ARS | Publication request: THE USE OF PARTICLE FILM AND MINERAL ADDITIVES IN SUPPRESSING DISEASE OF APPLE.

Submitted to: Annual Cumberland Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 21, 2000
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A kaolin-based, hydrophilic particle film, commercially known as 'Surround WP' (Englehard Corporation, Iselin, NJ), with and without mineral additives and bactericides was assessed for efficacy in controlling three diseases of apples. 'Surround WP' was applied with and without bactericides before Erwinia amylovora inoculum was applied to open apple blossoms.'Surround WP' 'with and without copper were more effective than the bactericides alone in reducing incidence of blossom blight. When the treatments were applied after inoculation with E.amylovora, the most effective treatments were 'Surround WP'with streptomycin and Surround WP with Blight Ban. All treat- ments reduced shoot blight when applied before E.amylovora inoculation and 'Surround WP' with copper was the most effective. When treatments were applied after E.amylovora inoculation, only streptomycin was effective in controlling shoot blight. 'Surround WP' alone was not as effective in con- trolling foliar powdery mildew infection on 'Jonathan' as was the season long application of sulfur with and without 'Surround WP'. Dormant season sulfur treatments with 'Surround WP' and season-long sulfur treatments with and without'Surround WP'provided fruit russet control equivalent to that of the conventional fungicide treatments. Sulfur treatments with and without 'Surround WP' were as effective as conventional fungicide treatments in controlling apple scab on foilage and fruit of 'Bisbee' Red Delicious. In conclusion, 'Surround WP' appears to have an additive or synergistic effect in the prevention and protection of diseases in these studies and, with the addition of mineral additives, may be useful for the growers in an organic production system in managing a variety of apple diseases.