Main types of diseases and pests

   The main diseases and pests of camellia include anthracnose, sooty mold, soft rot, leaf swelling, half-leaf rot, camellia tussock moth, camellia inchworm, camellia caterpillar, weevil, and tea shoot moth.

   Prevention and control principles

   Prevention and control should adhere to the principle of "prevention first, comprehensive control", based on silvicultural techniques, combining biological control with chemical control, and adhering to the principle of "early treatment, small-scale treatment, and effective treatment".

   1. Camellia anthrax

   Harmful characteristics: It damages fruits, flower buds, flower buds, leaves, shoots, branches, etc. It causes damage from April to October every year , and spreads the fastest from July to September . It is a serious and widespread disease of camellia oleifera.

Control methods : In winter and spring, remove diseased branches, plants, leaves, withered shoots, buds, and fruits, and burn them. Spray with 1% Bordeaux mixture during spring shoot growth. In severe cases, spray with a mixture of 1% Bordeaux mixture and 0.2% tea seed cake solution every two weeks for 3-4 consecutive times . Additionally , in the early or initial stages of the disease, spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder solution diluted 500-800 times to prevent the spread of the disease. In areas with limited water , spray with a mixture of slaked lime powder and quicklime powder ( 1:10 ) .

   2. Camellia oleifera sooty mold

   Harmful characteristics: Primarily damages the branches and leaves of camellia oleifera, forming black circular sooty spots on the leaves and branches, hindering photosynthesis and causing the camellia oleifera tree to wither.

   Control methods: Use natural enemies such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and scale insect fungi for biological control. Spreading pests can be killed with a 1000-2000 times dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsion or a 500-1000 times dilution of 50% dichlorvos emulsion . After disease onset, use a 1500-2000 times dilution of 50% trichlorfon for control.

    3. Soft rot disease of Camellia oleifera

    Harmful characteristics: It mainly damages leaves and fruits, causing a large number of leaves and fruits to fall off, and branches to die.

    Control methods: Remove diseased fruit and leaves promptly during winter and spring, and during the disease outbreak period to reduce sources of infection. Prune appropriately to maintain good ventilation and light penetration within the forest. At the initial stage of disease, spray with a mixture of 0.8% Bordeaux mixture and 0.5% cypermethrin, or spray with a 400-600 times dilution of thiophanate-methyl wettable powder .  

    4. Half of the oil tea is crazy

    Harmful characteristics: Half or all of the trunk of the camellia tree dies, the bark rots, and the wood discolors and dries out.

    Prevention and treatment: Strengthen care and management, and avoid mechanical damage. Scrape away the diseased parts promptly, then apply Bordeaux mixture.

    5. Tea leaf swelling

    Harmful characteristics: It mainly damages young leaves, young shoots, flowers and ovaries .

    Control methods: Remove diseased fruits and leaves as early as possible to reduce the source of infection. In severely affected areas, spray with 0.5% Bordeaux mixture or 0.2 % to 0.5% copper sulfate solution once a year when new leaves appear .

    6. Camellia oleifera moth

    Harmful characteristics: It mainly feeds on young leaves, tender shoots, tender bark, and young fruits. When the damage is severe, all the leaves are eaten.

    Control methods: Combine silvicultural management with timely pupal eradication. During the peak pupal stage, combine cultivation and hilling to directly kill pupae or prevent adults from emerging from the soil. From November to March of the following year, manually remove overwintering egg masses and promptly prune branches and leaves where larvae congregate to kill the larvae on-site. During the peak adult emergence period, use black light traps to kill the larvae. Chemical control: Before the 3rd instar larvae, spray with 90% trichlorfon crystals or 80% dichlorvos at a dilution of 1000-2000 times , or 50% fenitrothion at a dilution of 1500-2000 times .