Abstract
Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit, reducing marketability and storability. In humid regions, SBFS is typically managed with calendar-timed applications of synthetic fungicides. However, this approach can be inefficient because it can over- or underestimate disease risk. Because SBFS risk is associated with periods of high relative humidity (RH), a weather-based warning system was developed in Iowa, United States. The system delays the second cover spray until 385 h of RH ≥ 90% have accumulated since the first cover spray. Although this system can reduce fungicide use in conventional systems, it has not been evaluated with organic fungicides. To address this gap, field trials were conducted in Iowa in 2021 and 2022 on scab-resistant apple cultivars ‘Redfree’, ‘Liberty’, and ‘GoldRush’. Organic fungicides were applied using a calendar-based schedule or three different RH-based thresholds of the warning system. Both growing seasons were unusually dry, limiting disease pressure. The results showed that the 385-h threshold reduced fungicide use by four sprays annually compared with the calendar-based approach, with no significant differences among treatments in SBFS severity or marketable yield. Disease incidence and yield varied by canopy position and harvest date, with GoldRush and lower-canopy fruit showing higher SBFS incidence. This study is the first in the United States to evaluate an SBFS warning system using organic fungicides. Although additional validation is needed, the findings suggest that the system can reduce fungicide inputs in organic apple production without compromising fruit quality or yield.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
The 385-h threshold reduced fungicide use by four sprays annually compared with the calendar-based approach.
- Taxon
- apple
Malus domesticae0 - Treatment
- 385-h thresholde1
- Outcome
- fungicide usee1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- four sprays annuallye1
- Comparator
- calendar-based approache1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit”
e1“the 385-h threshold reduced fungicide use by four sprays annually compared with the calendar-based approach”
Claim · model-written summary
The warning-system thresholds showed no significant differences from the calendar schedule in SBFS severity or marketable yield.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- three different RH-based thresholds of the warning systeme2
- Interactor
- melanized ectophytic fungie0pathogen
- Outcome
- SBFS severity or marketable yielde5
- Direction
- no significant differencese5
- Comparator
- calendar-based schedulee2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit”
e2“Organic fungicides were applied using a calendar-based schedule or three different RH-based thresholds of the warning system”
e5“with no significant differences among treatments in SBFS severity or marketable yield”
Claim · model-written summary
GoldRush apple showed higher SBFS incidence.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Material
- GoldRushe3
- Interactor
- melanized ectophytic fungie0pathogen
- Outcome
- SBFS incidencee3
- Direction
- highere3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit”
e3“Disease incidence and yield varied by canopy position and harvest date, with GoldRush and lower-canopy fruit showing higher SBFS incidence”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower-canopy apple fruit showed higher SBFS incidence.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Organ / stage
- lower-canopy fruite3
- Interactor
- melanized ectophytic fungie0pathogen
- Outcome
- SBFS incidencee3
- Direction
- highere3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit”
e3“Disease incidence and yield varied by canopy position and harvest date, with GoldRush and lower-canopy fruit showing higher SBFS incidence”
Claim · model-written summary
Disease incidence and yield of apple varied with canopy position and harvest date.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- canopy position and harvest datee3
- Outcome
- Disease incidence and yielde3
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) is a fungal disease caused by melanized ectophytic fungi that colonize the waxy surface of apple fruit”
e3“Disease incidence and yield varied by canopy position and harvest date, with GoldRush and lower-canopy fruit showing higher SBFS incidence”
Claim · model-written summary
The warning system may reduce fungicide inputs in organic apple production without compromising fruit quality or yield, pending further validation.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae6
- Outcome
- reduce fungicide inputs in organic apple productione6
- Qualifier
- Although additional validation is needede6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“Although additional validation is needed, the findings suggest that the system can reduce fungicide inputs in organic apple production without compromising fruit quality or yield”
The same questions in other papers
humidity · disease · Malus domestica (apple)Positive and negative results
1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- no effect
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.