Got Clogged Stems? (Fusarium in marijuana plants)

[J.James]

What is fusarium?

• The scab is a fungal disease type produced by the fungus Fusarium .
• The habitat fusarium is soil (substrate) , there generally living organic matter decomposing. Some varieties of fusarium are harmful to marijuana. The most commonly occurring in the cannabis crops are Fusarium oxysporum sp. vasinfectum oxysporum and Fusarium sp cannabis.
• The first references of fusarium attacks occurred in the years 30/40 in the USSR following an infection of wheat that caused great loss of life, it was later used it as a bioweapon. In the 50s it became known to infect crops of bananas. Suriname arrived in the Caribbean. A decade after its effect was discovered in a coca plantation and the US began to use it to eradicate crops in Colombia and other Andean countries. In '85 he appeared in the greenhouses of tomatoes Murcia.
• It affects the stem , root rots and produces vascular, wilting symptoms used to identify different species of this fungus.
• The easy dispersal of spores through water, wind and nematodes, next to impossible to cure the affected plants, we should focus on doing preventive work carefully.

Fusarium and cannabis:
Scab in cannabis plants is produced by various species of Fusarium.

• The vascular wilt is produced by the varieties Fusarium oxysporum that attacks the xylem of the stem. This is the most common way to attack scab cannabis. It can be seen with the naked eye as a brown stain on the stem. If you cut is vascular damage, the xylem is another color, ocher, in extreme cases is brown branch.
• The putrefaction root produces the variety Fusarium solani . Marhitamiento clear overall plant shown, with the leaves completely decayed. Usually shrivel branch by branch, but sometimes they can wither away completely within a few days.
• The condition of the stem , also called cancer stem is produced by several species Fusarium avenaceum and Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum , Fusarium lateritium , Fusarium sambucinum , Fusarium sulphureum , etc. The condition of the stem is visible to the naked eye, the looks sporulation sometimes intense colors . This variety is rare in crops.
• Fusarium should be treated in all types of crops, especially in cultures where water can remain stagnant, as if growing indoors with flood irrigation.

Fusarium causes massive fall leaf marijuana plants​

How to identify Fusarium marijuana plants:

• It should be borne in mind that the identification with the naked eye is always oriented to treat curatively plant. We recommend always prevent such fungal diseases before seeing their appearance , as they have a rapid development and can t erminar quickly with the life of your plants .
• Fusarium naked eye is identified by the variety of Fusarium attack and its scope. The first symptoms usually be leaves decayed, stained for a few days to see withered branch .
• A root level is identified by brown brown identifying the diseased root , root then becomes woody.
• A level of the stem, attacks from within the xylem , from outside it looks like a watercolor blot (translucent) dark brown. In more advanced stages are the leaves decayed as lack of water and dried branches .
• The cancer stem is also easily seen with the naked eye, it is observed dark spots and oozing dark brown viscous liquid. When the damage is advanced starts to look at leaves down and general decay . In these cases the fungus penetrates the plant through wounds or openings in the trunk.
• Through the microscope it is possible to observe conidia but you do not confirm it under the microscope, and the risk of spread to other plants through the microscope, better reserve it for healthy plants and insect pests is added.

Fusarium life cycle:

• Produces three types of spores, micro and microconidia formed by one and many cells respectively and clamidosporas , resistant spores can survive between 5 and 15 years in the soil.
• The fusarium oxysporum attacking the stem causes wilting , reproduces asexually, whereas the Fusarium solani causing p udrición root reproduces sexually. It colonizes saprophyte ie dead tissue or decomposition.
• The extreme temperatures that develop are between 10 and 30 ° C , the optimum reproduction is 20/25 cycles of 12 hours of light and dark., Making the indoor and outdoor crops potential victims of this fungus. The pH of the soil of 7.7 is the best for fusarium but survives between 2.2 and 9.0
• The spores are released and can develop into tissues alive or dead plant. A plant access by damage to the stems, leaves or roots

Damage produced by the Fusarium:

Fusarium produces in general terms wilting in parts, although it is true that attack differently depending on the variety of Fusarium:

• Rots the roots , the damage begins to check a couple of weeks after infection. At the root mass affect the plant begins showing symptoms of stress, stopping the growth .
• Yellow leaves become (chlorosis), unreacted the nutrients provided. In addition, bend and wither .
• The stem adopts a brown inside the xylem is brown in color, the vessels necrosas and no nutrients circulate so the plant wilts. If the stem is cut to mitas entire stem xylem becomes infected
• The affected branches and roots do not recover , the party is irrigated by the stems dry irreparably affected. The stems and roots become woody (lignificación)
• The biggest problem with fusarium infection is that it can not be cured and quickly affects the stem which prevents making any treatment. This makes it very important to develop preventive work routinely to avoid infection.

Healthy plant marijuana and marijuana plant with Fusarium​

 

[J.James]

How to prevent and eliminate Fusarium marijuana plants:

• Try to keep cleaning the culture room , I greenhouse or garden outside, removes old leaves the ground . because the spores germinate well in dead plant material.
• In indoor crops get changed clothes and shoes before entering the room culture and wash your hands thoroughly before touching the plants.
• Clean with soap and water and sterilized with alcohol and / or hydrogen peroxide , the cropping tools before and after each use.
• Thoroughly clean the pots with bleach and rinse them thoroughly with water before use. Keep the hygiene of the walls and floors of indoor growing .
• If you use compost or manure home, make sure you have correctly completed the whole cycle of composted and is free of pests
• Spraying the plant with Propolix helps healthy and keep stress , strengthening the plant against pathogen attack .
• Anti stress products such as Revive , Regulator , Alg A Mic , Bio Weed , Floralkleen or Supervit among others, help to strengthen the plant and make it more resistant to fusarium attack and other types of fungi .
• The best preventive is the application of Trichoderma from seedling in each transplant . Some of the trichodermas and / or beneficial fungi most effective of the market are Trichoderma Zho , Aktrivator , Micro Vita or Piranha .

Fusarium natural enemies:
Preventively you can apply these natural enemies against fusarium :

• Trichoderma, the most effective against fusarium . It is very effective , but it should apply in each transplant to ensure that is present throughout the culture. Do not use fungicides or chemicals, as it will eliminate the trichodermas .
• Seed extract Citrus paradisi .
• Streptomyces griseoviridis , competes for substrate and rhizosphere, and produces streptomycin antibiotic toxic bacterium, can be used with Trichoderma
• The Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 , also effective against powdery mildew and botrytis , it is a positive bacterium that produces metabolites with anti fungal side as iturin A and surfactin. It can be applied with Trichoderma.
  
  
  
• Marijuana plant with Fusarium and Botrytis

Trichoderma, the great enemy of the Fusarium:
The beneficial fungus Trichoderma have different modes of action against pathogens making it indispensable in the cultivation of marijuana.

• Compete against fungi such as Fusarium , Pythium , Alternaria, etc., on the substrate
• Produce antibiotics toxic fungus such as trichodermina, gliotoxin, viridin, etc.
• It can parasitize pathogenic fungi
• Furthermore it stimulates the development of root mass
• Contributes to the proliferation of mycorrhizae
• Breakdown organic matter
• Biodegrades agrotoxic of soil
• Does not contaminate the culture medium and is toxic to humans and animals.

General Tips

• Fusarium can remain on the ground in plants, neighboring gardens and disperse in the wind. The prevention Trichoderma and other methods cited as a hygiene culture will greatly reduce the occurrence of this fungal disease.
• Plants periodically monitors
• In the presence of fusarium in culture it is very important to act quickly and not let time pass.
• Do not reuse a substrate of a plant that has been affected with Fusarium .
• Prevent it from spreading to other plants and remove them from the crop must be the immediate priority, in order to take forward and plants a crop of marijuana get healthy and quality.

Original Article can be found here
Fusarium and cannabis plants- Alchimia Grow Shop (alchimiaweb.com)