Sharka is a dangerous plum diseasecaused by Plum pox virus. Typical symptoms of infection with this virus are yellow, irregular spots and streaks on the leaves and pockmarked spots on the fruit. See a detailed description of what the symptoms of sharkaareand see the photos. Learn how to recognize this plum disease, learn about the methods forcombating sharkand choose the bestshark-resistant plum varieties for your gardenHere's what you need to know to make the plums he althy and tasty!
Shark plum. Pits and spots appear on the fruit, resembling smallpox. Hence, another name for this disease - plum pox
Sharka plum - symptoms
Common symptoms of plum infectionshark virusare yellow, irregular spots and streaks on the leaves. Some varieties may have spots of a regular, ring-shaped shape. Uvarieties of plum susceptible to sharkafruit is also damaged. Dents and spots appear on the peel of the fruit, reminiscent of smallpox. Hence, another name for this disease - plum pox.
Purple stains appear already on unripe fruit. As the fruit ripens, the spots darken and furrows are formed. The flesh around the spots is discolored red and sour with a mildew flavor. Dark red stains are also found on the seeds. The fruits ripen and fall off prematurely. On trees of some varieties of plums, bark cracks appear on shoots and branches. The virus can also attack peaches and apricots.
Shark plum. Yellow, irregular spots on plum leaves are typical symptoms of sharka
Sharka plum - fighting
Plums affected by sharkcan no longer be cured. The tree must be removed along with the roots and burned to prevent the virus from spreading. Plum pox virus can be transmitted during vaccination and by aphids. The only methods of preventing the appearance of sharjah in the orchard are to plant virus-free nursery stock from a reliable source, and to control aphids regularly from April to July using insecticides. If we do not want the shark to wreak havoc in our allotment garden, it is worth plantingvarieties of plums not very sensitiveto this disease, in which possible infection with the shark virus does not change the fruit.
Sharka resistant varieties of plums
Among the early varieties, ripening in July and early August, it is worth mentioning 'Casanska Rana', 'Herman', 'Katinka', 'Carpatin', 'Kalipso', 'Fryga' and 'Opal'.
' Cacanska Rana ' comes from the Institute of Pomology in Cacak (former Yugoslavia, now Serbia and Montenegro). It is a typical dessert variety, one of the most interesting among early plums. Fruits of this variety have a pink-purple skin covered with a light blue wax coating, they are elongated and reach a weight of about 50 g. They are tasty, the flesh easily separates from the stone. It is a good variety for amateur cultivation, bearing regular but moderate fruit. In our climate, it is frost-resistant enough and, what is the core of the topic discussed today -not very susceptible to shash
Another noteworthyplum variety not very sensitive to sharkais ' Herman '. She comes from Sweden. The trees of this variety grow quite vigorously, creating branchy crowns. 'Herman' displaces the German variety 'Ruth Gerstetter', compared to which it is more frost-resistant and less susceptible to bark and wood diseases. 'Herman' is a self-fertile variety, it starts bearing fruit early, it yields profusely, annually, though sometimes slightly alternately.The fruit is burgundy with a blue waxy coating, tasty, the flesh easily separates from the stone.
Plum 'Herman' is a Swedish, self-fertile variety, replacing the German 'Ruth Gerstetter', compared to which it is more frost-resistant and less susceptible to bark and wood diseases
Hungarians lovers should be recommended the variety ' Katinka ', which gives fruit similar in taste. They are not very large (20 - 28g), maroon blue to navy blue when fully ripe. The yellow flesh is firm, tasty and easily detaches from the stone.
Much larger fruit, weighing up to 50 g, is produced by the variety ' Carpatin '. Their skin is navy blue, covered with a light waxy coating, and the flesh is yellow, tasty, easily peeling off the stone. An interesting feature of this variety are large, lobed leaves, which distinguishes it from other plums. 'Carpatin' is resistant to fright,tolerant to sharka and not very susceptible to other diseases
It is also impossible to ignore the relatively new Polish variation ' Kalipso ', derived from ISK. Its fruits are oval, weighing 30-40 g, navy blue with a greyish-blue wax coating, orange-yellow flesh, firm, juicy, easily separates from the stone. The trees of this variety grow strongly, are fertile, resistant to frost andtolerant to shark
For amateur cultivation on plots, the variety ' Fryga ' is recommended due to the fact that it does not require too careful protection against diseases and pests. The tree grows moderately fast, it yields profusely and regularly, but only in the company of an early flowering pollinator. The fruits are small (25-30g), light yellow with an orange blush, sweet with a spicy aroma, the flesh easily peels off the stone. The variety istolerant to sharkbut only moderately resistant to frost.
Plum variety 'Opal' works well in allotment gardens. It is resistant to frost and tolerant to sharka
The variety ' Opal ' also works well in allotment gardens - resistant to frost and tolerant to shark. It yields profusely, giving medium-sized fruit, covered with a pink-purple blush, with a tasty flesh, well off the stone.
Among the mid-early plums, it is worth planting varieties such as 'Silvia', 'Casanska Lepotica' and 'Węgierka Wczesna'.
' Silvia ' produces large fruit (50 - 60 g), with a dark purple skin with a light coating and a juicy yellow-green flesh that easily peels off the stone.
' Cacanska Lepotica ' has the same origin as the previously mentioned 'Casanska Rana'. The trees of this variety do not grow very strongly and are quite easy to form, they are moderately hardy to frost and tolerant to sharks, they do not require a pollinator. The fruits reach a weight of 40g, they are dark purple with an intense blue coating. The flesh comes off easily from the stone. They are tasty but we have to let them fully mature.
In regions with a harsh climate (north-eastern Poland), ' Węgierka Wczesna ' works well. The trees of this variety grow he althy, yield well, its brown-navy blue fruit with a gray-blue coating is tasty and does not become gray. You just have to remember to pick the fruit a few days before full maturity, because they fall off easily.
We still have to mention the late varieties. In this group, the following are worth recommending: 'Jojo', 'Record', 'Presenta'.
' Jojo ' is a relatively new German variety, considered to be the first plumcompletely resistant to shark!The trees grow moderately strongly, yield regularly, do not require pollinators. The fruits reach a weight of 40-50 g, are elongated, dark blue with a light wax coating, their flesh is firm, moderately juicy, separates quite well from the stone. The fruits ripen in the first decade of September and can remain on the tree for a long time (they do not soften or overripe, but their taste clearly improves).Due to its total resistance to sharka, it would be an ideal variety if it were not for the average taste of its fruit. The taste of the fruit is largely dependent on the weather. You can get tasty fruit only when September is very warm and sunny.
The variety ' Record ' gives very large fruits (up to 70g). They ripen in mid-September and, when left on the tree, do not fall off. In ripe fruit, the skin is navy blue with a light coating, the flesh is delicate, aromatic, sweet, separates well from the stone. It is a Romanian variety. The trees grow vigorously, forming loose canopy.
The list ofof plums not very sensitive and tolerant to sharkaends with the latest of the above-mentioned varieties - ' Presenta ', obtained by German breeders. It is a tree of moderately strong growth, forming a regular but loose crown, fruitful and self-fertile. The fruit ripens only at the beginning of October, reaching a weight of up to 40 g, and in terms of shape, they are typical Hungarian. The peel of the fruit is blue, navy blue when fully ripe, with an intense wax coating.The flesh is tasty, firm, easily detaches from the stone.
