Diseases and pests affecting tulips
Diseases caused by fungus
» tulip fire (Botrytis tulipan) - very serious fungal disease. On leaves, shoots, often on flowers appear small, round flecks covered with grey dusty coating. The flecks spread rapidly and the disease soon attacks whole plantations. If the bulbs were strongly affected the plants grow would be deformed from the start. The bulbs have brown incisions. The diseased plants should be dug out and burned. As a prevention I suggest spraying with Biosept 33 SL (0.1%) interchanging with Bioczos BR (1 cube for app. 300 - 400 ml). other preparations include Bravo 500 SC, Kaptan (suspension) 50 WP, Amistar 250 SC, Dithane NeoTec 75 WG. Item No five.» dry rot of bulbs - fusariose (Fusarium oxyporum ssp. Tulipae) - the disease develops during storage. The bulbs have brown spots, become soft and give off an unpleasant smell. The diseased bulbs produce unevenly tinted, weak and early withering plants. Fusariose favors wet weather and bulbs stored in bad conditions. The affected plants should be dug out and burned. To prevent dry rot the plants should be subjected to such preparation as Kaptan, and they should be sprayed as in the case of tulip fire. Item No two.
Viral diseases
» Tulip Breaking Virus, Tulip Streak Virus, Tulip Mild Mottle Mosaic Virus (TBV, TSV, TMMMV) - it causes symptomatic streaks of various kind and intensity on leaves and flowers. The plant louse spreading the viruses should be eradicated and the diseased plants ought to be burned. Items No 8, 9, 10.» tobacco necrosis virus - Augustus disease (TNV) - multiple necrotic blotches, poorly rooted bulbs, the plants quickly wither away. Methods of control: see above. Item No one.
The following website contains very good photos of most of tulip diseases: http://tulip.agri.pref.toyama.jp (in Japanese) - I have translated some of it:
1. Tobacco necrosis viruses (Augustus disease)
2. Dry rot of bulbs - fusariose
3. Some not clearly defined virus, it seems.
4. I have not found the Polish equivalent
5. Dry rot
6. I have not seen the Polish equivalent
7. Black speck
8. Tulip mild mottle mosaic virus
9. Virus also related to mottle Razz
10. Mottle of tulip flowers
11. Symptomless virus of lily?
12 -
Pests
» Ditylenchus dispaci - threadworm causing light green spots and strips which darken with time and even snap. Bulbs are marked with brown strips and blotches. The affected plants should be burned. The bulbs should be soaked in water for (depending on the source) 2.5 - 3h in the temperature of 43.4 - 44.5 deg. C. Too high temperature may damage the bulbs, too low will let the threadworms survive. The website with the photo of a narcissus bulb.» microtus and striped field mouse (Microtus arvalis and Apodemus agrarius) - both pests dig shallow corridors, fret at roots and shoots which causes their rapid withering and falling. These rodents can be eradicated by gassing the corridors and application of rat poison.