Article taken from the FarmBusiness
Growers now have a different way of tackling the potentially devastating canker fungus (Neonectria galligena) thanks to a new tool that has been added to Agrovista’s top fruit pest and disease forecasting service, Growers Choice Interactive (GCI).
Agrovista consultant Alex Radu told the company’s annual top fruit seminar in Kent that the new model predicts when the risk of canker infection is going to be high by monitoring the key factors that, together, cause an outbreak. These factors include tree wounds in the growers’ orchard, the level of rainfall and leaf wetness.
“The new canker model should help us to better tackle the disease and get better control of it in the orchards,” he said. “Information needs to be correlated with the number of open wounds in the orchards that could be infected. There are critical stages during each season and the model with tell you the action you require.”
Agrovista fruit specialist Paul Bennett, who chaired the fruit seminar, added that the model’s graph informs growers whether or not they have any infection and the intensity of the infection. He said: “The big advantage of the model is that we are now able to see when an infection period is occurring in the area and if wounds on the tree are susceptible to infection.
“Wetness on the tree is necessary for an infection period to develop and there needs to be a fresh would present on the tree. Most of the time, the high-risk infection periods are during leaf fall.”
Growers now have a different way of tackling the potentially devastating canker fungus (Neonectria galligena) thanks to a new tool that has been added to Agrovista’s top fruit pest and disease forecasting service, Growers Choice Interactive (GCI).
Agrovista consultant Alex Radu told the company’s annual top fruit seminar in Kent that the new model predicts when the risk of canker infection is going to be high by monitoring the key factors that, together, cause an outbreak. These factors include tree wounds in the growers’ orchard, the level of rainfall and leaf wetness.
“The new canker model should help us to better tackle the disease and get better control of it in the orchards,” he said. “Information needs to be correlated with the number of open wounds in the orchards that could be infected. There are critical stages during each season and the model with tell you the action you require.”
Agrovista fruit specialist Paul Bennett, who chaired the fruit seminar, added that the model’s graph informs growers whether or not they have any infection and the intensity of the infection. He said: “The big advantage of the model is that we are now able to see when an infection period is occurring in the area and if wounds on the tree are susceptible to infection.
“Wetness on the tree is necessary for an infection period to develop and there needs to be a fresh would present on the tree. Most of the time, the high-risk infection periods are during leaf fall.”