Fruit -Tomato "special Bacterial Spot disease"

Study Investigator: J. Curtis, Phd

Location of Study: Florida, USA, open field

Study Period: April- July 2018

[T3,4,5] are the main Programs with VEGRO® considered in Open Field for this experiment

DAP:  Number of Days After Precedent application

App 1

1 Pt/Acre from 1st flowers, (GS+Vegro®)

App 2

1 Pt/acre, 7 DAP

App 3

1 Pt/acre, 7 DAP

App 4

1 Pt/acre 7 DAP

App 5

1 Pt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 6

1 Pt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 7

1 Pt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 8

1 Pt/Acre, 7 DAP

[T6, T7] Programs with VEGRO® with special rate

DAP:  Number of Days After Precedent application

App 1

1 Qt/Acre from 1st flowers, (GS+Vegro®)

App 2

1 Qt/acre, 7 DAP

App 3

1 Qt/acre, 7 DAP

App 4

1 Qt/acre 7 DAP

App 5

1 Qt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 6

1 Qt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 7

1 Qt/Acre, 7 DAP

App 8

1 Qt/Acre, 7 DAP

TREATMENTS

No  fungicides were applied during this study.  Plants were maintained  at a commercial level with both insecticide (twice weekly applications) and fertilzer programs (liquid fertilizer through the drip every day). This is the grower standard and/or control.

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

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Treatment 1 [T1]: Grower Standard AKA GS1

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Untreated, nothing added to the GS
  • • It corresponds to the GS1

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Treatment 2 [T2], AKA GS2: 

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Std [T1]
  • • Manzate max @ 2 Qts/Acre
  • • Kocide 2000 @ 3lb/Acre
  • • Bravo Weatherstick @ 1.5 Pt/Acre 

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Treatment 3 [T3]: 

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Std [T1]
  • • Vegro @ 1 Pt per acre

Treatment 4 [T4]:

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Std [T1]
  • • Manzate max @ 2 Qts/Acre
  • • Kocide 2000 @ 3lb/Acre
  • • Bravo Weatherstick @ 1.5 Pt/Acre 
  • • Vegro @ 1 Pt/Acre

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Treatment 5 [T5]:

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Standard [T1]
  • • Vegro @ 1 Pt/Acre
  • • Manzate max @ 2 Qts/Acre
  • • Kocide 2000 @ 3lb/Acre
  • • Bravo Weatherstick @ 1.5 Pt/Acre
  • • 0-28-26 @ 2 Qt/Acre

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Treatment 6 [T6]: 

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Standard [T1]
  • • Vegro @ 1 Qt/Acre

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Treatment 7 [T7]: 

Applied: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H and replicated 4 times

  • • Grower Standard [T1]
  • • Vegro @ 1 Qt/Acre
  • • Bravo Weatherstik 1.5 Qt/acre

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APPLICATIONS

• Foliar Applications (Apps. A-H; Trts. 3-6).

• 8 (seven) total as: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H

• Foliar applications were made on: 5/02/2018 (App. A), 5/09/2018 (App. B), 5/17/2018 (App. C), 5/24/2018 (App. D), 5/31/2018 (App. E), 6/08/2018 (App. F), 6/14/2018 (App. G), 6/21/2018 (App H).  

• Foliar applications were made with a hand-held boom (CO2 operated, 40 PSI) fitted with three (3) nozzles (TXVS8) and sprayed at 63.9 GPA.  

• Each side of the stacked tomato was sprayed with the boom (3 nozzles/row side).  

• A separate spray mixture was prepared for each plot. 

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EVALUATIONS:
BACTERIAL SPOT DISEASE RATINGS

• The percentage (%) severity of bacterial spot (0% = no disease.....100% = dead plants) was evaluated on each plant/PLOT (22 plants/PLOT) on 6/11/2018, 6/25/2018 and 7/10/2018.

FRUIT COUNT & WEIGHT (lb)

• All fruit/PLOT were harvested from plots on 6/11/2018, 6/25/2018 and 7/10/2018  

• Fruit were counted and weighed (lb).  

• The total fruit count and weight were calculated on 7/10/2018.

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METHODOLOGY
FIELD AND PLANTING

• This trial was conducted at the Better Crops Research Farm: Block 7, Section N, Beds 1-9. 

• Plastic beds (32 inch top, 6 inch tall) were prepared on a 6 ft row spacing.  

• Tomato (cv. charger) were transplanted in one row/bed (1.5 ft plant spacing) on 4/12/2018.

• Plants were staked and tied (3 tie). 

• Each plot was 35 ft in length x 1 bed (35 ft length x 6 ft width).  

• Each treatment was replicated four (4) times.  

• Treatments were arranged in Beds 2, 4, 6 and 8.  

• These Treatment beds were separated by an untreated buffer row in Beds 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. 

• No  fungicides were applied during this study.  

• Plants were maintained at a commercial level with both insecticide (twice weekly applications) and fertilzer programs (liquid fertilizer through the drip every day). 

Study Results

85.5%

[T1] Bacterial Spots' presence @ H4, untreated and with no Vegro®

71.3%

[T7] Bacterial Spots' presence @ H4 with Vegro® inside

-14.2%

[T7] Is the reduction rate in % for Bact. Spot Vs [T1]

-11.3%

[T6] Is the reduction rate in % for Bact. Spot Vs [T1]

+35.5%

[T7] Fruit count Vs [T1]

+17%

[T6] Fruit count Vs [T1]

+30.8%

[T7] More weight count Vs [T1]

+26.8%

[T6] More weight in Lb Vs [T1]

0%

Vegro® is zero Phytotoxicity

Objectives: To demonstrate the capacity of Vegro® to improve the efficacy of the fungicides at helping to reduce the Bacterial spots on Tomato and also to promote a more natural agriculture. Main parameters monitored for this study: Pressure disease (severity) and Yield (weight & fruit counts) .

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BACTERIAL SPOT REDUCTION (monitored by the degree of presence in %)

Higher are the bars, bad it is, and brownish colors are without any Vegro®'s presence and the opposite in greenish colors.

Rate of the infection by the Bacterial Spots in % at last harvest (H3):

  • [T1]  85.5%; [T2] 84.2%; [T3] 88%; [T4] 82.3%; [T5] 76.8%; [T6] 74.2%; [T7] 71.3%
  • -14.2% is the reduction of Bacterial spots when using [T7] Vs [T1]
  • -11.3% is the reduction of Bacterial spots when using [T6] Vs [T1]
  • Vegro® used at 1Pt/acre rate is not effective as shown on [T3] (Vegro® added to T1) Vs [T1]

 

This graph is about to demonstrate the efficacy of Vegro® to help at reducing the Bacterial Spot disease. It shows clearly that on that type of crop, the rate required for Vegro® is 1 Qt/Acre.

Fruit count (unit count) with [T7] it is +35.5% in comparison to [T1] and +17% with [T6]

[T7] compared to [T1] GS:

  • +143.3 pieces count Vs [T1], means +35.5%
  • +43 pieces count Vs [T6], means +8.5%

[T6] (Vegro® simply added to T1 but at 1 Qt/Acre) and in comparison to the Grower Std [T1]:

  • +68.5 pieces count Vs [T1], means +17%

[T5]  in comparison to the Grower Std [T1]:

  • +100.3 pieces count Vs [T1], means +24.9%

It confirms here that there is a better quality fruit but same Vegro® require to be used at Minimum 1Qt/Acre.

Weight count (in Lb): +30.8% in [T7] Vs [T1] and +26.8% for [T6]

[T7] compared to [T1] GS:

  • +29 Lb Vs [T1], means +30.8%
  • +3.8 Lb Vs [T6], means +4%

[T6] (Vegro® simply added to T1 but at 1 Qt/Acre) and in comparison to the Grower Std [T1]:

  • +25.2 Lb Vs [T1], means +26.8%

[T5]  in comparison to the Grower Std [T1]:

  • +21 Lb Vs [T1], means +22.3%

Vegro® confirmed the rate at 1 Qt/acre here and seems to perform better on that parameter. We can notice that [T6] is the 2nd best treatment after [T7]