Dragon fruit stem canker
Small sunken white or orange spots on the stems become rusty brown corky cankers that crack and leave holes, and fruits get spots too.
Crops it strikes
What you see
When to act
In the rains, check the young stems every week for small sunken white or orange spots. Cut those segments out at once and protect the new growth before the next rain.
What to spray
Active ingredients only, never brands. The FRAC group tells how it works: switch to a different group next time, so the disease does not learn to survive it. Spray only when the damage is worth the cost, and only with products registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority for your crop. Follow the label. The Shopee and Lazada links only show who sells something with that active ingredient, not a recommendation of any seller or product.
How to prevent it
- Cut out and burn sick stem pieces, cutting into healthy tissue, and dip the knife in bleach water between cuts.
- Plant cuttings from canker free plants, and let the cut ends dry a week before planting.
- Do not water over the plants. Water at the base in the morning and keep the beds well drained.
- Go easy on nitrogen. Soft, lush stems catch canker most.
- Clear fallen stems and fruit from under the posts, and thin crowded stems so air moves.
Natural enemies and biological help
- Bacillus based biologicals sprayed on new growth can slow the canker in drier weeks. They do not cure cankers.
Not sure it is this one?
Many diseases look alike. Send a photo to Anee, the smart farm technician in anee.io. She reads it with your crop, its age and the weather, and tells you what it most likely is and what to do first. In Tagalog or English.