Crops
Sooty mold
Several insects, in particular aphids, and whiteflies must take large quantities of sap in order to meet their food needs, especially in protein. This forces them to release large amounts of excess sugar in the form of honeydew. This then contaminates the surface of the organs colonized by these insects.
This sweet honeydew is a real boon to several fungi many phylloplane plants and zucchini and squash using them for food, and which are at the origin of the sooty mold ( sooty mold ). Their development on this sweet substrate leads to the gradual appearance of one to several molds on the blade (figure 1), the stem (figure 2) and even the fruits (figure 2) which present variable colors depending on the fungal species. colonizers: Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., Capnodium sp., Penicillium sp. ...
This sooty mold is harmful because it more or less disrupts the photosynthesis of plants. Only the control of pest populations can remedy this.
This sooty mold is harmful because it more or less disrupts the photosynthesis of plants. Only the control of pest populations can remedy this.
In the presence of sooty mold, we advise you to observe the plants more closely in order to detect which insect pests them, then to consult its specific sheet:
Figure 1
Figure 2