowers. Infected plants show a powdery or dus