Detailed guidance on control of storage diseases is provided elsewhere in this Best Practice Guide.
- Fungicides have been ineffective against P. expansum and most isolates are resistant to carbendazim so control or prevention has been entirely dependent on good hygiene, particularly of bins used for picking and storage – including those used for back storage after grading.
- These measures are still essential.
- Many of the approaches to general control of storage diseases will also help control both direct infection of apple by P. expansum and also limit secondary infection via damage caused by other storage diseases and physical damage to fruit from inappropriate handling and thereby minimize patulin in fruit.
- An application of captan at 2kg/ha plus boscalid + pyraclostrobin (Bellis) at 0.8kg/ha at petal fall has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of storage rots.
- This is likely to be particularly useful with varieties that have an open calyx.
- The use of dithianon over the blossom period should be avoided if possible.
- Later season sprays for storage diseases may be required in some seasons depending upon rainfall.
- The use the of the storage rot risk assessment protocol will help guide planning harvest, storage and marketing.
- Monitor fruit by mineral analysis to determine storage potential.
- Do not use fruit that is at a high risk of storage rots or with poor mineral analysis for long term storage.