Fruit - Strawberry "special Botrytis & Powdery Mildew"

Study Investigator: John Curtis, PhD

Location of Study: Florida, USA - Open field

Study Period: January 2018 - March 2018

Main Program for this trial | Foliar Application

• Total program takes 42 days.
• DA means Days After

App 1

1Qt/Acre

First flowering

App 2

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#1

App 3

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#2

App 4

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#3

App 5

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#4

App 6

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#5

App 7

1 Qt/acre

7 DA App#6

 

 

PROGRAMS: (For this trial)
  • • Foliar applications
  • • 7 applications @ 1 quart/acre (every 7 days)
  • • Total program: 1.75 gallons total program per acre
CONTROL

Plants were staked and maintained at a commercial level with fertilizer/insecticide but with no fungicide (liquid fertilizer through drip every other day).

 

TREATMENTS
  • • [T1]: Control (Ctrl)
  • • [T2]: Ctrl+Luna Sensation (GS+Luna)
  • • [T3]: Ctrl+Serenade Optimum+ 0-30-27
  • • [T4]: Ctrl+Vegro® 
  • • [T5]: Ctrl+Ser+0-30-27+Vegro®
  • • [T6]: Ctrl+Luna+Vegro®

 

 

APPLICATIONS FOR THIS TRIAL:

7 applications:

• 1/31/2018 (A);

• 2/7/2018 (B);

• 2/14/2018 (C);

• 2/22/2018 (D);

• 2/28/2018 (E);

• 3/7/2018 (F);

• 3/14/2018 (G)

 

 

AGRONOMIC PROTOCOL
  • Start date: January. 2018
  • Completion date: March. 2018
  • 8-week treatment (2 months)
  • Study conducted in Florida by John Curtis, PhD (Better Crops LLC) from January 2018 to March 2018 in open field.
  • Trial reliability: HIGH

 

 

METHODOLOGY
  • Plastic beds (28 inch top, 7 inch tall, 12 inch emitter tape) were prepared on 4 ft row spacing.
  • Strawberry (cv. radiant) were planted on 9/28/2017 in two (2) rows/bed (14 inch plant spacing).
  • Each plot was 30 ft length x 1 bed (30 ft length x 4 ft width) 
  • Foliar applications were made with a hand-held boom (CO2 operated, 40 PSI), fitted with three nozzles (TXVS8) and sprayed at 63.9 GPA.
  • Each treatment was replicated four (4) times.

 

 

EVALUATION (Fruit count & weight)
  • • 7 Harvests
  • • Marketable fruit (FRUMAR) count and weight (lb) for each plot were evaluated on 2/7/2018 (Harvest 1; 7 DAA), 2/14/2018 (Harvest 2; 7 DAB), 2/22/2018 (Harvest 3; 8 DAC), 2/28/2018 (Harvest 4; 6 DAD), 3/7/2018 (Harvest 5; 7 DAE), 3/14/2018 (Harvest 6; 7 DAF)and 3/21/2018 (Harvest 7; 7 DAG).
  • • At each evaulation date, fruit data were converted to lb/A as well as FLATS/A (COMPR0/ NUMBER 1 A)
  • • A FLAT/A is a standard measuring unit for strawberry growers in Florida and one (1) FLAT is equivalent to 9 lbs
  • • A FLAT is a standard measuring unit for strawberry growers in Florida.
  • • 1 FLAT = 9 lbs. Each FLAT contains 8 Clam Shells that weigh 1 1/8 lbs.
  • • A clam shell is the dressed product for end consumers.
  • • In addition, the total yield (Harvests 1-7) was calculated at 7 DAG in both lb/A and FLATS/A.

 

 

DISEASE METHODOLOGY
Botrytis:
  • BOTRSP (Botrytis cinera; grey mould of strawberry).
  • In each plot, 20 pieces of fruit were collected from 7 DAA through to 7 DAG.
  • The fruit from each plot (20) were placed into plastic tubs (clear), lined with paper towelling towelling and then sealed with a lid.
  • There were a total of 40 plastic tubs for each sampling time.
  • The plastic tubs were incubated at room temeprature (72 degree) for four (4) days and then the number of fruit with BOTRSP was counted in each tub.
  • The percentage (%) BOTRSP was then calculated.
Powdery Mildew:
  • PODOAP (Sphaerotheca macularis; powdery mildew of strawberry).
  • In each plot, the percentage (%) severity of PODOAP was estimated on four (4) 1 m sections of each plot from 7 DAB through to 7 DAG.

 

 

PHYTOTOXICITY:
  • Plants in each plot were examined for signs of phytotoxicity (stunting, discoloration etc.) at 10 DAG (10 days After G App) using a 0-100% rating scale; 0 = no phytotoxicity and 100% = dead plants.
  • Plants were examined for signs of phytotoxicity (stunting, discoloration etc.) at 5 DAF using a 0-100% rating scale.
  • Results obtained are stunning and this requires further agronomic trials. (in process 2017/18)

 

 

AGRICULTURAL SPECIFICITIES:

• Planting rate: 18,615 per acre
• Planting method: TRAHAN
• Row spacing: 4 feet
• Spacing within row: 14 inches
• Soil moisture: normal
• Soil Texture: 95.1% Sand
• pH: 6.5
• Soil Drainage: Excellent
• Seed bed: medium

Study Results

+$777

ROI per acre +Vegro in [T5] Vs Grow Std [T3]

-64%

Botrytis Presence with Vegro®+fungicides

-36%

Botrytis presense with Vegro® + NO Fungicide

-63%

Pow Mild presence with Vegro+Fungicides

-44%

Pow Mild presence with Vegro® + NO Fungicide

+53%

More YIELD/acre with Vegro®+Fungicides Vs Ctrl

+20%

More YIELD/acre with Vegro®+Fungicides Vs Grow Std

+53%

More FLATS/acre with Vegro®+Fungicides Vs Ctrl

+20%

More FLATS/acre with Vegro®+Fungicides Vs Grow Std

+70%

More EARLY MATURITY with Vegro®+Fungicides

+57%

More EARLY MATURITY with Vegro® + NO fungicides

$$$

MORE YIELD & EARLY MATURITY

0%

With Vegro® zero Phyto-toxicity

Objectives: Evaluate the interest of VEGRO® when in contact with diseases such as "Botrytis & Powdery Mildew".

For a better view of the graphs and charts, reposition your mobile device into landscape mode.

Variety Used: Radiant

SEVERITY OF DISEASES:

Botrytis severity:

  • -64% of Botrytis severity when Vegro® is combined with fungicides like Serenade optimum + 0-30-27. [T5]
  • -36% of Botrytis severity with Vegro® alone with no fungicides at all. [T4]

Powdery Mildew severity:

  • -63% of Powdery Mildew severity when Vegro® is combined with fungicides like Serenade optimum + 0-30-27. [T5]
  • -44% of Botrytis severity with Vegro® alone with no fungicides at all. [T4]
PRESENCE OF BOTRYTIS and POWDERY MILDEW (In %)
  • [T] for treatments
  • Red bar is Botrytis severity in %
  • Black line is Powdery mildew severity in %
  • Pressure disease is expressed here over the total berries collected per treatment.

Notes: [T1] is the control, in other words the Grower Std. where it has been removed the fungicides, therefore there is NO fungicides in this treatment. [T2] is the same treatment but where it has been added a fungicide, as the matter of facts, Luna Sensation. It could be also called the Grower Std. (A). [T3] is another Grower Std where the fungicides are Serenade optimum + 0-30-27, it also could have been called Grower Std. (B). [T4] is simply the control where there are NO FUNGICIDES and where it has been just added VEGRO®. Then Vegro® has been respectively added to the the two Grower Stds.; [T5] and [T6].

DIRECT BENEFITS IN USING VEGRO®:
YIELD PER ACRE (In details and by Lbs of berries)

• Cumulated Lbs of berries collected all over harvests
• [T] for treatments

Quality yield:

  • +14,358 (+53.5%), More Lbs per acre between [T1] Ctrl with no fungicide and [T5] Vegro+Fungicide
  • +7,000 (+20.4%), More Lbs per acre between GS [T3] Ctrl+fungicide and [T5] Vegro+Fungicide
TOTAL FLATS COLLECTED PER ACRE (in details and by unit)

• Total Number of flats collected per acre
• [T] for treatments

  • +1,595 (+53.5%), More flats per acre between [T1] Ctrl with NO Fungicide and [T5] Vegro+Fungicide
  • +777 (+20.4%), More flats per acre between GS [T3] Ctrl+Fungicide and [T5] Vegro+Fungicide
RETURN ON INVESTMENT (in unit of flat or tray per Acre)
  • A flat is 8 shells
  • $10 per flat (average) to packing House

Here is the comparison between:

  • [T1] Grow. Std. with NO Vegro® and NO Fungicides.
  • [T5] Grow. Std. With Vegro® and with Fungicides.
  • +$1,595/Acre as ROI with [T5]
RETURN ON INVESTMENT (in unit of flat or tray per Acre)
  • A flat is 8 shells
  • $10 per flat (average) to packing House

Here is the comparison between:

  • [T3] Grow. Std. with NO Vegro® but with Fungicides.
  • [T5] Grow. Std. With Vegro® and with Fungicides.
  • +$777/Acre as ROI with [T5]

THESE NUMBERS DO NOT CONSIDER THE EARLY MATURITY BENEFITS DEMONSTRATED HERE BELOW AND WHERE THE PRICE PER FLAT CAN REACH THE DOUBLE.

EARLY MATURITY:
EARLY MATURITY AMONG THE FIRST FOUR HARVESTS
  • Green color for the measurement of the maturity Vs the control [T1]
  • Gradient color (orange and red) to express above 100%
  • Orange solid color is the average of the first four harvests by treatment selected.

RESULTS:

[T3] Results: NO Vegro + Fungicide [T1] no fungicide + no vegro

  • -7% extra yield at Harvest #1 
  • +31% at Harvest #2
  • +35% at Harvest #3
  • +50% at Harvest #4
  • +33% in average among the four first harvests

 

[T4] Results: Vegro alone + NO fungicide [T1] no fungicide + no vegro

  • +19% extra yield at Harvest #1 
  • +100% at Harvest #2
  • +41% at Harvest #3
  • +64% at Harvest #4
  • +57% in average among the four first harvests

 

[T5] Results: Vegro + Fungicide Vs [T1] no fungicide + no vegro

  • +55% extra yield at Harvest #1 
  • +132% at Harvest #2
  • +39% at Harvest #3
  • +67% at Harvest #4
  • +70% in average among the four first harvests
EARLY MATURITY:
Yield per acre per harvest (early maturity index)

• [H] for number of harvests
• [T] for treatments
• This graph shows the production per harvest (stacked) per treatment.