Introduction
Armillaria commonly known as honey fungus is a parasitic fungus which grows on trees and wood. It isone of several parasites in the Armillaria mellea species. It grows as amushroom mostly yellow in color with a conical or convex cap.The honey fungus is a common delicacy in Ukraine and is very valued but it is not advisable to harvest it from plants recently sprayed with armillatox. Honey fungus accelerates the decomposition of dead wood but may also affect living trees. The parasite spreads through the soil by use of rhizomorphs which grow towards other plants and begin growing at the base of the bark.
Step 1
Armillatox is a pesticide used to control the growth of honey fungus. Armillatox is a combination of several alkyphenols which are naturally produced by plants, but the quantity is not enough to effectively control the parasite.
Step 2
To make sure that plants are able to effectively defend themselves from the honey fungus, Armillatox is applied to boost the already produced alkyphenols.
Step 3
It should be clearly noted that armillatox is not a cure for the honey fungus but a way to control its spread.
Step 4
Any plant affected by the parasite will not look healthy as it should be. Parasites do not make their own food but rather rely on other plants for food. The parasitic nature of the honey fungus causes it to rely on the plant it is growing on for food, minerals and water.
Step 5
This means the plant will be short of food, water and minerals and so it looks unhealthy. The leaves will be small and discolored. In flowering plants the symptoms are quite unique. The plant will produce extra-large flowers which will shortly die.
Tips
The yellowish-brown honey fungus which is a mushroom will grow particularly on the bark of a tree. However, any mushrooms growing on another plant are not necessarily a sign of the honey fungus. Carefully look at the spore to determine its color. The honey fungus will have awhite spore.
Existence of mycelium on the bark or on the root of a tree will be as sign of the honey fungus. Mycelium is a thread like growth which is the reproductive part of a fungus. In the mycelium is present the plant may be infected by the honey fungus.
Using a garden shovel, dig out the soil just below the base of the plant. Look for rhizomorphs which are a network of black or brown and may be growing from one tree to another. However, this may not necessarily mean that you have a honey fungus infection. Other plants in the Armillaria family will also have rhizomorphs.
The use of armillatox is the most viable way to control honey fungus. However, the use of armillatox only cannot guarantee elimination of the honey fungus. it is so recommended that you combine armillatox with a few farming techniques to eliminate the parasite. Remove any dead trees or stumps from your garden. Remove any rhizomorphs from the garden. pour an armillatox solution in the soil three times a year and wait a year before replanting.
