Strategic irrigation against apple scab (Venturia inaequalis)

TY - GEN

T1 - Strategic irrigation against apple scab (Venturia inaequalis)

AU - Korsgaard, Maren

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - In Denmark there are several organic orchards, that do not spray at all, and they seek non-spraying methods to prevent apple scab. In this pilot trial, irrigation with water at strategic moments was tested to prevent scab-infection. In April-June 2011 in five organic orchards we irrigated the orchard floor, to force the ascospores to be released. We irrigated with at least 0.2 mm of water in dry periods, at least 12 hours before rain forecast. The idea was to empty the stock of ascospores during dry spells, so they would dry out without infecting the leaves. To find the best strategic times for irrigation, we used the local weather forecast and the scab-warning programme Rimpro based on data from climate stations located in the orchards. In this first year of trial we experienced difficulties in spreading the water evenly. A water wagon turned out to work better than sprinklers. We found, that the irrigation did result in ascospore-release, but the effect on the scab-attack was not significant. We also experienced, that the fruit growers found this way of preventing scab very interesting and easy to carry out. The pilot-trial was financed by “Fonden for Oekologisk Jordbrug” and in 2011 it was conducted by the organic advisory-service. It is continued in 2012 and 2013 at the University of Copenhagen.

AB - In Denmark there are several organic orchards, that do not spray at all, and they seek non-spraying methods to prevent apple scab. In this pilot trial, irrigation with water at strategic moments was tested to prevent scab-infection. In April-June 2011 in five organic orchards we irrigated the orchard floor, to force the ascospores to be released. We irrigated with at least 0.2 mm of water in dry periods, at least 12 hours before rain forecast. The idea was to empty the stock of ascospores during dry spells, so they would dry out without infecting the leaves. To find the best strategic times for irrigation, we used the local weather forecast and the scab-warning programme Rimpro based on data from climate stations located in the orchards. In this first year of trial we experienced difficulties in spreading the water evenly. A water wagon turned out to work better than sprinklers. We found, that the irrigation did result in ascospore-release, but the effect on the scab-attack was not significant. We also experienced, that the fruit growers found this way of preventing scab very interesting and easy to carry out. The pilot-trial was financed by “Fonden for Oekologisk Jordbrug” and in 2011 it was conducted by the organic advisory-service. It is continued in 2012 and 2013 at the University of Copenhagen.

KW - ???Svampesygdomme i planter???

KW - Venturia inaequalis

KW - prevention

KW - organic apple production

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 978-3-98 04883-6

SP - 245

EP - 248

BT - 15th International Conference on Organic Fruit-Growing

PB - Foerdergemeinschaft Oekologischer Obstbau e.V. (FOEKO)

T2 - 15th International Conference on Organic Fruit-Growing

Y2 - 20 February 2012 through 22 February 2012

ER -