Copper-free production of organic apples - ITAB production of organic apples: three years experience...
Transcript of Copper-free production of organic apples - ITAB production of organic apples: three years experience...
Copper-free production of organic apples:
three years experience in The NetherlandsMarc Trapman
Bio Fruit Advies, Netherlands
Problems with Copper:
1. Accumulation in the orchard soil:– Cu input at reduced rate: 2000-3000 gr. Cu/ha year– Leaving the system: < 200 gr. Cu/ha year
2. European registration as fungicide3. Copper residues on fruits
Copper as fungicide
• Cheap• Persistent• Highly effective• No resistance• Brought spectrum fungicide
• Research : no alternative
Copper replacement =
Not another product but another strategy
System approach:1. Sanitation2. Low susceptible apple varieties3. Careful planning and decision making4. Beware of other diseases5. Alternative fungicides
Alternative materials for scab controlMaterial Kg/ha Effectivenes
sRemarks
Copper 50% 0,2-0,5 Protective ++++
- Post bloom applications cause fruit skin russetingSulfur 80% 5-8 Protective ++ - Unreliable after 5 mm of rain- Risk for sun burn of fruits- Can not be used on all apple and pear varieties
Lime sulfur 12-20 Protective ++Curative ++++
- Instable, degrading to sulfur in ± 24 wet-hours- Post bloom applications can cause fruit skin russeting on other varieties than Golden.- Intense use can damage leafs.- Aggressive, corrosive, pH > 12- Not to be tank mixed with other materials.
Potassium bicarbonate
5-10 Protective +Curative +++
- Very water-soluble, therefore unreliable after less than 5 mm of rain.- Intense use can damage leafs.- pH 8.5- Not to be tank-mixed with other materials then sulfur.
2007-2008-2009 Working group:“Copper free production of Elstar”
• Discussion and agreement on strategy• All growers applied the strategy on one block of Elstar• On farm stations and RIM infection calculations on
Internet• Regular checks and meetings for feed-back• Strategies developed trough the years
Copper-free strategie 2009
Copper-free Standard Organic
Bud burst-Flowering
Protective: sulfurStop-Spray: sulfur+ bicarbonatePost infection: lime sulfur on main infections
Protective: copperPost infection: lime sulfur on main infections
Flowering-June
Protective: sulfur (+boron)Stop-Spray: sulfur+ bicarbonate
Protective: sulfur (+boron)Stop-Spray: sulfur+ bicarbonate
June-July
Stop-Spray: sulfur+ bicarbonateLime sulfur (In case of scab problems)
Stop-Spray: sulfur+ bicarbonateCopper + sulfur (In case of scab problems)
August-Harvest
Protective: sulfur + Mycosin Protective: copper + sulfur
Percentage fruits with scab lesions at harvest2007 2008 2009
Orchard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard
Korstanje 0,0 3,4 4,3 1,1
Albers 2,2* 3,0 6,4* 3,0
Flikweert 1,6* 0,0 1,0 1,1 25,21,0
Poley 3,6 0,8 11,2* 1,9 18,3 4,3
Konijn 0,6 0,0 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,3
Peters 0,5 0,1
Van Noord 6,0 5,9
Levels 9,2 13,6
Damen 15,2* 2,8
Stoop 18,5* 11,3
Stoker 39,3* 21,1
Average 1,6 1,4 4,6 1,5 13,3 7,4
Percentage fruits with scab lesions at harvest2007 2008 2009
Orchard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard
Korstanje 0,0 3,4 4,3 1,1
Albers 2,2* 3,0 6,4* 3,0
Flikweert 1,6* 0,0 1,0 1,1 25,21,0
Poley 3,6 0,8 11,2* 1,9 18,3 4,3
Konijn 0,6 0,0 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,3
Peters 0,5 0,1
V Noord 6,0 5,9
Levels 9,2 13,6
Damen 15,2* 2,8
Stoop 18,5* 11,3
Stoker 39,3* 21,1
Average 1,6 1,4 4,6 1,5 13,3 7,4
4xsame
4xsame
Percentage fruits with scab lesions at harvest2007 2008 2009
Orchard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard
Korstanje 0,0 3,4 4,3 1,1
Albers 2,2* 3,0 6,4* 3,0
Flikweert 1,6* 0,0 1,0 1,1 25,21,0
Poley 3,6 0,8 11,2* 1,9 18,3 4,3
Konijn 0,6 0,0 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,3
Peters 0,5 0,1
V Noord 6,0 5,9
Levels 9,2 13,6
Damen 15,2* 2,8
Stoop 18,5* 11,3
Stoker 39,3* 21,1
Average 1,6 1,4 4,6 1,5 13,3 7,4
worseworse
worseworse
Percentage fruits with scab lesions at harvest2007 2008 2009
Orchard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard Cu-free StandardKorstanje 0,0 3,4 4,3 1,1Albers 2,2* 3,0 6,4* 3,0Flikweert 1,6* 0,0 1,0 1,1 25,2
1,0Poley 3,6 0,8 11,2* 1,9 18,3 4,3Konijn 0,6 0,0 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,3Peters 0,5 0,1V Noord 6,0 5,9Levels 9,2 13,6Damen 15,2* 2,8Stoop 18,5* 11,3Stoker 39,3* 21,1Average 1,6 1,4 4,6 1,5 13,3 7,4
Both badBoth bad
Percentage fruits with scab lesions at harvest2007 2008 2009
Orchard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard Cu-free Standard
Korstanje 0,0 3,4 4,3 1,1
Albers 2,2* 3,0 6,4* 3,0
Flikweert 1,6* 0,0 1,0 1,1 25,21,0
Poley 3,6 0,8 11,2* 1,9 18,3 4,3
Konijn 0,6 0,0 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,3
Peters 0,5 0,1
V Noord 6,0 5,9
Levels 9,2 13,6
Damen 15,2* 2,8
Stoop 18,5* 11,3
Stoker 39,3* 21,1
Average 1,6 1,4 4,6 1,5 13,3 7,4
Conclusions
• Skilled and highly motivated growers: still only 50% successful• Pre-infection copper strategy more robust then careful
scheduled sulphur+ bicarbonate treatments
• No effective materials for organic to be expected• Cu-free = optimization of use of existing materials and
knowledge• Effective Cu-free scab control requires:
– Well trained fruit growers– Well trained advisers– High quality spraying equipment– Highly accurate warning systems– Continuous awareness of the situation