Work underway in summerfruit, broccoli and passionfruit is focused on control options for bacterial diseases, a highly ranked crop protection gap for A Lighter Touch product groups.
In partnership with Summerfruit New Zealand, Vegetables New Zealand and Passionfruit New Zealand, trial work this past spring and during the summer is evaluating biological products and some compounds traditional used as fungicides for bacterial disease control in these three crops. Bacterial diseases are ranked the third highest common priority gap for crop protection by A Lighter Touch product group partners.
The summerfruit trials are being undertaken in apricot and cherry orchards in Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago, evaluating control options for bacterial blast (Pseudomonas syringae) and bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris).
A passionfruit trial in Whangarei is evaluating control options for brown spot (Alternaria passiflorae), and two broccoli trials in Pukekohe are evaluating control options for head rot (Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas).
These current trials focusing on bacterial disease control follow on from earlier trials completed in broccoli which demonstrated head rot could be controlled using a reduced copper formulation, and that three biological options with fungicidal properties performed equally to the copper treatments.
The latest trials present an opportunity to further explore reduced rate options of copper along with alternative chemistry, including biologicals.
