Objectives
The general objective of the project is the control of scab by means of the use of anti-rain nets that prevent fungal infection and, consequently, reduce the need to apply fungicides.
The following specific objectives are proposed:
• Install anti-rain nets, taking advantage of current installations in place to protect against hailstorms.
• Assess the effectiveness of these techniques in controlling scab.
• Quantify the reduction of fungicides that are still necessary following the installation of the anti-rain nets.
• Assess the effects on the production and quality of the fruit resulting from the application of the anti-rain nets.
Objectives
El objetivo general del proyecto es el control del moteado mediante la utilización de redes técnicas
antilluvia que impidan las infecciones del hongo i, en consecuencia, reducir las aplicaciones fungicidas.
Se plantean los objetivos específicos siguientes:
• Instalar diferentes redes técnicas antilluvia aprovechando las instalaciones existentes contra el granizo.
• Evaluar estas técnicas para el control del moteado
• Cuantificar la reducción de los fungicidas necesarios como resultado de utilizar las redes técnicas
• Evaluar los efectos sobre la producción y la calidad de la fruta resultante de la aplicación de redes
técnicas antilluvia
Objetivos
Activities
Three actions are to be implemented in accordance with the objectives to reduce scab at apple plantations. These actions are based on: 1) Testing the efficacy of anti-rain nets to control scab;
2) Assessing the efficacy of the anti-rain nets in relation to reducing scab fungicide treatments and the effects on the yield of commercial apple plantations; 3) Transferring the results.
Activities
De acuerdo con los objetivos de destacan tres vías de actuación para reducir los ataques de moteado
en plantaciones de manzano, que se basan en: 1) Ensayo de eficacia de redes antilluvia para controlar
el moteado; 2) Evaluar las telas antilluvia para la reducción de los tratamientos fungicidas para el
moteado y los efectos en la producción en plantaciones comerciales de manzano; 3) Transferencia de
los resultados
Context
Apple scab is the disease that most impacts apple production in Girona. It is a polycyclic disease that starts at the end of winter. The primary inoculum, ascospore, comes from leaves on the ground affected by the disease in the previous autumn. Rain is the meteorological element that triggers the release of the spores and gives rise to the conditions necessary to germinate and infect the green tissues. The infections generate the first spots, from which new spores emerge to spread the disease. It can be kept under control by preventing primary infections from prospering. Accordingly, predictive models are used to issue warnings about conditions favourable to such infections. The RIMpro model is currently being used in Girona to predict the evolution of the primary inoculum. Fifteen to 20 fungicide treatments are applied per season, mainly to control scab disease. This number of fungicides could be substantially reduced by using physical barriers that prevent rainfall on the trees during the period when they are most sensitive to the disease.
The installation of anti-rain nets is being studied in various countries as an alternative to fungicide treatments (in France through the CTIFL’s ECOPHYTO programme; in Italy through the Edmund Mach Foundation, and in Canada amongst other countries). The materials used are mainly plastic raffia and plastic film, the same as those used to protect against cracking in plums. In our climate conditions these installations could be more effective, given that episodes of rain are less intense than Atlantic storms, which are often accompanied by strong winds that make it difficult to control the effects of rain.
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
- Other geographical location
- Girona, Barcelona
€ 81938
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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GIRONA FRUITS SCCL
Project coordinator