Confidor – new label claim for use on bearing

Facts
Issue 229, March 2015
Confidor – new label claim for use
on bearing grapevines
Now with the new claim for the use of
Confidor® on bearing vines, wine grape
growers have a new tool for controlling
mealybugs and an effective addition to
grape leaf-roll virus (GLRV) elimination
programmes.
“The new label claim recommends Confidor
should be applied post-harvest as a soil drench
treatment. This takes full advantage of the
strongly systemic ‘from the roots upwards
movement’ properties of Confidor,” says Marc
Fox, Bayer CropScience territory manager.
“Confidor is effective on mealybug adults
and developmental stages and will control
late season and overwintering populations.
Trials conducted in New Zealand have
demonstrated the effectiveness of Confidor
(see graphs below).”
Confidor can be applied from the period
immediately post-harvest up to the end of
the second week of May. It should be applied
at 1.5 ml in 500 ml of water per vine with the
treatment targeting the rooting area of the
vines. Ideally Confidor should be applied prior
to a rain event, but if rain does not occur,
the application of two litres of water over
the treated area is recommended to ensure
Confidor is moved into the soil and the roots
of the vines.
Marc notes: “Ideally apply the Confidor to
bare soil and ensure any flowering weeds are
removed prior to the application.
“Confidor is ideal to incorporate into virus
control programmes with Movento® 100SC.
The autumn application of Confidor will
reduce overwintering mealybug populations
and pre-flower spring applications of
Grape Mealybug Trial 2008/09
Movento 100SC will target any surviving
mealybug crawlers.
“In addition, with Confidor and Movento
being from separate chemical groups with
different modes of action, this programme
provides ideal resistance management.”
Confidor is only suitable for use in managed
MRL programmes and should not be
used by growers targeting nil-detectable
residues. For more information, please
contact your Fruitfed Supplies horticultural
sales representative.
Confidor® and Movento® are registered trademarks
of the Bayer Group.
Grape Mealybug Trial 20013/14
NZWG, Pinot Noir – Pland & Food Research, Hawke’s Bay
Pinot Noir - Peracto, Marlborough
Confidor applied 28/3/13, assessed 12/2/14
80
18
70
60
14
% leaves infested
No. mealybugs/ leaf
16
12
10
19
8
6
4
40
76
30
20
10
2
0
50
0.08
Untreated
Confidor
1.5 ml/vine
0
6.7
Untreated
Confidor
1.5 ml/vine
% leaves infested with adult mealybugs
Leaf assessment – treated 6/5/08, assessed 25/3/09
20
35
30
25
20
15
32
10
5
0
3.75
Untreated
Confidor
1.5 ml/vine
Fruitfed Supplies National Office | Phone: 09 448 0510 | www.fruitfed.co.nz | Fruitfed Supplies is part of PGG Wrightson Ltd
Glasshouse Sector
Ecogrow cocopeat proving its worth for growers
The delivery of consistent, high quality
cocopeat as a growing medium for New
Zealand growers has seen a strengthening
relationship between Fruitfed Supplies and
the suppliers of Ecogrow cocopeat.
25 years, with multiple manufacturing sites
now supplying key markets across the globe.
Fruitfed Supplies sources Ecogrow products
directly from the company’s Sri Lankan
manufacturing sites.
The advantages of cocopeat as a growing
medium for a wide range of hydroponic and
glasshouse crops are well-known – it is 100%
natural, renewable and recyclable, provides
good buffering capacity and air porosity for
root health, and offers very good wettability
and water-holding properties
“With Ecogrow, we have found the high
grade cocopeat that New Zealand growers
can depend upon to do the job,” Craig
says. “Our strengthening relationship with
Ecogrow, via our Asia Pacific region manager
Martin Carneil, offers a number of benefits,
one being the flexibility to request specific
slab configurations. Say if you want the
holes on the edge of the bag, or specific
hole placement across the top and you’re
ordering sufficient quantity, they’ll make a
batch to your specifications with the Ecogrow
cocopeat fibre grade of your choice.”
The key for the New Zealand market has
been finding a regular source of supply of
consistent, high quality cocopeat.
“The consistent quality
of the Ecogrow
cocopeat is a key factor
in its continuing use in
our facility.”
And that, says Fruitfed Supplies’ Kumeu-based
area sales manager Craig Lamb, is where Le
Comptoir Roussillonnais and their Ecogrow
brand of cocopeat comes in.
“While the manufacturing process of
cocopeat is quite straightforward – taking
the coir fibre from around the harvested
coconuts, drying it thoroughly, grading and
compressing it – it is important to the quality
of the finished cocopeat that high processing
standards are maintained for each and every
batch,” says Craig.
Le Comptoir Roussillonnais is a French grower
co-operative which established production
facilities in Sri Lanka to ensure they could get
reliable supply of quality cocopeat products
for their growing operations. Developed by
growers for growers, their cocopeat offers
significant advantages over competitive
products due to their understanding of
the quality and performance requirements.
The success of Ecogrow cocopeat has seen
the business grow steadily over the past
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FACTS NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2015
Over the past three seasons, many container
loads of Ecogrow have been utilised by
growers around the country. “While bigger
growers usually order their required slab
configuration in bulk, we also hold stock
of easy-fill bags which are ideal for smaller
tomato and capsicum operations. You can
also buy big blocks of Ecogrow cocopeat
which you then crush and fill the containers
of your choice, say, for a longer term crop
like gerbaras.”
One of the country’s largest capsicum
growing facilities, Southern Paprika Ltd,
has used Ecogrow cocopeat slabs from
Fruitfed for several crop changes. Production
manager Stuart Attwood says: “The
consistent quality of the Ecogrow cocopeat
is a key factor in its continuing use in our
facility. This consistency means we can feel
confident about the product’s performance
and ability to deliver results.”
Craig adds: “Another bonus of Ecogrow
cocopeat is that it’s organic and recyclable.
As many growers seek to reduce waste
while maintaining productivity, the ability to
be able to spread the used cocopeat onto
paddocks or recycle it into a high demand
potting mix ensures additional value from the
original outlay.”
For more information about Ecogrow
cocopeat, which is only available from
Fruitfed Supplies, please speak with your local
horticultural sales representative.
Note: Le Comptoir Roussillonnais markets product under
the BioGrow brand in some international markets.
Ecogrow is the brand marketed in New Zealand.
Ecogrow cocopeat is a proven growing
substrate for tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers,
orchids and seedlings.
Fruitfed News
Fruitfed now offers AEB’s leading product range
The Fruitfed Supplies winery team has
added the extensive array of winemaking
products manufactured by multinational
biotechnology company AEB Group to
their portfolio.
With 15 years of experience offering
winemaking supplies to wineries around the
country, the Fruitfed Supplies winery team is
one of the most knowledgeable in the country.
So when Marlborough-based winery
representative Aaron Thompson, himself an
experienced winemaker, identified a few
key ingredients that the winery team could
offer but currently didn’t, he researched who
would be the best supplier. This led to a
new and significant distribution agreement
between AEB Oceania and Fruitfed for the
New Zealand market.
winery products across the country. The
AEB product range is well-proven with
Australian winemakers for at least eight
seasons and, also important is the fact that
AEB technical support is readily available
over the harvest period.
“With new technologies being utilised in
New Zealand wineries, the onus is on the
Fruitfed team to ensure we have products
such as winery hardware, fining agents,
enzymes, yeast and malolactic bacteria
required by our customers. We believe AEB’s
products will complement the range we
already offer.”
Having met with AEB Group Oceania’s
Melbourne-based general manager Vince
Giarizzio, Aaron says the AEB team’s breadth
and depth of knowledge comes from the
50-plus years that AEB Group has supplied the
beverage and food industries with oenology,
brewery and sanitation ingredients.
“AEB has its own research and development
laboratories at each of the six production
facilities and employs over 300 staff, including
personnel dedicated to technical support,
and sales.
“We’re very pleased to work with a company
like AEB group which is a leader in specialty
products for the wine industry offering
advanced and specific treatment techniques,
backed by technical research and exclusive
formulations.”
Aaron says: “Although the current portfolio is
comprehensive, there are key ingredients that
we didn’t offer.
The agreement with AEB provides Fruitfed
staff with the ability to offer a unique,
complete and cost-effective range of
Fruitfed Supplies Winery Representatives:
Kumeu
Martinborough
Christchurch
Craig Lamb – 0274 720 486
Email: craig.lamb@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Spence Southey – 0274 469 119
Email: spence.southey@pggwrightson.co.nz
Brett Russell – 0272 221 153
Email: brussell@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Steve Sherson – 0274 797 338
Email: steve.sherson@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Richmond
Central Otago
Jonny Richards – 0274 427 554
Email: jrichards@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Brent Anderson – 0274 955 563
Email: brentanderson@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Gisborne
Ross Nichol – 0274 791 512
Email: rnichol@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Hastings
Mark Cairns – 0275 320 482
Email: mark.cairns@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Blenheim
Blair McLean – 0274 344 071
Email: bmclean@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
Aaron Thompson – 0275 187 156
Email: aaron.thompson@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz
MARCH 2015 | FACTS NEWSLETTER
3
Product Updates
Clean up weeds fast with Roundup Ultra Max
As growers start thinking about autumn
clean-up sprays for weeds around their
blocks, the most powerful Roundup®
formation – Roundup Ultra® Max – makes a
great option for fast knockdown.
With its 570 gram active glyphosate
formulation, Roundup Ultra Max delivers great
weed control with fewer drums required. It
features a high load, low viscosity and low
foam formulation.
fruit orchards of all kinds, vineyards, market
gardens and forestry.
“Please note the recommendation when
using Roundup Ultra Max near apples, pears,
stonefruit, kiwifruit or grapevines, it should be
applied as a directed or shielded spray, or with
wiper equipment.”
For long term control of annual weeds,
Roundup Ultra Max can be tank-mixed with a
suitable residual herbicide.
Key usage recommendations
• Do not apply near unprotected trees less
than three years old.
• Take great care to avoid spray or spray drift
which could come into contact with any
part of stonefruit trees, green bark, suckers,
buds, foliage or fruit of other trees.
• When using a weed wiper, avoid contact
with any part of the tree.
Dom Bolton, Sinochem Roundup marketing
manager, says Roundup Ultra Max has a vast
range of tank mix options and compatibilities
which provides the flexibility to control a broad
spectrum of weeds in one pass.
• Glyphosate is rapidly absorbed and
deactivated by soil particles, making it
suitable for use prior to sowing crops. In
the same way the soil binds to Roundup
Ultra Max, weed foliage coated in copper or
calcium based compounds may also reduce
the activity of Roundup Ultra Max.
“With the highest loading Roundup
formulation on the market, Ultra Max
combined with a unique surfactant system
makes this formulation the most powerful
Roundup liquid knockdown,” Dom says.
• When using Roundup Ultra Max in market
gardens, apply before or after seeding, prior
to crop emergence. Roundup Ultra Max can
also be applied prior to transplanting or
as a post-harvest clean-up for longer term
control of seedling weeds.
“The unique surfactant system ensures
rapid uptake by the weed, delivering faster
translocation to the roots, leading to faster
brown-out. When an approved penetrant is
added, the period between application and
the product being rainfast may be reduced to
as little as 30 minutes.
Roundup Ultra Max is now available in a
new green, twin-cap 18-litre drum for easy
pouring, with no glugging. It’s also available
in green 100-litre packs with twin caps, and
1000-litre IBCs. Please consult the product
label before using Roundup Ultra Max and,
where required, seek professional advice.
“Roundup Ultra Max is recommended before
planting crops, pasture, vegetables or trees
in conservation tillage systems, including
Roundup and Roundup Ultra are registered trademarks
of Monsanto Technology LLC used under licence by
Sinochem. © 2014 Sinochem International Australia.
Learning on offer from Croplands
A delegation of Fruitfed Supplies
personnel headed to South Australia
late last month to visit a number of
growers using the latest Croplands
spray equipment.
With two days of training at the Croplands’
factory near Adelaide plus an array of
grower visits, Kerikeri area sales manager
Mark Robinson, North Island regional
manager Roger Pierce, machinery product
manager Les Rackley and three Fruitfed
horticultural sales representatives from
Hastings – Vaughan Redshaw, Gary Speers
and Richard Griffiths – enjoyed many
4
FACTS NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2015
opportunities to fine-tune their knowledge
of the Croplands product range.
“Croplands invited our Fruitfed team to
join them in Australia to acknowledge and
thank them for their support of Croplands
sprayers,” says Roger. “Our team returned
the favour to Croplands with each person
delivering a 15 minute presentation on
their region, areas of speciality and any
issues that their growers felt needed
addressing in future model enhancements.”
A follow-up story and images will appear in
Facts next month.
Product Updates
Grower values Du-Wett products
As kiwifruit harvest approaches, Katikati
grower Stephen Kenna will again be
utilising Du-Wett® products to maximise
pack-out and crop returns.
Daniel Findon, northern regional manager
for Etec Crop Solutions Ltd, says he
was delighted to receive the following
unsolicited comments about Du-Wett
super-spreader and Du-Wett Stainless from
Stephen Kenna.
Stephen writes: “I am contacting you to pass
on my experience with Du-Wett during the
2014 season with my kiwifruit crop.
“Du-Wett has been an excellent product to
use throughout the season to aid coverage
with lower water rates.
“Du-Wett Stainless aided my clean-up
product, producing a better coverage all
over the fruit at a lower water rate, and
giving me a better pack-out. This is money in
the bank for me along with the time saved
using Du-Wett Stainless!
“During picking, wet mornings are
common, delaying the start time for pickers
and resulting in frustrations the whole way
to the pack house. This was improved with
an early morning water drop spray of DuWett at 1 litre per 500 litres water per ha.
“Picking got going earlier with a dry crop
as compared with the next block left
unsprayed! Again, more production for
the pickers that day and no time delay for
getting crop off when it’s ready.
“Result: money in the bank for the grower!
Thanks for great product/s.”
Key points about Du-Wett Stainless use:
• Unlike other spreaders/adjuvants, DuWett Stainless is not degraded by acidbased stain removers.
• Du-Wett Stainless and the preferred
stain removal product can be applied
at the much lower water rate of 500
to 1,000 litres per hectare, meaning
coverage of an area 3-6 times larger
with a single tank. Not for use in high
volume dilute.
• Du-Wett Stainless has a patented use to
reduce the surface tension of the spray
droplet so it effectively covers the skin
surface, not just wetting the ends of
fruit hairs.
• Overall cost is similar to high water
volume applications due to using less
stain remover and fewer personnel and
machinery hours.
• Fruit will be dry in almost half the
normal time.
• For heavily stained blocks consider a
double pass application at 500 litres ha
each way.
• Ensure sprayer is calibrated accurately to
suit its capabilities.
Katikati grower Stephen Kenna knows Du-Wett and
Du-Wett Stainless help improve his profitability
MARCH 2015 | FACTS NEWSLETTER
5
Tech-Know Tips
Avocado
Reminders for March:
»Crop monitoring trends consistently show
six-spotted mite populations slowly
increasing as we move through autumn and
into winter, particularly in warmer growing
regions. While summer flush is still soft, consider
an application of Mit é mec®, which offers
control of all lifecycle stages including eggs.
»Prodigy, Altacor and Proclaim are all highlyeffective options for leaf roller control should
thresholds be exceeded. Be aware of PHI
requirements to various markets.
»Thrips often reach damaging levels during the
late summer/autumn period and can cause
scarring damage if left uncontrolled. If thrips are
an issue, consider an application of Calypso™.
Research consistently shows a distinct benefit of
two applications versus one, particularly under
high pressure situations.
»Coverage is essential for achieving excellent
pest and disease control. Much research has
Citrus
Reminders for March:
»Glomerella is capable of colonising peduncles
left behind after hand-thinning. This infection
can then spread to developing fruit. It is
recommended to apply a fungicide cover soon
after thinning.
»Leaf sampling should be carried out during
February or March to plan your fertiliser strategy
for the coming season. At this time, Yara Citrac
may also be useful as a foliar spray applied to
autumn flush.
»Calcium plays a crucial role in determining the
structural rigidity of plant cell walls. Regular
applications of a foliar calcium product such as
Stopit may therefore assist to improve pack-out
and reduce rind disorders.
Kiwifruit
Reminders for March:
»Continue foliar applications of Croplift K
during March (7 day PHI). Croplift K contains
close to 30% K, and is specifically designed
for in-season use. Potassium is an important
component of fruit growth and maturation,
and has been linked to crucial processes such as
dry matter accumulation.
»In Hayward only, late season control of scale
is now limited to mineral oil (D-C-Tron® Plus
Organic). Scale sprays at this stage of the
season must be in response to monitoring,
and label directions on application must
be followed particularly closely. Be aware of
precautionary restrictions in place around the
use of copper fungicides in close proximity to oil.
»Flights of leaf-roller can continue to invade
orchards through summer. Monitor regularly,
6
FACTS NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2015
been done on the benefits of low water volume
applications with the advanced super-spreader
Du-Wett®, and should be a consideration this
season on your orchard.
»Support general tree health and summer
winter. Research has shown that understanding
and working with the growth stages of the tree
is crucial for obtaining optimum control, while
also ensuring crop safety.
Avocado tree infected with Phytophthora
flush while fruitlets are sizing with regular
applications of fertilizer such as Fruitfed
Supplies Avocado Mix. Fertigation options are
also available.
Trunk injections with phosphorous acid
solution remain the most effective way to treat
and prevent Phytophthora infection, one
of the most economically important diseases
for avocado production in New Zealand and
worldwide. Phosphorous acid-based products
such as Agri-Fos® 600 are very effective, owing
to the highly systemic nature of phosphonate
ions that are released following treatment.
As well as having direct fungicidal activity,
Agri-Fos also helps to stimulate the plants
natural defence mechanisms, adding another
dimension to disease control. There are two
periods in the year when trees are traditionally
treated; late-summer/early autumn, and late-
»To help strengthen the plant and improve
disease resistance, consider an autumn
application of Agri-Fos® 600.
Natural enemies play a critical role in
horticultural crops, keeping many pests at
non-damaging levels without the use of
insecticides. Lacewing larvae, Stethorus and
steel-blue ladybirds, for example, are very
effective predators of citrus red mite. Some
harsher compounds used to control Kelly’s
citrus thrips destroy natural enemies such
as these. With reduced predation, this can
indirectly induce a citrus red mite problem, so
it is beneficial to use softer chemistry where
possible. Two new insecticide options have
recently been registered into citrus; Movento®
100SC (KCT only) and Sparta™. Movento also
has a registration for armoured scale, and is
known to have activity on other key pests as
and if thresholds are exceeded, apply an
insecticide such as Proclaim® (42 day PHI) or
Delfin® WG (2 day PHI).
»Leaf samples taken now will help to determine
the effectiveness of the nutrition programme
adopted on each block and will also help plan
the coming season’s requirements.
Those orchards targeting ‘early start’ may soon
want to consider stain removal just prior to
harvest. Very little staining needs to be present
to economically justify the use of stain-removal
products such as KiwiLustre®. Consider applying
in reduced water volumes with the addition of
Du-Wett Stainless®, super-spreader technology
which increases coverage with reduced spray
volumes, and aids in improving drying time. Once
harvest is completed, it is recommended to apply
a protective spray such as Kocide Opti or Tri-Base
Blue to protect fruit scars against Psa infection,
particularly if rain is forecast. Spray application
well, while having minimal effect on beneficial
insects. Sparta is useful at this time of year
as it also controls greenhouse thrips. The
addition of a surfactant is essential for Sparta.
If citrus red mite does make an appearance
during summer-early autumn, Mit é mec is the
product of choice for CRM control. This novel
miticide controls all life stages, including eggs.
Steel-blue ladybird
studies have shown the benefit of using Du-Wett
when attempting to cover inherently difficult
surfaces such as fruit stalks and leaf scars.
Water stain on Hayward
Tech-Know Tips
Pipfruit
Reminders for March:
»Continue with regular calcium applications.
Avoid spraying under hot, dry conditions or
under slow drying conditions, as fruit and
foliar injury can occur. Add a wetting agent
if applied alone. In this pre-harvest phase,
when numerous calcium applications have
been made, select a safe, buffered calcium
formulation, e.g. Stopit.
»Monitor traps for leaf rollers and if thresholds
are exceeded, apply an appropriate insecticide
depending on variety, pre-harvest interval and
market destination.
»Monitor for codling moth. Trap activity and
maintenance records are essential for audit
purposes. Apply an appropriate insecticide if
thresholds are exceeded.
»Application of the plant growth regulator
Retain 28 days prior to harvest on selected
Summerfruit
Reminders for March:
» For later summerfruit varieties, brown rot
infection still presents a significant risk in the
weeks leading into harvest. If wet weather
occurs during this period, spores are produced
abundantly on twig cankers and may infect
ripening fruit. Apply a suitable fungicide, e.g.
Folicur® WG, prior to rainfall events.
» Monitor blocks for trees expressing silver
leaf symptoms and mark affected trees for
treatment. The first two important steps in
managing this disease are to prune out and
burn infected wood and to protect pruning cuts
with a suitable wound dressing.
» If a leaf sample collection has not been taken
during February it should be carried out in
March in order to determine the nutrient status
of trees in your block(s). This information will
Wine Grapes
Reminders for March:
»As sugar levels rise in berries, bunches become
increasingly susceptible to Botrytis. Maintain
a tight fungicide cover through until harvest,
applying appropriate products, such as
Serenade® Max, in anticipation of wet weather
events.
»Regular magnesium sprays, e.g. HydroMag,
leading into harvest help maintain good vine
leaf condition, enhance berry ripening and
optimise the carbohydrate loading of vines in
the leaf-fall period.
»If bird damage is a perennial problem on your
block, exclusion netting is the staple defence
method. Care must be taken to seal the nets at
the bottom and ends as starlings, in particular,
readily exploit any gaps. There are also various
blocks can assist harvest management.
Please read the new Retain and Freeway label
recommendations which now specifically
state the use rate of Freeway adjuvant for
applications to ‘Gala, Royal Gala, Jazz, Envy
and related varieties (includes all rosses and
sports)’ is 50 ml/100 l in the spray tank.
If weather conditions are conducive to black
spot infection shortly before harvest, further
infection of fruit may take place. Late infections
cannot always be detected during packing and
black spot lesions may develop during storage.
Pepper spot is the late-season (or post-harvest)
expression of black spot symptoms on fruit (see
image) that results from a conidial infection
occurring late in the growing season. As fruit
ripen, they become increasingly susceptible to
black spot. If rain is forecast, ensure a fungicide
cover is applied to protect fruit leading into and
through harvest.
near harvest. Late season black spot trials show
Captan (e.g. Fruitfed Captan® 80WG) performs
well in this late-season use pattern. Our research
also demonstrates useful activity from wettable
sulphur formulations, as routinely used on
organic production blocks. However Captan
offers superior black spot, summer rot and
European canker efficacy, so in conventional
blocks it should be used in preference to
sulphur, especially when high rainfall conditions
are forecast.
Late season pepper spot infection on apples
Fruitfed Technical research demonstrates the
efficacy of Captan as a black spot control option
aid in making prudent fertiliser decisions over
the coming months.
Bacterial blast is caused by the bacterial
pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and affects
all stone fruit varieties, though apricot and
cherry are most predisposed. It causes limb
and sometimes tree death via cankers and
girdling the tree’s framework. Production losses
may also occur from extensive spotting on
fruit. During leaf-fall, rain may wash inoculum
from fruit and leaf spots into leaf scars where
they multiply quickly. Bacteria then spread
through the phloem and cambium killing
internal plant tissues. If bacterial blast has been
evident in your blocks, treat trees with copper
over the leaf-fall period to protect leaf scars
from developing new infections and thereby
facilitating disease spread. Copper products,
such as Kocide® Opti™, Blue Shield® or Tri-Base
Blue should be applied during leaf-fall and
before rain events. Use a high volume water
visual and audio scaring devices on the market
and they may have a useful supplementary
benefit.
With the move toward a nil residue approach
to Botrytis control in New Zealand viticulture,
biofungicides have found a natural fit in
conventional production systems at the end of
the season. Over the course of the last 13 years
Fruitfed Technical has conducted numerous
late-season Botrytis trials to screen the efficacy
of various biofungicides. In particular, Serenade
Max has consistently performed well, as its QST
173 strain of B. subtilis has a number of novel
modes of action: inhibiting attachment of the
pathogen by producing a zone of inhibition,
preventing pathogen spore germination, and
disrupting germ tube and mycelium growth.
Serenade Max also induces systemic acquired
resistance (SAR) to activate the plant’s natural
defence system. Our experience shows these
rate to ensure good coverage is achieved on
leaf scars and reapply covers after significant
rainfall. During the winter months, prune out
and destroy all blast-infected wood.
Cherry tree infected with bacterial blast
products perform best when integrated into a
robust Botrytis spray programme and applied
with an appropriate adjuvant such as Du-Wett
or Du-Wett Weathermaster, depending on
anticipated weather conditions.
Botrytis bunch rot
MARCH 2015 | FACTS NEWSLETTER
7
Product Updates
Actigard and post-harvest Psa-V management
Autumn is a high-risk period for Psa-V in
kiwifruit orchards with cooler and wetter
weather favouring infection, and that’s
where the plant activator Actigard® has a
key role.
Paul Hassan, Syngenta’s solutions
development lead for New Zealand, asks:
“Did you know around 300,000 to 500,000
fruit stalk scars per hectare are created at
harvest? And about 2.5 million leaf scars per
hectare are created during leaf-fall. Also, the
late flush growth and wounds created by frost
and storms combine to create an abundance
of possible entry points for Psa-V infection
post-harvest, yet Psa-V symptoms may not be
expressed visually until the following spring.”
In offshore trials, foliar application of Actigard
to Hayward at leaf-fall has been shown to
reduce the level of Psa-V symptoms in the
subsequent spring. New Zealand trials have
demonstrated a similar effect on Gold3 vines.
Paul says: “Actigard is a ‘plant activator’ with
a unique mode of action, stimulating the
natural self-defence system of plants via
a response known as systemic acquired
resistance (SAR). Foliar application of Actigard
is now fully approved for kiwifruit (pre-flower
and post-harvest) to help protect against
Psa-V infection.
“For the recommended post-harvest
protectant sprays which help protect leaves,
fruit stalks and leaf scars from Psa-V infection,
it’s good to know that Actigard and copper
can be applied together over this period,
providing a dual mode of action against Psa-V.”
Paul notes: “Because it takes 4-7 days for
Actigard to fully activate the plant, the
addition of copper is recommended where
high risk weather is forecasted within seven
days. Remember, in terms of application
timing, that leaves need to be actively
photosynthesising for Actigard to be effective,
and therefore it is likely to be less effective
when leaf-fall or senescence has commenced.”
For more information on the use of Actigard
post-harvest, contact your local Fruitfed
Supplies horticultural sales representative.
Actigard® is the registered trademark of a Syngenta Group
Company.
Key recommendations:
• The first post-harvest application of
Actigard (plus copper) should be made
as soon as practical after harvest.
“For the recommended
post-harvest protectant
sprays which help protect
leaves, fruit stalks and leaf
scars from Psa-V infection,
it’s good to know that
Actigard and copper can
be applied together over
this period, providing
a dual mode of action
against Psa-V.”
Applying Actigard post-harvest can help
reduce Psa-V infection in the spring
• Take care to avoid drift onto unharvested areas of the orchard or
neighbouring orchards to avoid the risk
of residues on fruit.
• Spray tanks must also be cleaned
thoroughly after using Actigard before
other products are sprayed on unharvested vines.
• A rate of 200 g/ha of Actigard is
required as a dilute spray, ensuring
good coverage of leaves and fruit stalk
scars.
• A second Actigard can be applied 21
days later if leaves are still green, in
good condition and able to absorb
Actigard’s systemic active ingredient.
• A maximum of four applications of
Actigard are allowed in one season
(harvest to harvest).
Facts is a monthly publication of Fruitfed Supplies, the horticultural division of PGG Wrightson Ltd.
Feedback to the editor is welcome – contact Kate Gordon-Smith (021 587 227 or kate@relishcomm.co.nz).
The information contained in this publication is of general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice in specific cases. All content of this
publication is subject to copyright. Any further use or reproduction of images or content is forbidden without prior permission of Fruitfed Supplies national office. For address
updates, please advise your local Fruitfed Supplies branch or contact the Fruitfed Supplies national office (phone 09 448 0510 or email jbosher@pggwrightson.co.nz).
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FACTS NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2015

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