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A novel strategy to reduce overwintering inoculum of Monilinia laxa

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Abstract

Brown rot on cherry and plum, caused by Monilinia laxa, is an important disease, for which overwintered mummified fruit is a significant inoculum source for infection of flowers and fruit in the spring. Experiments were conducted to assess the potential of applying plant protection products in winter and/or early spring to suppress sporulation on mummified fruit. Products tested included Indar 5 EW (a commercial fungicide, a.i. fenbuconazole), Aureobasidium pullulans Y126 [a candidate biocontrol agent (BCA)]), Bacillus sp. B91 (a candidate BCA) and Serenade (a commercially formulated BCA of Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713) in addition to control treated with tap water. Indar and A. pullulans Y126 significantly reduced sporulation when applied once in winter. Overall, a single treatment in early spring (February) was slightly more effective than single treatment in winter (November). Application of all products in both winter and early spring led to significant reduction in sporulation. Indar had the highest efficacy, reducing the number of spores from 9 × 105 to 5 × 103 per mummified plum when applied twice. Of the three BCAs applied on both occasions, A. pullulans Y126 had the highest efficacy, reducing the number of spores from 9 × 105 to 5 × 104 per mummified plum. There were no synergistic but additive effects between the two applications in winter and early spring based on the Bliss independence test. These results suggest that reducing overwintering inoculum in dormant season is effective and may be part of an integrated management strategy for brown rot on stone fruit.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded under the HortLINK (project No: HL0189) scheme by the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) with contribution from several commercial organisations. The first author (N.R.) would like to thank DEFRA and the International Office, University of Kent, for funding.

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Author notes

  1. Nattawut Rungjindamai

    Present address: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung Road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok, 10520, Thailand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kent Fungal Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NJ, UK

    Nattawut Rungjindamai & Peter Jeffries

  2. East Malling Research, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ, UK

    Nattawut Rungjindamai & Xiang-Ming Xu

Authors
  1. Nattawut Rungjindamai
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  2. Peter Jeffries
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  3. Xiang-Ming Xu
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Correspondence to Xiang-Ming Xu.

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Rungjindamai, N., Jeffries, P. & Xu, XM. A novel strategy to reduce overwintering inoculum of Monilinia laxa . Eur J Plant Pathol 140, 591–596 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-014-0473-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-014-0473-y

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