The temporal pattern of captan residues on apple leaves and fruit under field conditions in relation to weather and canopy structure

BACKGROUND: Captan is an important fungicide for controlling diseases in horticultural crops. Understanding its dissipation is important for estimating dietary risks and optimising pesticide application. Field experiments were conducted on apple leaves and fruit to investigate (1) the temporal variability of captan residues, (2) the contribution of several factors to the variability in residues and (3) the relationship between residues and climatic conditions. RESULTS: Initial captan deposits and subsequent residues on fruit and leaves were closer to a lognormal than to a normal distribution. The unit-to-unit variation contributed most to the observed variability in the initial deposit and subsequent residues. Variability due to orchards or trees or tree-zone interactions was also frequently important, but there was no discernable trend in the effects. The variability in residues did not appear to decrease over time. Canopy structure affected greatly the initial deposition but had little direct effect on subsequent captan loss. Fruit and leaves on the outside of the tree canopy received more deposit than those on the inside, but these differences gradually decreased over time. Captan loss resulted mainly from the first rainfall after an application. CONCLUSIONS: Captan loss is mainly due to rain, and the loss is negligible under dry conditions.     

Deposits of the mildew fungicide binapacryl on the leaves of apple trees of differing sizes after mist blower spraying

Trials in 1975 and 1976 showed that deposit levels of the fungicide binapacryl, on the leaves of bush trees of Cox's Orange Pippin (Cox) after mist blower spraying, varied inversely with tree spread. Deposit levels were measured on young mildew-susceptible leaves from a well-sprayed zone around the periphery of the tree canopy at a height of 1.5 m. Low deposit levels in large, dense trees were associated with poor mildew control. Leaves from the smallest trees had deposit levels considerably greater than those found for larger trees (in another nearby orchard) which had adequate mildew control. Fungicide deposit levels on leaves from up to five different zones of trees of three different sizes (the largest trees were of the variety Bramley's Seedling) were measured in 1977. The smallest trees had significantly higher deposit levels than the larger trees in the lower centre and lower outside zones of the trees, whereas both orchards of Cox had the same (commercially acceptable) level of mildew infection at the end of the season. Leaves from zones less accessible to spray had lowerdeposit levels than those nearer the sprayer.     

Adaptation of spray dosage in stone-fruit orchards on the basis of tree row volume

The tree row volume (TRV) model was adapted for use in stone-fruit orchards. The number of leaves, leaf area and TRV were determined in apricot, peach, cherry and plum orchards in France and Switzerland. The number of leaves per tree ranged from 2500 to 25900, and TRV values ranged from 5400 to 28600 m³ ha⁻¹. Trees were sprayed with a fluorescent tracer, according to TRV, in order to determine the quantity and distribution of tracer deposition in the crown of the trees. For large trees with TRV values above 15000 m³ ha⁻¹, tracer deposits on leaves were lower in the upper half of the crown than in the lower half. The TRV formula developed for pome-fruit trees was accordingly used for spraying stone-fruit trees, but with a 15% increase in spray volume for large trees. Under these conditions, disease control was efficient, and residues of difenoconazole, penconazole and dithianon were below the maximum residue limit. The TRV method was thus found to allow adaptation of spray dosage and volume to the volume of the trees, on condition that sprayers are carefully calibrated and adjusted for each orchard. The TRV concept can be applied to a wide range of pome and stone-fruit orchards and can help to harmonize registration protocols for fungicides and insecticides.     

陇东地区苹果园应用生物活性素的效应

连续2 a在甘肃陇东地区苹果园进行化肥提质增效试验,研究施用生物活性素提高肥料利用效率的可行性,并探讨减施化肥对果园土壤肥力、树体生长发育和苹果产量及品质的影响。2018年在G1、G2两个试验果园设置常规施肥（CK）、常规施肥配施生物活性素（B）两个处理,并在2019年增设G3、G4试验果园,每个果园设置常规施肥（CK）、常规施肥配施生物活性素（B）、减施化肥30%配施生物活性素（RB）和减施化肥30%（R）4个处理。结果表明：2018年施用生物活性素（B）后,G1、G2果园土壤全氮含量有所下降,而叶片含氮量分别提升了11.2%、4.9%,树体的花芽量较对照组分别提高了65%、45%,果实可滴定酸含量降低,果实香气提升;减施化肥30%处理（R）,降低了土壤的pH值,除G1果园外叶片氮素含量均有所上升,其中G2、G3分别提高6.9%、12.9%;在成龄树果园中可提高产量,G1、G3两果园分别提高了35.8%、40.6%,但对施肥量较少的幼龄果园会产生一定的影响;减施化肥30%配施生物活性素（RB）技术应用后,土壤全氮含量和有效磷含量除G4外均略有下降,叶片氮素含量除G2果园外分别提高了15.0%、6.4%、3.0%,且其余树体指标的表现基本优于减施化肥30%处理（R）。在陇东地区果园施用生物活性素可显著促进幼树成花成果,并提高果实香气,减施化肥后总体未对成龄树果实品质产生影响。     

Determination of the tree row volume in stone-fruit orchards as a tool for adapting the spray dosage

The tree row volume model is a method for adapting dosage and spray volumes to tree crops. The method can potentially facilitate the comparison of field efficacy trials and can contribute to fanners'effective and rational use of plant protection products. It has been developed and applied in pome fruit but not yet in stone fruit. Stone-fruit orchards vary considerably in tree size, tree shape and distance between tree rows. Based on 700 detailed measurements of stone-fruit trees in south-eastern France, in southern Germany and in Switzerland, a multiple linear regression was computed that allows the calculation of tree row volume from the height and maximum width of the tree crown, and the distance between tree rows. Seasonal increases of tree row volumes in stone-fruit orchards were most pronounced in May and June, and the increase was usually greater in young orchards than in older ones.     

The relative importance of conidia and ascospores as primary inoculum of Venturia inaequalis in a southeast England orchard

Apple scab, caused by Venturia inaequalis, can lead to large losses of marketable fruit if left uncontrolled. The disease appears in orchards during spring as lesions on leaves. These primary lesions are caused by spores released at bud burst from overwintering sources; these spores can be sexually produced ascospores from the leaf litter or asexual conidia from mycelium in wood scab or within buds. The relative importance of conidia and ascospores as primary inoculum were investigated in an orchard in southeast England, UK. Potted trees not previously exposed to apple scab were placed next to (c. 1 m) orchard trees to trap air‐dispersed ascospores. Number and position of scab lesions were assessed on the leaves of shoots from both the potted trees (infection by airborne ascospores) and neighbouring orchard trees (infection by both ascospores and splash‐dispersed, overwintered conidia). The distribution and population similarity of scab lesions were compared in the two tree types by molecular analysis and through modelling of scab incidence and count data. Molecular analysis was inconclusive. Statistical modelling of results suggested that conidia may have contributed approximately 20–50% of the primary inoculum in early spring within this orchard: incidence was estimated to be reduced by 20% on potted trees, and lesion number by 50%. These results indicate that, although conidia are still a minority contributor to primary inoculum, their contribution in this orchard is sufficient to require current management to be reviewed. This might also be true of other orchards with a similar climate.     

Comparative spatial analysis of the sooty blotch/flyspeck disease complex,bull’s eye and bitter rots of apples

The incidence of sooty blotch/flyspeck (SBFS) and bitter and bull’s eye rots were assessed in a Fuji apple orchard during two seasons. Using a regular sampling design, 252 trees were selected and 20 fruits per tree were sampled at harvest and scored for disease incidence. For bitter and bull’s eye rots, additional assessments were made on all symptomless fruit after a 30‐day period of storage. Randomness in the spatial pattern was assessed using beta‐binomial analysis of incidence data for three sampling scales (one, three or six adjacent trees as sampling units) and using Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (sadie ) for disease counts for the 3‐tree sampling scale. sadie was also used for testing spatial associations between a pair of diseases, between years for the same disease or between rotted and latently infected fruit. Using a toroidal‐shifts procedure, 360 maps of disease counts were created based on the observed data, which were further analysed using sadie . Most datasets showed an aggregated spatial pattern, which was more consistent for the two fruit rots than SBFS, which showed distinct patterns depending on the year or method of analysis. The two fruit rots were spatially associated in most situations but SBFS and bull’s eye rot were dissociated in one season. Results from virtual orchards showed that the patterns observed in the original maps may accurately represent those in similar apple‐growing areas. Hypotheses regarding aspects of ecology and epidemiology of pathogens studied and potential efficacy of control measures in the region are discussed.     

Association of phytoplasmas with the decline of European hazel in southern Italy

In the Campania region of southern ltaly. commercial orchards of European hazel ( Corylus avellana ) are severely affected by yellowing and decline. To determine whether phytoplasmas are associated with the disorder, stem samples from diseased trees were examined using polymerase chain reaction assays. No visible products were obtained by amplification of sample DNA with universal and group-specific phytoplasma primers. However, when the products obtained with universal primers were re-amplified with nested primers that were specific for the fruit tree phytoplasmas of the apple proliferation group, most samples tested positively. Restriction site analysis revealed that the trees were infected with the apple proliferation, pear decline, and European stone fruit yellows phytoplasmas in about the same proportion. Some of the trees were doubly infected with one of the fruit tree phytoplasmas and the aster yellows agent. Most of the infected trees were also identified by hybridization of the products obtained in the initial amplification with suitable oligonucleotide probes.     

Factors Affecting the Spread of Plum pox virus Strain M in Peach Orchards Subjected to Roguing in France

ABSTRACT We evaluated the impact of roguing on the spread and persistence of the aggressive Plum pox virus strain M (PPV-M) in 19 peach orchard blocks in Southern France. During a 7- to 10-year period, orchards were visually inspected for PPV symptoms, and symptomatic trees were removed every year. Disease incidence was low in all orchards at disease discovery and was <1% in 16 of the 19 orchard blocks. The spread of Sharka disease was limited in all 19 blocks, with an annual disease incidence between 2 and 6%. However, new symptomatic trees were continuously detected, even after 7 to 10 years of uninterrupted control measures. An extended Cox model was developed to evaluate to what extent tree location, orchard characteristics, environment, and disease status within the vicinity influenced the risk of infection through time. Eleven variables with potential effect on tree survival (i.e., maintenance of a tree in a disease- free status through time) were selected from survey data and databases created using a geographical information system. Area of the orchard, density of planting, distance of a tree from the edge of the orchard block sharing a boundary with another diseased orchard, and distance to the nearest previously detected symptomatic tree had a significant effect on the risk for a tree to become infected through time. The combined results of this study suggest that new PPV-M infections within orchards subjected to roguing resulted from exogenous sources of inoculum, disease development of latent infected trees, as well as infected trees overlooked within the orchards during visual surveys. A revision of the survey and the roguing procedures used for more effective removal of potential sources of inoculum within the orchards and in the vicinity of the orchards would improve disease control suppression of PPV.     

采用果园喷雾施药机械施药时农药有效沉积率的计算方法

针对传统农药沉积率测算方法无法精确反映果园中农药实际利用率的问题,提出一种结合果树冠层特征与叶面沉积量直接测算农药药液在果树靶标上有效沉积率的方法,以期建立一种适用于不同栽种模式的果园通用农药沉积率计算方法。首先采用传统方法计算采用风送式自走喷雾机喷雾后农药在乔化稀植型果园的地面流失率,将其结果与采用果树冠层特征与叶面沉积量相结合的方法计算的有效沉积率进行比较,再通过计算采用风送式自走喷雾机喷雾后农药在矮砧密植型果园的有效沉积率以及采用担架柱塞泵式喷雾机和植保无人飞机喷雾后农药的有效沉积率,验证本研究所提出的将果树冠层特征与叶面沉积量相结合计算农药有效沉积率方法的准确性及适用性。结果表明:基于叶面沉积量结合果树冠层特征方法计算得到的农药有效沉积率与采用传统方法计算得到的农药地面流失率结果基本一致,均能体现施药机械的农药利用率,但比较而言,本研究所提出的方法在果园植保机械喷雾施药有效利用率的影响因素方面考虑更全面,兼顾了叶面沉积量和果树冠层结构的影响,且对于不同栽种模式下的果园更具适应性。将果树冠层特征与叶面沉积量相结合进行果园农药有效沉积率的计算,可以更加真实地反映出果园农药的实际利用情况,同时通过将果树冠层结构量化为叶面积指数、冠层阴影面积等指标,可以为不同栽种模式下的果园选择适宜的植保机械,结合地面流失率的测量,计算出果园农药的飘移量,从而通过调整喷雾角度、雾滴大小、喷雾流量等参数,实现对植保机械的优化,达到精准施药的目的。     

荔枝、龙眼园使用机油乳剂的安全性及其对荔枝蒂蛀虫的防治研究

利用机油乳剂对果树进行安全性和防治荔枝蒂蛀虫Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley研究试验，结果表明，喷施机油乳剂后荔枝和龙眼的落果率与对照树4无差异，喷清水的对照树其蒂蛀虫蛀果率比喷机油乳剂的处理树高，分别为150、200和250倍机油乳剂处理的2.8、3.0和2.7倍。在荔枝、龙眼园应用机油乳剂防治害虫不会导致落叶、落果、畸形叶和畸形果，也不会延缓果实的生长和成熟及降低单果重，而有利于控制介壳虫、螨类、蛀果类等害虫。机油乳剂可替代广谱性化学农药的使用，减少化学农药的污染，有利于果园天敌的生存、繁殖，提高生物多样性，改善果园生态环境。     

桃果套袋对6种典型农药沉积分布和残留的影响

建立了一种基于QuEChERS方法提取净化,超高效液相色谱/气相色谱-串联质谱检测桃叶、桃果和土壤中吡虫啉、嘧菌酯、腈苯唑、苯醚甲环唑、毒死蜱及β-氯氰菊酯6种农药残留量的分析方法。结果表明:在0.05~20 mg/kg (桃叶)、0.05~2 mg/kg (桃果) 和0.05~5 mg/kg (土壤) 添加水平下,6种农药在桃叶、桃果及土壤中的回收率为72%~111%,相对标准偏差 (RSDs) 为0.90%~18% (n = 5),均满足农药残留检测的要求。不套袋施药时,6种农药在桃叶中的原始沉积量最高,其沉积量占比为桃叶、桃果和土壤中总残留量的57%~69%;其次是土壤中,占比为25%~39%,桃果中占比仅为3%~6%;此外,2次施药后14和21 d时桃果上6种农药的最终残留量分别为 (0.07 ± 0.01)~(0.77 ± 0.13) mg/kg和 <0.05~(0.27 ± 0.05) mg/kg,分别为其对应最大残留限量(MRL)值的15%~60%和9%~34%。套袋可以显著降低桃果中6种农药的原始沉积量和最终残留量。套袋后,桃果上6种农药的原始沉积量占比均小于1%,且2次施药后14和21 d时的最终残留量均低于中国国家标准GB 2763—2019《食品安全国家标准 食品中农药最大残留限量》中对应MRL值的10%。本研究明确了果实套袋对6种农药在桃园中的沉积和残留的影响,为指导果实套袋措施在桃园中的安全使用提供了理论依据。     

Temporal dynamics of brown rot in different apple management systems and importance of dropped fruit for disease development

ABSTRACT Epidemic development of brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructigena, was monitored in integrated and organic apple orchards at two locations in eastern Hungary between 2002 and 2005 on three cultivars with early, midseason, and late ripening periods. Disease incidence and severity measures were affected significantly (P < 0.05) by management system (organic versus integrated) and cultivar, but there was no significant management system-cultivar interaction. Epidemics started 2 to 4 weeks earlier in organic orchards and on the early cv. Prima compared with integrated orchards and the late cv. Mutsu. Disease intensity increased markedly in the final 3 to 5 weeks before harvest and was considerably lower in integrated than in organic orchards. Final brown rot incidence on fruit in the tree was correlated with incidence on dropped fruit on the orchard floor (r > 0.75, P < 0.05), whereby the lag period from the appearance of the first symptomatic fruit on the ground to the occurrence of the first symptomatic fruit in the tree ranged from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the cultivar. The inflection point of the disease progress curve was attained first by fruit on the ground, followed successively by fruit in the lower, middle, and upper thirds of the tree canopy. This may indicate that dropped fruit that became infected early provided a source of inoculum for subsequent epidemics by serving as a bridge between sporulation from overwintered fruit mummies in the spring and the first fruit with sporulating lesions in the tree in midsummer. Removal of dropped fruit from the orchard floor resulted in a significantly lower disease incidence on fruit in the tree on all cultivars; thus, drop-removal may be useful as a brown rot management practice in apple orchards.     

480g/L毒死蜱乳油对苹果绵蚜及桃小食心虫的防治效果

为明确480 g/L毒死蜱乳油对苹果绵蚜及桃小食心虫的防治效果,特选取虫害发生较重的苹果园进行了田间药效试验。结果表明,480 g/L毒死蜱乳油1 500倍液药后21 d对苹果棉蚜的防效最高可达89.70%,药后15 d对桃小食心虫的防效最高可达94.34%,防效较好且对果树安全。     

性信息素迷向丝对不同果树梨小食心虫的防控效果

2017年在宁夏果园开展了性信息素迷向丝(北京中捷四方生物科技公司生产的长效迷向丝,有效成分占30%)对为害不同果树的梨小食心虫的防控效果研究。试验地共5.5 hm~2,栽植有成龄苹果树、梨树和李树。试验区按树种设置3个处理区,3个对照区。处理区在边缘区域每株树平均悬挂3条迷向丝,内部区域隔树悬挂,每树悬挂1条迷向丝,悬挂高度为距离地面2 m。调查各树种全年诱蛾量、诱蛾下降率、蛀果率等指标,研究迷向丝对不同果树上梨小食心虫的防控效果,分析苹果、梨和李树分区域集中栽培下梨小食心虫为害特点。研究结果显示:3个处理区的诱蛾下降率均达96%以上,果实膨大期蛀果下降率均达50%以上,成熟期蛀果下降率均达57%以上,说明性信息素迷向丝对3种果树区域的梨小食心虫防控效果明显且稳定;不同果树区域梨小食心虫发生高峰期一致;梨园中诱捕的梨小食心虫成虫最多,说明其具有寄主选择性;李园蛀果率明显高于苹果园和梨园,李果实成熟采摘后成虫诱捕量减少,同时期苹果园与梨园成虫诱捕量增加,说明梨小食心虫具有迁移为害特性。     

Effects of Single-Drop Impactions and Natural and Simulated Rains on the Dispersal of Botryosphaeria dothidea Conidia

ABSTRACT Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to study the dispersal of Botryosphaeria dothidea conidia using single-drop impactions and natural and simulated precipitations. For laboratory studies, 200 single drops were released from a height of 1 m on infected pistachio nuts. On pieces of photographic film, 50% of the droplets were collected within 20 mm (average droplet travel distance) of the target area, and the droplets ranged from 0.041 to 3.19 mm in diameter, with an average of 0.3 mm. Each droplet carried an average of 23 B. dothidea conidia. In 3 years of field experiments, rainwater was collected in funnels connected to bottles positioned at different heights inside the tree canopy and at different distances away from the edge of tree canopy in three commercial pistachio orchards in San Joaquin, Yolo, and Glenn counties in California. Numbers of conidia in rainwater varied among and within sampling seasons by sampling dates and orchards. Up to 67,000 conidia/ml were obtained in rainwater samples collected from an orchard in Yolo County. Rainwater from orchards in Yolo and Glenn counties contained a consistently higher number of conidia than rainwater collected from the orchard in San Joaquin County. Variation in numbers of conidia also existed among heights where bottles were located. There were significantly more conidia in rainwater collected inside than outside tree canopies. Inside tree canopies, bottles located at 100 and 150 cm above ground collected more B. dothidea conidia than those placed at 50 and 200 cm. Conidia were collected as far as 1 m from the tree canopy edge. Based on data from the Glenn County orchard, a linear relationship between number of conidia (Y) and rainfall amount (X) in millimeters was determined as Y = 240X - 3,867, with r(2) = 0.91, which meant that a minimum of 16.1 mm of rain was needed to disperse conidia of B. dothidea. The power law model best described the dispersal gradients of B. dothidea propagules in the 1999-2000 and 2001-02 sampling seasons, with r(2) values of >/=0.73, whereas the exponential law model fit best for the 2000-01 data, with r(2) values of >/=0.81. In a rain simulation experiment, the intensity of the rain generated by a nozzle at 138 kPa of pressure inside the tree canopy was approximately five times higher than rain recorded outside the tree canopy. Rain removed up to 65% of conidia from infected fruit. These results confirmed that B. dothidea is a splash-dispersed pathogen with relatively short distances of spore dispersal within pistachio orchards. Only pycnidia are present in pistachio orchards; therefore, the results also indicate that inoculum of B. dothidea should be entirely splashed dispersed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis> occurs asymptomatically on apple leaves

Fungi within the Colletotrichum acutatum species complex occur asymptomatically on plant parts of many different plant species. Leaves from apple orchards in southern Norway were sampled, frozen for five hours and incubated for six days to reveal presence of asymptomatic infections of C. acutatum. Number of leaves (incidence) and leaf area covered (severity) with conidial masses of C. acutatum were assessed biweekly on cv. Aroma from late May to late September during three growing seasons. The first finding of conidial masses occurred in the second half of July, and there was a higher incidence occurring in August and September. Sampling of leaves from fruit spurs and vegetative shoots of cvs. Aroma and Elstar showed that conidial masses of C. acutatum developed on leaves on both shoot types, and there was no difference in incidence between these two types. The fungus was detected on leaves from six of eight commercial orchards of cv. Aroma over three years, with a mean incidence of 5.5 %. After storage, bitter rot was found on apple fruit from all eight orchards. There was no correlation between incidence of conidial masses of C. acutatum on leaves and on fruit. In all orchards and seasons investigated, incidence and severity on leaves varied from 0 to 67 % and 0 to 85 %, respectively. The discovery of apple leaves containing conidial masses of C. acutatum clearly indicate for leaves as a potential source of inoculum for fruit infections.     

Development of a method for detection of latent European fruit tree canker (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Neonectria ditissima</Emphasis>) infections in apple and pear nurseries

Fruit tree canker caused by Neonectria ditissima is a serious problem in apple-producing regions with moderate temperatures and high rainfall throughout the year; especially in northwestern Europe, Chile, and New Zealand. Control measures are applied to protect primary infection sites, mainly leaf scars, from invasion by external inoculum. However, latent infections may occur when young apple trees are infected symptomlessly during propagation. This study aimed to develop a method for detection of latent fruit tree canker infections. Inoculations with conidiospore suspensions of N. ditissima were carried out in tree nurseries on the main stems of two-year-old trees of three apple cultivars and one pear cultivar. The inoculations were carried out during the natural abscission period in the autumn. No visible lesion or canker formations were present at the time when the inoculated trees were uprooted. It appeared that the infections may remain latent during the period from infection to uprooting (2 months) and during the subsequent 4 months of cold storage of the trees. Nevertheless, symptoms were generally induced within 8 weeks after transfer of infecting planting material from the nursery field into a climate chamber with high temperature and high relative humidity. The methodology presented is developed to detect latent infections of N. ditissima in nursery trees, prior to planting in the orchards, and it may contribute in reducing the problem with European fruit tree canker in commercial production.     

Spatial pattern of black spot incidence within citrus trees related to disease severity and pathogen dispersal

Guignardia citricarpa , the causal agent of citrus black spot, forms airborne ascospores on decomposing citrus leaves and water-spread conidia on fruits, leaves and twigs. The spatial pattern of diseased fruit in citrus tree canopies was used to assess the importance of ascospores and conidia in citrus black spot epidemics in São Paulo State, Brazil. The aggregation of diseased fruit in the citrus tree canopy was quantified by the binomial dispersion index ( D ) and the binary form of Taylor's Power Law for 303 trees in six groves. D was significantly greater than 1 in 251 trees. The intercept of the regression line of Taylor's Power Law was significantly greater than 0 and the slope was not different from 1, implying that diseased fruit was aggregated in the canopy independent of disease incidence. Disease incidence ( p ) and severity ( S ) were assessed in 2875 citrus trees. The incidence-severity relationship was described ( R ² = 88·7%) by the model ln( S ) = ln( a ) +  b CLL( p ) where CLL = complementary log-log transformation. The high severity at low incidence observed in many cases is also indicative of low distance spread of G. citricarpa spores. For the same level of disease incidence, some trees had most of the diseased fruit with many lesions and high disease severity, whereas other trees had most of the fruit with few lesions and low disease severity. Aggregation of diseased fruit in the trees suggests that splash-dispersed conidia have an important role in increasing the disease in citrus trees in Brazil.     

Evaluation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic kaolin particle films for peach crop, arthropod and disease management

Hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic kaolin particle film treatments to peach (Prunus persica (L) Batsch) trees were evaluated for crop and pest management capabilities in six studies from 1997 to 2000. Unsprayed control and standard treatments, the latter consisting of a commercial pesticide program, were included for comparison. Treatments in initial studies were applied via handgun, which resulted in a uniform and heavy deposit of kaolin after the first application. In contrast, treatments in subsequent studies used airblast equipment, which provided a uniform but less dense coverage, even after multiple applications. Results showed that both formulations of kaolin provided control of oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta (Busck)), plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst)) and Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman) that was comparable with or better than the standard pesticide program. Effective management of late season catfacing insects (tarnished plant bugs Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) and stinkbugs Acrosternum hilare (Say), Euschistus servus (Say), and E tristigmus (Say)) and leafrollers (undetermined species) was also observed, although kaolin applications significantly increased phytophagous mite (Panonychus ulmi (Koch)) levels. In contrast to arthropod management, kaolin failed to control either peach scab (Cladosporium carpophilum (Von Thumen)) or rusty spot (Podosphaera leucotricha (Ell and Ev) ES Salmon) in any of the 4 years of the study. However, hydrophobic kaolin provided effective brown rot (Monilinia fructicola (G Winter) Honey) control when applied via handgun, and partial control when applied via airblast; hydrophilic kaolin failed to provide any control. These results suggest that hydrophobicity and deposit density may be important factors for effective disease management. The application of kaolin significantly delayed fruit maturation, increased fruit size and increased soluble solids relative to the standard. This effect, attributed to a reduction in plant stress, also resulted in increased fruit number and yield on young trees, indicating that an accentuated beneficial response from kaolin applications may be possible.