Powdery mildew in Arava spring melons
Vegetables, Plant Protectionתחום או ענף הגה"צ; ירקות
תאריך עדכון 1/10/2011
תיאור מלא Powdery mildew in Arava spring melons
Shimon Pivonia, Rachel Lavite, Svetlana Dobrinin, Israel Tsabari, Ela Yosel - Central and Northern Arava Research and Development
Yigal Elad, Dan Shtainberg - Agricultural Research Organization, Israel
Email for correspondence: ShimonP@arava.co.il
Melon is an important crop in the Arava. These melons are grown for export and for the local market. The use of integrated pest management and decreased amounts of chemical sprays are not yet common practice in melon production in the Arava and it is important that these areas be developed. Powdery mildew is the main foliar disease affecting melon during the spring. In order to prevent damage to the plants and crop yield, growers make multiple applications of sulfur products and other products over the course of the season. The goal of the present study was the development of an approach for managing powdery mildew that includes minimal and intelligent use of pesticides.
During the spring seasons of 2006-2010, we conducted experiments to study the relationship between environmental conditions and the development of powdery mildew in the field and to identify a spray schedule for the control of powdery mildew. We studied the spacing of the necessary sprays, the timing of the first spray treatment and the timing of the final spray treatment in a melon cultivar that is very susceptible to powdery mildew and a cultivar with specific tolerance to powdery mildew. We also examined the possibility of controlling powdery mildew in melon through the use of systemic fungicides delivered through the drip-irrigation system. The races of powdery mildew found among melon and other cucurbits in the Arava were also defined.
The results of these experiments indicate that the spring growing season in the central Arava (transplanting in early December and growth through the end of June in walk-in tunnels) can be divided into a number of periods defined by different phases of powdery mildew development, which are primarily dictated by temperature conditions. The first period, from transplanting until the appearance of the disease, begins in early December and continues through mid-January or mid-February. The second period, characterized by conditions that are good to optimal for disease development, extends from the appearance of the disease through mid- or late April. The third period, during which environmental conditions are less favorable for disease development, extends from the end of April through the end of June, when the sanitation period begins.
Spray programs should be based on the division of the season based on the appearance and development of powdery mildew. During the first period, there is no need to spray. Spray treatments should be applied at the beginning of the second period, based on observations of the situation in the field, and continually applied once every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the level of infection and the material being sprayed. During the final period, spray treatments should be discontinued, in accordance with the low level of infection in the field at that time.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Agriculture for funding this research.
שפה English
מלות מפתח Cucumis melo, powdery mildew, Podosphaera xanthii, walk-in tunnel, off-season agriculture
מחבר Shimon Pivonia, Rachel Lavite, Svetlana Dobrinin, Israel Tsabari, Ela Yosel, Yigal Elad, Dan Shtainberg
שנה 2010
שייכות yzvieli
תאריך יצירה 1/10/2011
תאריך עדכון 14/3/2012