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Studies on the fungicidal control of stem lesions caused by Botrytis cinerea on glasshouse tomatoes
Author(s) -
CHAN A. G.,
THOMSON MOIRA C.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1977.tb01921.x
Subject(s) - benomyl , carbendazim , fungicide , biology , botrytis cinerea , botrytis , horticulture , vinclozolin , inoculation , agronomy
SUMMARY In glasshouse pot experiments, uptake of benomyl, thiophanate‐methyl and carbendazim from equivalent soil applications (in the range 0–003– 0–035 % a ‐i‐ at a rate o f 2 &4 ml/plant) gave equal levels of control of Botrytis lesions developing from inoculations of freshly exposed leaf scars on tomato stems. Spray applications of benomyl to exposed leaf scars controlled infection at concentrations down to 0025 % a.i. The effect of lower concentrations of the stem spray could be markedly enhanced either by the addition of a mineral oil (2 % Actipron) or by a prior soil application of benomyl at a low rate which on its own had little effect on lesion development. Protectant spray applications of glycophene and vinclozolin gave levels of control quite comparable to that of benomyl at equivalent concentrations. Evidence was obtained that the lesions formed at the artificially‐inoculated leaf scars at the top of the stems of young pot‐grown tomato plants were larger than those lower down. In spite of this, the level of disease control with soil applications of fungicides containing or generating carbendazim (MBC) was greater at the top than at the bottom, probably because of the normal migration of the fungicides and their accumulation at the extremities of the plant. In an observation trial in a commercial crop of tomatoes, benomyl applied either as five soil drenches at approximately monthly intervals, or as two drenches followed by five sprays at three‐weekly intervals, or as five sprays alone gave marked reductions in plant loss and number of Botrytis stem lesions in both cvs Eurocross BB and Cudlow Cross. Those stem lesions which did develop, however, were generally as large as those on untreated control plants. Five sprays of dichlofiuanid gave similar levels of disease control. All the treatments gave apparently higher yields (statistically untested) in Eurocross BB, but less consistent responses were recorded in Cudlow Cross.