Timely fungicide application minimises sclerotinia

Plant-based biofungicide TIMOREX GOLD^® was used in a Bay of Plenty Gold3 kiwifruit orchard for the first time last season to protect fruit from sclerotinia infection.

Manhattan Orchards owner, Lindsay Horne credits their low fruit reject rate at the packhouse to the timely application of TIMOREX GOLD^®.

“Our five canopy hectares of Gold3 is in the Kaimai Ranges and being 176m above sea level, it’s a challenging environment for sclerotinia infection,” says Lindsay.

“Last season’s lingering wet and humid conditions created high sclerotinia pressure in the orchard and we were advised to make an application of TIMOREX GOLD^®.

“Following a pre-flower fungicide application for sclerotinia, the pressure was still high so TIMOREX GOLD^® was applied over flowering just prior to petal-fall.

“Given the high sclerotinia pressure in the orchard, I was impressed with how low our fruit reject rate was at the packhouse and I believe this can be attributed to a timely application of TIMOREX GOLD^®.”

To get the best from TIMOREX GOLD^® here are the best use guidelines for use in Kiwifruit:

• Apply preventatively prior to infection, not as a curative treatment.
• Up to two applications can be made at 1.5 L/ha, using at least 1000 L of water.
• Use as close as possible to the start of any predicted rain event.
• Use shorter spray intervals when wet weather persists with a minimum retreatment interval of 10 days.
• Use within a programme of strong synthetic products.
• Adopt good agronomic practices in the orchard to reduce disease pressure.
• Ensure thorough spray coverage of the canopy.

TIMOREX GOLD^® is BioGro certified and therefore suitable for organic production.  The product contains tea tree oil and has been reclassified to FRAC Group code BM01.

For more information, read the latest technote here or connect with your local Syngenta contact here.