Weeds, Plant Diseases and Insects

Weeds

According to the FAO, weed management requires at least two weed controls per year. This weed control method is done by hand, which is very sustainable. The reason why it can be done by hand is, because nit much weed controls are needed.

Plant Disease and Insects

No pest or disease related problems have been reported in Honduras, according to the FAO. However, there are insects such as ants and sap sucking insects. These could cause importunity, but no notable economic losses in the plantation. In regions outside Honduras, the following diseases do occur: [homeguides] 

Aloe Rust

This fungal disease causes brown or black spots on the leaves. It is because of a very aggressive fungus, which attaches itself to the leaf. When succeeded, it starts looking like a yellow spot below the skin of the leaf, where after it starts to grow. After this, the skin is the leaf breaks, showing the spores that now look rust colored, see figure 7. With the help of the wind, the spores can be spread over a big area. Here, the spores can attach and grow again.

Figure 8: Aloe Rust

Method of management:

Cut off infected leaves and dispose them in a closed bag. Spots, where the skin has not broken yet, can be treated by breaking the leaf skin and applying formalin. This formalin kills the spots and also that part of the leaf. However, it is an effective treatment.

Root Rot

This disease can have two causes. The first is enduring exposure to overwatered conditions, which could cause the roots to die due to a lack of oxygen. When the roots die, they can rot away. Healthy roots can also get affected by the rotting parts and it will kill them too.

The second cause could be a fungus, living in the soil. The fungus stays dormant in the soil, but once Aloe vera is overwatered, it can wake up. The fungus will attack the roots, leading them to die and rot away. Root rot leads to the plant slowly fading away. The leaves will turn yellow and the roots be black and soft. When removing the plant from the soil, the affected roots will fall off. Healthy roots will be black too, however they will still be firm.See figure 9 to see a picture of root rot. The rotten roots have fallen off. [gardeningknowhow] 

Figure 9: Root Rot

Method of management:

When having Aloe vera in a pot, first remove the plant from the soil and wash the roots. Wash away the soil and take the affected roots off with a scissors. The scissors should be cleaned with alcohol inbetween. Also, cut off 50 percent of the leaves, so Aloe vera will have a better chance to regrow its roots. Dispose the soil in the pot and wash the pot. Finally, repot Aloe vera. [gardeningknowhow] 

Soft Rot

A few years ago, bacterial soft rot was stated in India, see figure 10. It was caused by the bacteria Pectobacterium chrysanthemi, a mobile, non-spore forming organism, which can produce colonies. [ndrs] Soft rot spreads through the inside of the plant and causes water soaked spots in the leaves of Aloe vera. These leaves turn soft. Unlike Aloe rust, these spots can grow and merge with other spots. Water that heaps up in the crown of the plant, may cause the plant to be receptive to soft rot.

Figure 10: Soft Rot in India

Method of management:
The best treatment is prevention, by letting the soil dry out between watering the plants. Also, avoid overwatering. Plants that show disease symptoms, should be removed and disposed. Finally, just as the scissors I talked about above, tools should be disinfected to prevent the spread of disease.