NIAB has recently obtained a research grant to explore which soil properties affect apple canker severity in commercial apple orchards. The results could identify the optimum soil types which are less conducive to canker development and accelerate research on soil treatments to slow disease spread.
To do this research we need your help in providing soil and canker data from any apple orchards planted between winter 2015 and 2021 anywhere in the UK. We would be so grateful for any information you can provide. We're looking for data from at least 100 different orchards and encourage growers to provide data from as many individual orchards in their business as possible.
How you can help
Choose from three convenient options to supply the data. Each option includes:
a) Filling in a short form to capture research data sharing consent, essential orchard details, and your estimate of apple canker severity
b) Sending a copy of your most recent soil analysis data from your the orchards you filled in the forms for (any type of soil analysis is accepted )
- Online option
Fill in one online form per orchard. Repeat for every subsequent orchard. Please send all soil analyses results sheets from the orchards you entered via post or email.
Send a copy or a photo of soil data to canker.survey [at] niab.com or Canker Survey, Pest and Pathogen Ecology, NIAB, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ
Fill in online form
- Paper option
Using the PDF form, fill in one form per orchard, and send them along with each corresponding soil analysis via email to canker.survey [at] niab.com or post to Canker Survey, Pest and Pathogen Ecology, NIAB, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ
Download PDF form
- Hybrid option
Use a short online form to consent to data sharing. Send soil analysis sheets from each of your orchards with the following details clearly written on each soil result sheet:
Farm name,
Orchard name,
Planting year,
Nearest postcode,
Scion variety,
Rootstock variety,
Contact e-mail or phone.
Canker severity score:
a) No canker. No obvious canker lesions or branch dieback.
b) Low canker. One or two canker lesions or dieback on a very small proportion of trees.
c) Moderate canker. A few canker lesions or dieback on many trees, a few trees killed by canker.
d) Severe canker. Many canker lesions and dieback on most/all trees. Death of many trees are attributable to canker.
Email the annotated soil analysis sheets to canker.survey [at] niab.com or to post to: Canker Survey, Pest and Pathogen Ecology, NIAB, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ
Fill in data sharing form Download soil analysis sheets
Any queries, please email: canker.survey [at] niab.com
Thanks for your help.