Author Topic: Fungus on mango flowers (Read 19084 times)

BluePalm · « **on:** February 24, 2012, 02:58:45 PM »

For the past 3 growing seasons the flowers on our mango trees are being attacked by a fast-spreading fungus...before fruit set. Last year it kept our Alphonso from bearing fruit. Spraying the flowers with a fungicide is quite effective. However, we have some larger trees that are really hard to fully spray (with 100% coverage). Has anyone had any experience with this specific fungus?

Thanks,
BluePalm

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2012, 03:31:38 PM »

Powdery mildew.

Sulfur works on it. I use a product that contains sulfur when i see the PM taking a toll.

The big trees are difficult to spray. Depends on how obsessive you get. I used to climb up a 16 ft ladder with a 4 gallon backpack sprayer to take care of Fungus issues. I realized how dangerous that practice was, and I will no longer do that.

If I see it on my small tree, I'll spray..

HMHausman · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2012, 03:32:14 PM »

That would be powdery mildew. The solution is spraying sulphur. The method...if your trees are of any size.....difficult. It causes tremendous losses in terms of failure to set fruit. Some trees, like Alphonso will not set fruit at my house without sulphur application.

Sleep beat me to the punch!

Harry

puglvr1 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:05:49 PM »

Wow...you guys are Good!! Right on the money Sleep and Harry...Good luck Bluepalm! I've seen those before and they are a pain to deal with. Now I know what it is. Thanks

A014 Diseases of mango bloom

bsbullie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:40:22 PM »

I would not delay on tackling this as powdery mildew can spread and takeover the tree at a very fast rate.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:45:10 PM »

I've got some PM on my Florigon fruiting trees right now. Will have to get out de olde sprayer.

Oscar

HMHausman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:49:43 PM »

Man....shows you how different our growing conditons are. Here, I would say Florigon is one of the most resistant mango to powdery mildew. I wonder why such a difference??

Harry

fruitlovers · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:57:13 PM »

Quote from: HMHausman on February 24, 2012, 05:49:43 PM

Man....shows you how different our growing conditons are. Here, I would say Florigon is one of the most resistant mango to powdery mildew. I wonder why such a difference??

Harry

Harry, I'm guessing our average rainfall here is 2x what you have? Ours is 150 inches/year. Also this December was very rainy, as in rain almost every single day. December and February are our rainiest months, which plays havoc with mango flowering.
Oscar

HMHausman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2012, 06:32:06 PM »

I was aware of the intense rainfall you have. I actually have only recently identified and began to observe powdery mildew. When I first realized what it was, I was shocked to hear that it supposedly prefers cooler, drier conditions. That intially made sense since I was not spraying copper since the weather was cool and dry and I was't expceting much anthracnose. But this year, we have had a warm and, for us, a wet winter. So that would mean more anthracnose and less powdery mildew....right? Nope....lots of both. More than enough to go around. Such is life.

Harry

fruitlovers · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2012, 06:37:42 PM »

I don't remember seeing PM on the mangos here before. Usually anthracnose is the big problem here for mangos.
Oscar

BluePalm · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2012, 07:55:55 PM »

Yeah, the PM is NASTY It takes over the tree FAST and you can kiss the majority of the crop bye bye. We are spraying fungicide tomorrow. Our Bailey's Marvel is covered in it, and yet a Mallika 20' away doesn't have any on it. Thank you for your quick and informative responses!!

HMHausman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2012, 08:39:55 PM »

Just surveyed the yard on a quick walk thru....albeit in the dark with a flashlight. Lots of PM........some culitvars have it bad, but still set lots of fruit. An example is Pickering. Others, no fruit set at all......Alphonso, Bailey's Marvel and Jakarta. Others, too early to tell. On my Thai Everbearing, there is a section of the tree that bloomed slightly earlier than the rest of the tree. That small section has a ton of fruit set. The rest of the tree, with the later blooms....nothing.....just lots of white frosted pannicles from the powdery mildew. I wish I would have paid more attention to the differing conditions that caused this. This weekend will have to be a sulphur spraying intensive weekend.

Harry

puglvr1 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 25, 2012, 06:48:32 AM »

Sorry to hear that Harry! Could you please let me know exactly what you use for the Powdery Mildew...brand name would be great or a link with apicture, Thanks! I've used Copper before for anthracnose but will have to keep a close eye fro PM and would like to be ready with the right product should I need it. While doing some searches I came across a "lime" sulphur...is this the same thing?

Good luck to you and bluepalm getting everything sprayed.

Nancy

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2012, 08:18:28 AM »

I use this

http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=BOP-219

I buy it at my local Home Depot

Carbo · « **Reply #14 on:** February 25, 2012, 08:18:59 AM »

Would Neem Oil be efffective against powdery mildew on a mango tree? I see the beginnings of this fungus on a few of the panicles and figure I should be proactive.
If not Neem Oil, I have this product on hand: http://www.bonide.com/products/product.php?category_id=217
Is it best to spray early morning or late afternoon?

puglvr1 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 25, 2012, 08:33:22 AM »

Thanks Sleepdoc!! Glad to hear I can get it at Home Depot, I HATE paying shipping if I don't have to,lol...

Carbo, looks like the same one Sleepdoc posted.

puglvr1 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 25, 2012, 08:40:12 AM »

Since my Mango trees are small...I was thinking of using one of these pressurized 1.5 liter spray bottles (similar) to the picture from the link below, I'm guessing that would work also instead of the Hose-end sprayer?
http://www.horticulturesource.com/sunlight-supply-1-5-liter-spray-bottle-20-case--p1383/

Sleepdoc...do you only spray it when you see a problem, or should I spray at 1/2 strength as a preventative? Thanks again!

Nancy

HMHausman · « **Reply #17 on:** February 25, 2012, 08:46:10 AM »

I have successfully used this:

http://www.hardwareharbor.com/4Lb-Sulfur-Dust-By-Bonide-Products_p_64321.html

Harry

bsbullie · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2012, 09:18:34 AM »

Quote from: Carbo on February 25, 2012, 08:18:59 AM

Would Neem Oil be efffective against powdery mildew on a mango tree? I see the beginnings of this fungus on a few of the panicles and figure I should be proactive.
If not Neem Oil, I have this product on hand: http://www.bonide.com/products/product.php?category_id=217
Is it best to spray early morning or late afternoon?

No, neem oil will not have any effect on powdery mildew.

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2012, 09:39:53 AM »

Quote from: puglvr1 on February 25, 2012, 08:40:12 AM

Since my Mango trees are small...I was thinking of using one of these pressurized 1.5 liter spray bottles (similar) to the picture from the link below, I'm guessing that would work also instead of the Hose-end sprayer?
http://www.horticulturesource.com/sunlight-supply-1-5-liter-spray-bottle-20-case--p1383/

Sleepdoc...do you only spray it when you see a problem, or should I spray at 1/2 strength as a preventative? Thanks again!

Nancy

In the past, I only sprayed when I saw some evidence of PM. This year, I sprayed in Dec or Jan to try and kill whitefly. I don't think it did much for the whitefly, but I have not yet seen any evidence of Powdery Mildew on my flower panicles. Not sure if there is a correlation.

Also, be sure not to spray in in a close time proximity to the oil sprays (2 weeks?). They interact and can damage the plant. i believe this holds true for all sulfur products..

puglvr1 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2012, 11:11:20 AM »

Thanks for the link Harry.

Appreciate the info also Sleepdoc.

Upon checking out my blooms today I noticed a few of these on my Glenn...I think its PM...what do you guys think? Should I spray ALL the blooms even the ones that don't look affected? I just don't want to spray it with the wrong stuff if its not PM and kill the blooms instead... Thanks again!!

HMHausman · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2012, 12:05:20 PM »

Quote from: Carbo on February 25, 2012, 08:18:59 AM

Would Neem Oil be efffective against powdery mildew on a mango tree? I see the beginnings of this fungus on a few of the panicles and figure I should be proactive.
If not Neem Oil, I have this product on hand: http://www.bonide.com/products/product.php?category_id=217
Is it best to spray early morning or late afternoon?

Good question. I have used it successfully for black sooty mold. Give neem a try and report back to us. Time of the day for spraying is not the issue....its temperature and sun. I prefer to spray either early or late or when it is overcast. Definitely better and less dangerous when it is cooler rather than when it is warmer.

Harry

fruitlovers · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2012, 05:06:57 PM »

PM is on the leaves of my Florigon and curling the leaves.
Here you can buy a 50 pound bag of wettable sulfur for about same price as you'er paying for that product from Home Depot that only makes 25 gallons. BTW pyrethrin in that prodcut doesn't do anything to PM. Pyrethrin is an insecticide.
Oscar

BluePalm · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2012, 10:36:00 AM »

Is the Bonide Citrus Fruit and Nut sulfur spray safe to use on lychees and longans?

HMHausman · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2012, 11:05:33 AM »

I don't see why not.....I wouldn't hesitate to use it on either lychees or longans.

Harry

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Author Topic: Fungus on mango flowers (Read 19084 times)