Articles
EFFECTIVENESS OF POTASSIUM PHOSPHITE IN THE CONTROL OF CHESTNUT INK DISEASE
Article number
866_55
Pages
417 – 424
Language
English
Abstract
In several Italian locations, chestnut ink disease has resumed its activity awaking a sharp care for the life of the chestnut stands.
In North-West of Italy the disease is caused by Phytophthora cambivora and is widespread in the Pellice, Mongia, Pesio, Vermenagna Valley and localised in patches in the Susa, Stura, Sangone and Grana Valley.
It spreads mainly along the country roads and the surface drainage net, each year attacking new plants; its control is difficult and based on agronomical measures.
Trunk injections of potassium phosphite water solutions at the dose of 0.77 g H3PO3 per cm of trunk diameter, following the method MCE were very effective.
On 3-year-old chestnut plants artificially inoculated with Phytophthora cinnamomi, one treatment of potassium phosphite fully inhibited the infections if applied 12 days before inoculation, whereas it reduced by: 67% the plant death, 62.7% the lesion length, and 99.7% the colonization rate if applied 14 days after inoculation.
On naturally infected adult trees, potassium phosphite, applied once a year in June-July for 3 to 5 consecutive years, resulted effective on trees showing slight to intermediate disease severity.
The reduction of symptom severity was significant after 2 applications, ranging 72-100% after the last treatment, depending both on disease severity at the time of the first treatment and the number of treatments.
Increased number and vigour of the sprouts, size and colour of the leaves, fruit development and ripening, a halt in the flux of ink, drying and compartmentalization of the lesions were evident on recovering trees.
The proposed method is very simple to be used, cheap and free from any environmental risk, and allows for the direct delivery of a proportionate quantity of fungicide to the plant.
It did not show any negative side-effects on the trees due to phyto-toxicity and wounding.
In North-West of Italy the disease is caused by Phytophthora cambivora and is widespread in the Pellice, Mongia, Pesio, Vermenagna Valley and localised in patches in the Susa, Stura, Sangone and Grana Valley.
It spreads mainly along the country roads and the surface drainage net, each year attacking new plants; its control is difficult and based on agronomical measures.
Trunk injections of potassium phosphite water solutions at the dose of 0.77 g H3PO3 per cm of trunk diameter, following the method MCE were very effective.
On 3-year-old chestnut plants artificially inoculated with Phytophthora cinnamomi, one treatment of potassium phosphite fully inhibited the infections if applied 12 days before inoculation, whereas it reduced by: 67% the plant death, 62.7% the lesion length, and 99.7% the colonization rate if applied 14 days after inoculation.
On naturally infected adult trees, potassium phosphite, applied once a year in June-July for 3 to 5 consecutive years, resulted effective on trees showing slight to intermediate disease severity.
The reduction of symptom severity was significant after 2 applications, ranging 72-100% after the last treatment, depending both on disease severity at the time of the first treatment and the number of treatments.
Increased number and vigour of the sprouts, size and colour of the leaves, fruit development and ripening, a halt in the flux of ink, drying and compartmentalization of the lesions were evident on recovering trees.
The proposed method is very simple to be used, cheap and free from any environmental risk, and allows for the direct delivery of a proportionate quantity of fungicide to the plant.
It did not show any negative side-effects on the trees due to phyto-toxicity and wounding.
Publication
Authors
S. Gentile, D. Valentino, G. Tamietti
Keywords
Phytophthora cambivora, Phytophthora cinnamomi, trunk injection, MCE
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