project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
Control of sour rot in stone fruit in the context of sustainability: SOUR ROT IN PEACHES
Control de la podredumbre ácida en fruta de hueso en el contexto de sostenibilidad: SOUR-PEACH
Context
Sour rot is an emerging disease affecting stone fruit. In recent years, its incidence has increased, and on occasion the losses can be similar to those caused by Monilinia spp, the main pathogen affecting stone fruit. Commercially available synthetic chemicals currently applied in the field and/or post-harvest are not effective in controlling it. Furthermore, it is already known that this disease is not only caused by Geotrichum spp. but is also caused by a consortium of micro-organisms including yeasts of the genus Pichia spp. This fact further complicates their control, as the epidemiology and the effectiveness of the products must be studied in parallel for both types of micro-organisms. This project will look deeper into the epidemiology of the disease, both in the field and during post-harvest, and will focus on control strategies both in the field and during post-harvest, including alternative products and systems. In addition, cultural practices to be applied in the field will be studied to determine their effectiveness for controlling sour rot. Finally, all the knowledge generated and control tools that end up being effective will be integrated into a single control strategy that will be validated at the commercial level.
Objectives
The overall objective is to control in a sustainable way the sour rot affecting stone fruit caused by Geotrichum spp. and yeasts of the genus Pichia. The following some of secondary objectives are established to achieve this overall objective:
- Determine the epidemiological factors affecting the incidence and severity of stone fruit disease caused by the microorganisms that induce sour rot.
- Assess the risk of infection of healthy fruit arriving at the fruit and vegetable processing plant due to the presence of inoculum on the packing lines.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of new products on a commercial scale or reported as effective in the latest literature, in in vivo laboratory studies.
Objectives
El objetivo general es controlar de manera sostenible la podredumbre ácida que afecta a la fruta de hueso y que es causada por Geotrichum spp. y levaduras del género Pichia. Para alcanzar este objetivo se plantean algunos objetivos secundarios:
- Determinar los factores epidemiológicos que afectan a la incidencia y severidad de la enfermedad en fruta de hueso producida por los microorganismos que causan la podredumbre ácida.
- Evaluar el riesgo de infección de fruta sana debido a la presencia de inóculo en las líneas de confección.
- Evaluar la efectividad de los nuevos productos a escala comercial o apuntados como efectivos en la bibliografía más reciente, en estudios 'in vivo' de laboratorio.
Activities
1. Research related to the epidemiology of the disease to determine the presence and infectivity of the organisms causing sour rot, depending on the phenological stage and agro-climatic factors.
2. Research related to the effectiveness of different strategies of interest for field or post-harvest application to control the disease in a sustainable way.
3. Commercial validation.
Activities
1. Investigación relacionada con la epidemiología de la enfermedad para determinar la presencia y capacidad de infección de los organismos causantes de la podredumbre ácida, en función del momento fenológico y de los factores agroclimáticos.
2. Investigación relacionada con la efectividad de las diferentes estrategias de interés para su aplicación en campo o en postcosecha, que permitan controlar la enfermedad de forma sostenible.
3. Validación comercial.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014ES06RDRP009 Spain - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Cataluña
Location
- Main geographical location
- Lleida
EUR 246 450.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Silvia Fernandez
Project coordinator