Why eggplant seedlings turn yellow
Not everyone decides to grow an eggplant culture, since it is a capricious plant that requires strict adherence to agricultural technology. Often, gardeners are faced with the fact that eggplant seedlings turn yellow. Let's consider the reasons for this problem.
Why eggplant seedlings turn yellow
Lack of nitrogen
An insufficient amount of a nitrogen-containing component in the soil often causes discoloration of young seedlings. At the same time, first of all, the lower leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow, but subsequently, from the lower tier of cotyledonous leaves, yellowness can go to the upper vegetative part of the plants.
The less the amount of nitrogen in the soil becomes, the higher the leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow.
The initial yellowing of the lower cotyledonous leaves is explained by the fact that for a vegetable requiring abundant nutrition, a lack of adequate nutrition becomes an impetus for drawing minerals from the roots, this affects the lower vegetative part.
What to do
If eggplant seedlings turn yellow due to inadequate nutrition, it is necessary to adjust the nitrogen content in the soil. Emergency feeding of young seedlings with nitrogen-containing fertilizing complexes can stop the yellowing process of the foliage and can prevent its further wilting.
When the eggplant seedlings turn yellow due to a lack of nitrogen, you can only act if the seedlings have healthy roots.
Wrong humidity regime
The upper leaves of eggplant seedlings begin to turn yellow when the moisture regime is not observed during the cultivation of a vegetable crop. Wet earthen lumps around the woven roots will indicate excess moisture during an external examination of the plant.
The soil sour due to excessive moisture becomes a favorable environment for the reproduction of fungal and infectious diseases, which leads to a change in acidity.
Often on the walls of the containers where the seedlings are grown, you can find a green bloom formed as a result of the activity of the fungal flora, which appears due to excessive lag.
What to do
If yellowness appears on the upper leaves due to waterlogged soil, it is recommended to completely replace the soil. In containers where eggplant seedlings are grown, drainage holes must be made, and the containers themselves must be placed on a pallet. For seedlings transplanted into new soil, it is required to set a reduced irrigation regime.
Infectious diseases
Eggplant diseases need to be fought
Among the reasons why young eggplant plantings can turn yellow, plant damage is distinguished by infectious diseases.
Fusarium
The fungal disease Fusarium is often found when growing an eggplant culture, and yellowed leaves in a plant are one of the first symptoms of its manifestation.At the same time, in the yellowed foliage, the veins become very light, and the leaf blades themselves subsequently begin to curl.
Pre-sowing disinfection of seed material, soil and containers helps to avoid damage to eggplant seedlings by Fusarium.
The defeat of eggplant culture by Fusarium leads to lagging of plants in growth and subsequent death.
What to do
- removal of affected wilted seedlings from containers,
- replacement of soil and disinfection of containers where seedlings are grown, and the seedlings themselves by means of fungicidal agents.
When treating young plants yellowed from defeat by fusarium, drugs of biological and chemical origin are used:
- chemical (stekar, foundationazol, benazole) are used for pre-sowing disinfection of seed, doing this two weeks before planting, as well as for the purpose of processing throughout the growing season,
- biological (trichodermin), introduced into the soil before planting seed.
Verticillosis
Fungal infection verticillosis leads to a sharp yellowing of the leaves on eggplant seedlings and their massive fall. After a change in appearance, the leaf blades begin to become covered with extensive spots, spirally twist, dry up and fall off. Damaged seedlings die after a while.
What to do
It is quite difficult to deal with verticillosis, then it is recommended to carry out pre-plant prophylaxis against this fungal infection.
At the first signs of damage to the eggplant culture with verticillosis:
- diseased seedlings are immediately removed,
- the remaining sprouts are transplanted into new containers, followed by their treatment with fungicidal preparations.
Excessive sun exposure
If the eggplant seedlings turn yellow in the upper part, then the reason for this may be excessive exposure of young seedlings to direct sunlight. Strong exposure to ultraviolet radiation causes increased breakdown of chlorophyll, which is vital for any plant in the process of photosynthesis.
A leaf that has received a thermal burn from ultraviolet radiation may turn yellow completely or yellow specks or large spots will appear on its surface.
The yellowed upper leaves, which are turned towards the sunny side of the window when grown on the windowsill or towards the sunny side of the greenhouse, help to verify the cause of the disease.
What to do
Move the seedlings to a dark place. If it is impossible to pick up another suitable place for a vegetable crop, it is required to cover the plantings with a paper or fabric cover during active exposure to sunlight from 12:00 to 15:00.
Conclusion
The reasons for yellowed leaves in eggplant seedlings may be non-compliance with agrotechnical measures for growing crops and the defeat of young seedlings with infectious diseases. To avoid changes in the appearance of the foliage, to prevent its wilting and subsequent dropping, while keeping the eggplant seedlings healthy, preventive measures and emergency measures allow.