Blackcurrant big

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.

Dormancy refers to a period of inactivity in plants, during which they slow down or stop their growth, conserving energy and resources. This is a natural process that helps them survive harsh conditions, such as winter or drought. Dormancy in seeds is a mechanism that prevents them germinating until environmental conditions are favourable for growth.

dormant

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.

buds

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding.

sap

There are many species of eriophyid mite which are usually host specific this means that each species of mite will only feed on a single, or several closely related, plant species.

Eriophyid mites feed by sucking sap but while doing so secrete chemicals into the plant tissue that converts some of the normal (parenchyma) plant cells to

Meristem is a type of tissue that is responsible for growth and development in plants. It consists of unspecialised cells that can divide and diversify into various types of specialised cells. Meristems are only found in certain parts of a plant, such as at root and shoot tips and in bundles between xylem and phloem vessels.

• Symptoms of the mites are most easily seen in late winter, when affected buds become abnormally swollen and rounded
• Healthy buds are pointed and longer than broad
• Affected buds often dry up, producing no leaves in spring, or stunted foliage and few or no flowers

• Affected plants can continue to crop well for several years and so some presence of the mite can be tolerated
• Dispose of heavily affected plants after the fruit has been picked and replant in autumn with clean new stock
• Purchase stock plants certified as free of big bud and reversion, these will have been inspected on the nursery and declared free of the mite
• One mite-resistant cultivar, ‘Ben Hope’, is available
• The affected buds of lightly affected plants can be picked off during the winter and disposed of away from blackcurrant plants 
• Pesticides should not be used against blackcurrant big bud mite, none of those available are likely to have any effect on the mite and they will kill non target invertebrates..

• A blackcurrant bud can host hundreds of mites, which feed by sucking sap from the embryonic leaves
• The mites emerge in early summer and crawl over the plant in search of new buds
• They can be blown by the wind onto other blackcurrant plants
• The mite can also transmit a virus-like mycoplasma disease known as reversion. This debilitates plants, resulting in reduced yields of fruit