The main pests of plants at the seedling stage are fungus gnats and their larvae, as well as whiteflies and thrips.
According to the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , the favorite “delicacy” of the listed creatures is eggplants – because of their soft and tasty leaves.
How to recognize seedlings damaged by pests
Damage caused by insects always looks the same.
The seedlings look normal for their age, have fully developed leaves of normal color with damage on the underside of the leaf in the form of multiple punctures, as if left by a needle or thin wire.
Sometimes the spots look like “depressions” and gradually dry out, but the leaf itself does not lose its normal color, and “defects” can be seen on leaves of different ages.
Another sign of seedling damage by insects is damage to the growth point.
How to cure seedlings damaged by pests
In this case, it is recommended to resort to double processing.
This means that the plants will need to be treated from above to destroy pests that are currently on the surface of the plants, and the soil will also need to be watered.
For this, you will need preparations such as Fitoverm, Kleshchevit or Iskra Bio. The treatment should be carried out in accordance with the instructions every 2-3 days.
The soil is watered with a systemic preparation, for example, “Aktara”, preparing a solution of 1 g of the product per 10 liters of water.
In addition, it is recommended to sprinkle the soil on top with a thin layer consisting of vermiculite, agroperlite, zeolite or another loosening agent. Even sand will do, the layer thickness of which should be 5-7 mm.
Earlier we wrote about which crops should not be planted near cucumbers.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
