Brassicas: Integrating fungicide usage with risk assessment for ringspot, dark leaf spot and white blister

• Growers using the Brassicaspot infection models have up to 5 -7 days to apply either Plover or Folicur and still maintain effective control.
• 
  The application interval of Folicur is much longer (approximately 14 days) in comparison to Plover especially at mean temperatures of 5 – 10oC. Mean daily temperatures can be ascertained from the Brassicaspot weather model.
• 
  Significant levels of Folicur could be measured up to 42 days post application of this fungicide.
• 
  Sprays of Plover applied to established ringspot lesions can reduce inoculum production and slow epidemic development.

The project aim is to provide information on the appropriate use of fungicides with disease risk forecasts.  More information on fungicide product type and application rate for control of ringspot, dark leaf spot and white blister infection in vegetable brassicas will be produced. This will be integrated with risk forecasts from the Brassicaspot forecasting system.

Specific objectives
 
•  Determine the efficacy of eradicant fungicides when applied at increasing time post
        Infection  (using the Brasscaspot forecasting system to designate infection risk).
•  Determine the effect of protectant fungicides applied at increasing time pre and
         post- Infection.
•  Evaluate the effect of environmental factors on the application interval of fungicides
         when applied after high and low risk infection (using the Brasscaspot forecasting
        system to designate infection risk).
• Assess the effect of fungicides on spore production by dark leaf spot and ringspot
• Evaluate use of protectant and eradicant fungicides for white blister control.