Written by Charlotte Cunningham
Information on oilseed rape growth stage, sclerotinia pressure and weather-based infection risk can help reduce sprays and improve spray timing, according to the latest AHDB research. Charlotte Cunningham reports. With the crop about to enter its critical flowering period, AHDB has announced it will run its sclerotinia infection risk alerts service again this season to help growers better target sprays. AHDB has also issued the spring update of the light leaf spot forecast, as well as predictive information on aphid activity (first flights and abundance). Sclerotinia forecasts Each spring, warm (>10°C), moist soils cause Sclerotinia sclerotiorum to develop brown spore-releasing structures on the soil. Carried in the wind, the spores can land on OSR, feed on petals and germinate. Even where spores are present and food is sufficient, conducive weather is required for infection to occur. OSR is at the greatest risk of infection when relative humidity and air temperatures are high (>80% and >7°C, respectively) for more than 23 consecutive hours. The ADAS-led project provided infection-risk information for 15 commercial sites, three times each week (2015–18), during the main risk periods. Located across England and Scotland, some sites included monitoring of airborne spores and petal inoculum levels. The researchers…
The post Risk-based sclerotinia sprays are good for the bottom line, says AHDB appeared first on cpm magazine.
Continue reading on CPM website...
If you are enjoying what you read then why not considering subscribing:
