Protect before it spreads: rot, damping-off, blight

Once rot is in the stem or a virus is in the plant, the damage is already done. That is why biological disease control is used early, as protection, and why the first job is to name the problem. A viral symptom and a fungal one need different products, and the wrong one wastes the stage.

Seedlings dying: damping-off

Damping-off is the sudden death of young seedlings, usually in wet, poorly drained seedbeds, caused by organisms that live in the soil. Shakti Damping Special is used to help prevent seedling death and to support healthy, vigorous root growth and good establishment. Dose: 2.5 litres per acre through drip. Good drainage and a clean seedbed matter as much as any product.

Roots and soil-borne fungi

Two living cultures protect the root zone, and both work best before the disease is established.

• TrichoStar (Trichoderma) provides effective root protection from soil-borne fungal diseases.
• PseuNova (Pseudomonas) reduces fungal root diseases, so the crop grows healthy and vigorous.

Dose for each: 250 g per 200 litres of water. They are living cultures, so store them cool and out of the sun, use them before the date on the pack, and do not mix them with chemical fungicides in the same tank.

Banana: Panama disease and stem rot

Panama disease lives in the soil and enters through the roots, so it is controlled by protecting the root zone early and by using clean planting material and drainage. Shakti Panama Special helps control stem and root rot (Panama disease) and suppresses blight. Dose: 2 litres per acre through drip.

Blight

Shine helps regulate blight disease. Dose: 2.5 ml per litre of water, as a foliar spray.

Virus: CMV

V-Control is for the control of CMV virus on plants. Dose: 2.5 ml per litre of water, as a foliar spray, at the first sign of infection. CMV is spread by aphids, so it makes sense to control aphids as well: see Vedh and the guide on choosing a pest product by where the pest lives. A plant that is already badly infected will not recover, so act at the first sign.

Start by identifying the problem

Look at where the symptom starts: the roots, the stem base, the leaves, or the whole plant. All the disease products are on one page, and the dosage calculator gives the quantity for your area. If you are not sure, send us a photo of the crop and the roots on WhatsApp before you buy anything.