Keep your crops safe from Botrytis this winter
With its wide host range, ever present airborne spores, and preference for cool temperatures and high humidity, Botrytis is the most common fungal pathogen of overwintered crops. Infections begin as ghost spotting on soft plant tissue, which impacts marketability. But in severe cases brown lesions will form along with grey fungal growth – potentially killing the plant.
Botrytis spores infect weakened plants at cool temperatures and high humidity. If left unmanaged, Botrytis can cause vast damage to overwintered crops.
Cultural management tools
• Proper irrigation management
It is not advisable for plants to sit wet. Limiting the amount of water in the environment will reduce the likelihood of infections.
• Ensure proper airflow
Plants should be spaced appropriately and fans and vents should be used to reduce humidity within the foliage.
• Heat application
If you can afford it, heating crops will reduce humidity and leaf wetness, as well as activate the plant to defend itself from infection.
• Correct nutrition management
Using DCM organic fertilisers will ensure plants are provided with the small yet important amount of nutrition required over winter, which most mineral fertilisers cannot deliver at this time of year. Using these organic fertilisers will enable plants to form strong tissues resistant to infection.
DCM's 100% organic fertilisers incorporate minigran technology with natural plant extracts. Use as a top dress or integrate into growing media.
Products to combat Botrytis
Cultural controls are important, but sometimes are not enough - so biological and chemical pesticides can be used to minimise crop damage.
Always check the product is approved for use on the target crop and follow label guidelines on application.
Biopesticides
Romeo
Active ingredient:
Cerevisane - a denatured extract of yeast species
Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain LAS117.
Mode of action:
Plant defence elicitor - the plant recognises the non-pathogenic yeast as a fungus and upregulates its natural defences to protect against a broad range of pathogens.
How to use:
Apply preventatively and when temperatures in the facility are above 10°C in the daytime as some plant activity is required.
Taegro
Active ingredient: The naturally occurring bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24.
Mode of action:
The bacteria will colonise plant surfaces, excluding pathogens and secreting anti-fungal compounds to combat their establishment as well as eliciting plant natural pathogen defences.
How to use:
Apply preventatively and when temperatures in the facility are above 10°C in the daytime as bacteria need temperatures above this to establish.
Romeo Fungicide 1kg
£74.73 Ex VAT
Taegro Fungicide 370g
£94.34 Ex VAT
Chemical pesticides
Switch
Active ingredients:
Cyprodinil and fludioxonil.
Mode of action:
The actives inhibit key biochemical pathways to inhibit fungal growth.
How to use:
Apply curatively for infection knockdown or preventatively to protect crops – efficacy is better at lower temperatures than biopesticides.
Switch Fungicide 1kg
£181.98 Ex VAT
Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Further detail on warning symbols and phrases is included on the labels and leaflets.
Expert technical advice
To find out more or for technical advice on disease control, please contact the Technical Team on 01903 256 856 or email technical@fargro.co.uk.