Integration of novel products into apple scab management

NIAB

Project objectives

A major concern for the apple industry in the UK is the diminishing availability of pesticides to control disease. Products are withdrawn due to environmental concerns, human health, and consumer pressure. Apple scab is a fungal disease that causes unsightly lesions on the surface of fruit which makes them unmarketable. Previous work carried out by NIAB in controlled glasshouse conditions identified new effective products that are less environmentally problematic and have different modes of action than traditional fungicides. These products would also be suitable for organic growing systems. This project will test these products in a commercial orchard setting. They will also investigate how they can be used alongside traditional control products as part of a crop management programme. The industry, who are supporting this project through their Growers’ Association, will be able to use the results from these trials to inform their on-farm practices.