brown stem

[dizzy]

Hi, I am a outside grower in a coastal area in Australia. Been growing for quite a while but this season I am having trouble with one plant. The stem of one branch turns a brown colour( as can be seen in the photo)
Then it eventually dies. It has happened twice to the same plant. Any advice is appreciated. I have been cutting off the affected stem each time and the plant seems ok otherwise.
Thanks
Dizzy

[MeEasy]

The affected branch is out of focus and I can't tell but your description says bugs

[dizzy]

Thanks for the reply. I've attached a new pic, hopefully it's a bit clearer. Basically the bottom is still green then a brown section and back to green above that but the branch eventually dies. Any ideas what bug it is and how to get rid of it/kill it?

[CaptainWiese91]

I think you have a fungi of some sort to be honest.

[dizzy]

Cheers Captain, any idea how to get rid of it?

[Rwise]

Botrytis, there is no cure, cut away the bad, maybe make clones maybe. Anything strong enuf to kill it also kills the plant.
RH high? Air flow?
An old timer told me to use condensed<--- NOT condensed but EVAPORATED milk and spray it, IDK if this works, IDK if its worth trying. Condensed milk would be a bit hard to spray!

[dizzy]

Thanks Rwise. Cant hurt trying!

[MeEasy]

I remember seeing something like this and it ended up being from root rot and it is like bud rot in the stem itself. It's probably what rwise just said it is. We used to use milk on grapevines to get rid of the white and or black stuff on the leaves 4sure but that was so long ago I don't remember if it was in the stems. I would cut anything you can see and do a peroxide drench just to give it a chance but if it comes back I would get it out before it spreads to another plant but that's just me taking a swing at it and not because I know it will work

[Rik]

What are the temps and humidity like where you’re growing?

[dizzy]

Hey Rik, the temps have not been that bad this season, a little humid, I normally get a bit of bud rot every season, but just cut it away and all is ok. Have no idea what is going on.

[Rik]

I have a lot of respect for outdoor growers. I freak at the slightest sign of rot or insects or whatever in my tent. I revere the kind of shit-happens attitude required to grow in Mother Nature.

[TheKieftan]

Alternate theory I also live in a hot humid climate and had a similar thing happen last year the plant was fine it was just atrophying it’s own limbs near the bottom I mention this because I notice the small buds forming the plant will atrophy random under used limbs on the bottom half of plant if it’s lacking nutrients (like if you grow in the same spot every year) it cannibalizes it’s own under used limbs also it seems to happen if it’s in a really sunny spot like the plants getting overloaded by solar energy and needs to kill off solar absorbing limbs I’m very new to growing though so take my thoughts with a grain of salt

[dizzy]

Hi The Kieftan. The limb in question is quite large and goes all the way to the top of the plant with some large buds on it. The branches coming of the limb are the ones that die first. Thanks for the reply.

[Rwise]

I did a little EDIT on my previous post, to say evaporated milk not condensed!
I had a plant last year that had this gray mold, I just trimmed around it so it could dry up, without moisture it cant spread. It worked for me, your mileage may vary.

[MeEasy]

I worked for a winery back in the 80s and we used a 30% skimmed milk 70% water (don't know why skimmed milk) and this was the only time we sprayed anything on the grapes in the morning. It was explained to me that the sun caused a chemical reaction in the milk and that was what actually killed the white powdery mildew and without the sunlight it wouldn't work.