project - Research and innovation
Saving on fungicides by adopting integrated strategies to fight apple scab
Saving on fungicides by adopting integrated strategies to fight apple scab
Objectives
Treating apple scab can cost apple farmers a lot, involving between 72% and 80% of all the treatments applied in an apple orchard. Planting resistant apple cultivars can prevent the occurrence of the disease and reduce fungicide use. However, strains of the fungus which are able to overcome the resistance may develop with time, producing infections. The removal of fallen leaves in autumn (where the the fungus overwinters) has been proven to reduce infection. This strategy combined with resistant cultivars can reduce the use of fungicides. This low fungicide input system is efficient to prevent or delay the appearance of scab strains which can overcome cultivar resistance.
Objectives
N/A
Activities
Research was conducted in a French region with climatic conditions which are favorable to apple scab. Two resistant apple cultivars; Reine des Reinettes and Ariane were tested in experimental plots. Fallen leaves were removed from plots in autumn. Fungicide treatments were only applied if the risk of scab infection was very high.
Additional comments
This work was funded by the ANR—Agence Nationale de la Recherche—The French National Research Agency under the ‘Programme Agriculture et Développement Durable’, with the project ‘ANR-06-PADD- 0012, GEDUPIC’ and the project “ANR-05-PADD-0005, CEDRE”.
Additional information
Didelot, F., Caffier, V., Orain, G., Lemarquand, A., & Parisi, L. (2016). Sustainable management of scab control through the integration of apple resistant cultivars in a low-fungicide input system. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 217, 41-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.10.023
Project details
- Main funding source
- Other public (national, regional) research funds
- Agricultural sectors
- Fruits
Project keyword
1 Practice Abstracts
Treating apple scab can cost apple farmers a lot, involving between 72% and 80% of all the treatments applied in an apple orchard. Planting resistant apple cultivars can prevent the occurrence of the disease and reduce fungicide use. However, strains of the fungus which are able to overcome the resistance may develop with time, producing infections. The removal of fallen leaves in autumn (where the fungus overwinters) has been proven to reduce infection. This strategy combined with resistant cultivars can reduce the use of fungicides. This low fungicide input system is efficient to prevent or delay the appearance of scab strains which can overcome cultivar resistance.
Research was conducted in a French region with climatic conditions which are favourable to apple scab. Two resistant apple cultivars; Reine des Reinettes and Ariane were tested in experimental plots. Fallen leaves were removed from plots in autumn. Fungicide treatments were only applied if the risk of scab infection was very high.
Results showed that this type of integrated management reduced the fungicide treatments by 60%, and this would save farmers a substantial amount. As apple trees are a perennial crop, resistant cultivars cannot be easily changed to prevent appearance of scab strains that can attack them. This risk can be reduced by the integration of resistant cultivars into a low fungicide input system which diminishes the chance of the development of scab strains that are able to attack resistant cultivars.