The Cancros, which it is also often called a chancre, refers to a disease that has a fungal origin, which means that it is caused as a consequence of the presence and action of a fungus.
This fungus is usually unable to penetrate healthy cortical tissues and only has the ability to enter a host through some wounds of a different nature, whether caused by pruning, certain cracks in the ground, scars, among others.
What are chancres?
Los Chancros as we mentioned earlier, they are wounds, which generally appear showing up in a dented and cracked area on the branches of plants and that are caused by a fungus, such as, for example, the fungus called Coniothyrium fuckelii. Basically, and for a plant to get sick, it needs to the fungus spore falls onto the wound or cracks, and then begin to germinate there and enter the entire plant.
When it comes to rose bushes, usually occurs in the area where the plant has been grafted or on one of the sides of those cuts that have been caused by pruning and if the chancre manages to reach surround the area that has been grafted from the plant, it is very likely that the rose bush will die, but if it occurs only in 1 branch, only this one dies.
How to control a chancre
- It can be prevented applying a little graft paste on the wounds larger that have been caused by pruning.
- As a prevention, it is recommended that in the course of winter you start to use vaporizations with copper broths.
- Start to collect and burn all those affected leaves and falls.
- You need to cut below the Chancre mark and burn all those branches that have been infected. Once you're done, you should disinfect the scissors or any other tools you use.
- If it turns out that the canker is specifically on the main trunk or neck of the plant, clearly you will not be able to cut it; in these kinds of situations the area should be scraped using a very sharp razor, and then begin to apply a little grafting paste in said area.
Canker on fruit trees
If you observe that in your fruit trees the branches have cracked bark, showing some type of wound that does not have an apparent cause, it is very likely that you are in the presence of an infection caused by the chancre fungus. If this is the case, don't worry as it is possible act quite effectively, which will allow you to help your fruit trees to continue growing healthy and resistant.
When the chancre appears in fruit trees, is usually known by the name of "Fruit tree cancer”, It is possible to define this disease as a condition that occurs as consequence of the attack of different classes of fungi and bacteria, which when combined with the intense cold weather that occurs during the winter, cause some cracks to appear on the bark of the affected plants.
In the vast majority of situations, cankers originate as a result of attack by fungi and bacteria. It is possible to solve this situation and treat the plants if the affected area is protected by applying a little of a healing paste that has a powerful fungicidal action. In order to prevent the canker from spreading to other plants, you should begin pruning each of the affected areas of all trees, making some clean cuts, to later get rid of the remains of the pruning. It is necessary that every time you change plants, disinfect all those tools you use applying enough alcohol or water combined with several drops of bleach.
Those diseases that occur as a result of the presence of harmful fungi can cause two types of cankers are present, which are the target-shaped cankers and those that are fuzzy. Cankers that have a target shape usually occur in those trees that have deciduous leaves and when it comes to this type of canker, fungi penetrate both living and dead branches and they develop during the fall and winter months.