Evaluation of active ingredients and nematodes against slugs and snails on organic lettuce

Three years trials were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of some molluscicides for the control of slugs (Arion sp.) and snails (Cepaea nemoralis and Helix aspersa) on organic lettuce in Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Iron phosphate has proven to be as effective as those based on metaldehyde. The nematodes Phasmarabditis hermaphrodita did not work against individuals as big as those employed in the trials

Evaluation of natural active ingredients and agronomical techniques against flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) on open field organic garden rocket (Eruca sativa)

Natural pesticides and crop covering proved to be effective in containing flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) in a three-year trial of open-field organic garden rocket (Eruca sativa Miller) in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna Region. Although rotenone proved to be more effective than pyrethrins, it was still unsatisfactory. Crop cover with non-woven polypropylene sheets produced encouraging results in pest control

Efficacy evaluation of copper formulations for the control of lettuce downy mildew (Bremia lactucae)

A four-year field trial was run to determine the effectiveness of copper fungicides and foliar fertilizers in controlling lettuce downy mildew (Bremia lactucae Regel) in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna Region. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 4 replicates using the highly susceptible Camaro cultivar. Eleven different fungicide formulae and foliar fertilizers with low copper concentration were compared. Tribasic copper sulphate (Cuproxat S.D.I.), copper sulphate (Poltiglia Caffaro 20) and copper oxychloride (Pasta Caffaro Nc) exhibited the best control; the effects of pentahydrate sulphate (Kay Tee) and hydroxyde (Kocide 2000) were less consistent. Hydroxide sulphate (Poltiglia disperses), tribasic sulphate (Cuproxat liquido) and the Special Kopper were less effective. The action of the foliar dressings Kendal TE, Fertileader rame and Labicuper showed the most promising results. The only non-copper-based alternative product, grapefruit seed extract, or DF 100 V, proved to be ineffective. Some of the tested foliar sprays were thus as effective as some copper-based fungicides and released less copper into the environment

Esperienze pluriennali di lotta contro l'oidio delle cucurbitacee con strobilurine e quinoxyfen

In prove condotte in Emilia Romagna nell\u2019arco di vari anni su zucchino e cetriolo in pieno campo e tunnel \ue8 stata valutata l\u2019attivit\ue0 di recenti fungicidi (analoghi delle strobilurine, quinoxyfen) nei confronti dell\u2019oidio delle cucurbitacee (Podosphaera xanthii, ex Sphaerotheca fuliginea). Per alcuni anni (1996-2000) le strobilurine (azoxystrobin, kresoximmethyl, trifloxystrobin) ed in particolare il quinoxyfen, applicati a cadenze di circa 10 giorni a partire dalla comparsa dei primi sintomi, hanno evidenziato un\u2019efficacia e persistenza nell\u2019insieme superiori a quella degli standard saggiati (triazoli). Nel 2001 le strobilurine hanno mostrato un drastico calo di attivit\ue0, che ha interessato tutti i prodotti del gruppo e si \ue8 confermato negli anni successivi nello stesso e anche in altri campi sperimentali. Da parte del quinoxyfen \ue8 stata invece assicurata una protezione ottimale in tutti gli anni. L\u2019impiego nelle prove pi\uf9 recenti di una strobilurina (kresoxim-methyl) in miscela con un altro nuovo fungicida a diverso meccanismo d\u2019azione (boscalid) ha portato, nelle stesse condizioni, a una normale attivit\ue0. Il calo di efficacia evidenziato dalle strobilurine \ue8 stato presumibilmente causato da sviluppo di resistenza da parte del patogeno. Parole chiave: oidio delle cucurbitacee, zucchino, cetriolo, Podosphaera xanthii, strobilurine, quinoxyfen

Ten years of field trials on grey mold control on strawberries

The region of Romagna (north-central Italy) is one of Italy\u2019s most typical areas for growing strawberries, with over 400 hectares of cultivated surface area. Over two-thirds of this crop consists of strawberry beds in open fields in which the onset of phyto-sanitary problems depends above all on climatic trends. In this context the development and diffusion of various pathogenic agents is more likely; these agents can lead to consistent product losses in the field as well as during the post-harvest period. The most common pathogen is Botrytis cinerea, a grey mold agent with ubiquitous inoculation in the areas where strawberries are commonly grown. The research reported is a synthesis of ten years (1998-2007) of field experimentation, aimed at evaluating the efficiency of various active ingredients used against B. cinerea. During the ten year period of experimentation the older generation of active ingredients was evaluated (procimidone) as well as more recent ones (pyrimethanil, mepanipirym, fenhexamide, cyprodinil-fludioxonil, and azoxystrobin), and finally the most recent phyto-iatric acquisitions (boscalid-pyraclostrobin). The most effective fungicides for controlling strawberry grey mold and limiting financial loss in all phases were pyrimethanil, cyprodinil-fludioxonil, mepanipirym and boscalid-pyraclostrobin (average effectiveness 85-95%). fenhexamide and procimidone were less effective than the aforementioned ones (average effectiveness 70-80 %) and finally azoxystrobin was modestly effective (50-60 %)

Prove sperimentali sui prodotti alternativi al rame

Nella ricerca di prodotti alternativi ai fungicidi tradizionali e, in particolare, di quelli in grado di integrare/sostituire il rame, un crescente interesse \ue8 riservato alle sostanze di origine vegetale (macerati, decotti, estratti acquosi, oli essenziali, ecc.), animale e minerale ad azione diretta sui patogeni e/o indiretta attraverso il potenziamento delle autodifese della pianta. Nell\u2019ambito della sperimentazione svolta all\u2019interno dei progetti sul tema finanziati dalla regione Emilia-Romagna, \ue8 stata valutata la potenziale efficacia di diversi preparati nei confronti di patogeni fungini di colture orto-frutticole. Complessivamente sono stati provati 30 prodotti, di origine principalmente vegetale presenti sul mercato non come agrofarmaci bens\uec commercializzati come concimi o biostimolanti. Gran parte di essi \ue8 stata valutata attraverso saggi in vitro svolti in laboratorio su substrato di crescita artificiale nei confronti di molteplici patogeni fungini (Phytophthora infestans, Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum acutatum, Microdochium nivale, Monilia spp., Pythium irregulare, Stemphylium vesicarium, Neonectria galligena). La sperimentazione su pianta si \ue8 invece svolta in serra e campo in maniera pi\uf9 mirata. In serra, ricorrendo ad inoculazioni artificiali e trattamenti preventivi, nei confronti degli agenti di peronospora del pomodoro (Phytophthora infestans), della lattuga (Bremia lactucae) e della vite (Plasmopara viticola) mentre in condizioni di pieno campo, in presenza di infezione naturale, su vite e lattuga contro peronospora

Control strategies for Colletotrichum acutatum on strawberries in North Italy

Studies were conducted during three fruiting seasons on anthracnose susceptible cv \u2018Onda\u2019 (first year) and cv \u2018Alba\u2019 (second and third year) strawberry cultivars in the Romagna Region of Italy. In the spring, four and two weeks before bloom, the plants were inoculated by spraying each plant with a 10 ml-volume of a C. acutatum conidial suspension (106 conidia ml-1). To test the in vivo efficacy of a newer fungicide compared with older ones used in conventional spray programs the following fungicides were used: a combination of cyprodinil (37.5% a.i.) and fludioxonil (25% a.i.) (trade name Switch) at 0.8 kg ha-1; a combination of boscalid (26.7% a.i.) and pyraclostrobin (6.7% a.i.) (trade name Signum) at 1.8 kg ha-1; azoxystrobin (23.2% a.i.) (trade name Ortiva) at 0.9 l ha-1. Two treatments were applied: the first a week before full-bloom and the second at the full-bloom stage. The timing of Signum fungicide application was also evaluated in the same fields but in an other batch of fruits inoculated with C. acutatum as described above. Berries were harvested in threefold, examined and categorized as marketable or diseased fruit. Marketable fruit was stored for 2 days at 2\ub0C and another 3 days at 20\ub0C and examined at each time interval. Treatments with pyraclostrobin+boscalid or cyprodinil+fludioxonil lead to higher marketable yields, significantly reducing the infections with respect to controls in all years, with an efficacy ranging from 50 % to 81%. Azoxystrobin reduced the infections significantly with respect to controls but less effectively than pyraclostrobin+ boscalid and cyprodinil+fludioxonil. Two applications of Signum during bloom were able to control anthracnose, although only one treatment near harvest may be useful when wheatear conditions are favourable to C. acutatum development

Le colture orticole

Il contributo analizza gli aspetti tecnici produttivi, nonch\ue9 quelli economico commerciali delle principali specie orticol