Planning ahead is key for botrytis control

Alan Horgan
Alan Horgan

Certis is urging strawberry growers not to rely on another hot summer to prevent disease inoculum transferring from one season’s crop to another, but to be vigilant, and take a planned and programmed approach.

“It is important to plan ahead and act now, so as to get a strong head start against this potentially devastating, reoccurring disease threat,” warns Alan Horgan, Certis Technical Officer.

“Growers must not rely on hot weather later in the season to resolve or ‘make up’ for any disease problems that occur now. Use a preventative treatment of Thianosan DG over the next month, before leaf growth, to reduce botrytis spores remaining in the crop,” advises Alan.

Thianosan DG (Thiram) is a protectant fungicide with multisite activity, attacking the fungus in more than one way, which reduces the effects of botrytis. It can be used on both indoor and outdoor strawberry crops, with no resistance issues.

“Forward planning is key to staying a step ahead of botrytis. Thianosan DG is ideal as an early treatment in a wider programmed approach to keep the disease at bay,” concludes Alan.