Articles
A WEATHER-BASED MODEL IMPLEMENTED IN HORTPLUS METWATCH WITH POTENTIAL TO FORECAST BROWN ROT INFECTION RISK IN STONE FRUIT
Article number
803_1
Pages
19 – 28
Language
English
Abstract
Brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola (G Wint.) Honey, continues to cause significant crop losses in stonefruit in Victoria, Australia, despite application of fungicide sprays.
Improved brown rot management could be aided by monitoring infection risk.
We examined the Tate brown rot infection model for its capacity to calculate infection periods from data collected by automated weather stations in three orchards.
The model, implemented in HortPlus MetWatch software, was convenient for identifying rainy periods favourable for Monilinia infection and has potential for determining spray timing.
For days with rain, the flat plate sensors outside tree canopies generally recorded longer wetness duration than sensors inside tree canopies.
Therefore, for region-wide brown rot risk assessment, wetness duration measured outside tree canopies could result in over-estimation of disease risk, especially during short duration wetness events.
Dew also produced sufficient surface wetness to generate infection periods.
The implication of measuring surface wetness outside and inside canopies and the role of canopy wetness caused by dew for identifying brown rot infection periods is discussed.
Improved brown rot management could be aided by monitoring infection risk.
We examined the Tate brown rot infection model for its capacity to calculate infection periods from data collected by automated weather stations in three orchards.
The model, implemented in HortPlus MetWatch software, was convenient for identifying rainy periods favourable for Monilinia infection and has potential for determining spray timing.
For days with rain, the flat plate sensors outside tree canopies generally recorded longer wetness duration than sensors inside tree canopies.
Therefore, for region-wide brown rot risk assessment, wetness duration measured outside tree canopies could result in over-estimation of disease risk, especially during short duration wetness events.
Dew also produced sufficient surface wetness to generate infection periods.
The implication of measuring surface wetness outside and inside canopies and the role of canopy wetness caused by dew for identifying brown rot infection periods is discussed.
Authors
R. Holmes, O. Villalta, S. Kreidl, D. Partington, A. Hodson, T.A. Atkins
Keywords
Monilinia, blossom blight, nectarine, peach, leaf wetness, prediction
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