Research news
New studies, trials and growing technology from universities and research institutes, summarised in plain English, with the trial details and a link to the original study.
Pests & Disease
In an Egyptian greenhouse trial, spearmint extract cut Pythium disease index in pepper seedlings from 85.1% to 45.0% and a fungus filtrate to 40.1%; a fungicide reached 12.5%.
Pests & Disease
In greenhouse pot tests by a Saudi team, two fungi isolated from root-knot nematodes cut galls on eggplant roots to 988 and 1,222 per root, against 2,754 without fungus.
Pests & DiseaseQuick find
In greenhouse tests, a preventive plus a curative spray of thyme essential oil suppressed powdery mildew on cilantro by 55 to 66% and delayed symptoms.
Pests & Disease
In a Jordanian greenhouse trial, grafted cucumbers lost 3.68% of plants and those in fumigated soil 1.12% over 12 weeks, against 43.04% in untreated rows.
Pests & DiseaseQuick find
Sampling declining macadamia trees in 73 Australian orchards and nurseries, University of Queensland researchers found other oomycetes that damaged leaves and seedlings in tests.
Pests & DiseaseQuick find
Fusarium from irrigation water and diseased plants in Australian processing tomato fields shared a genetic background, so the authors flag water as a potential source of inoculum.
Pests & Disease
In two seasons in a north-west Victorian almond orchard, vitamin sprays cut leaf and nut disease against unsprayed trees, on a par with the grower's chemical program.
Pests & Disease
In a University of New England glasshouse, rockwool-grown tomatoes carried a species-rich bacterial community that a Trichoderma-based product did not significantly change.
Pests & DiseaseQuick find
A University of Queensland study of 20 Australian macadamia orchards found fungi cause rachis tip dieback, led by Neopestalotiopsis maddoxii, N. macadamiae and Epicoccum italicum.
Pests & DiseaseQuick find
Over two seasons in a commercial almond orchard, a potassium silicate mix applied through fertigation cut pest and disease damage to nuts by up to 59%.
Pests & Disease
University of Cauca researchers in Colombia tested seven native fungal isolates against the two-spotted spider mite on strawberry. The strongest, HF234 (identified as Metarhizium anisopliae), gave 84.3 ± 8.9% corrected mortality in the lab and significantly reduced eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults on greenhouse plants compared with an untreated control.
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