A. Demonstration of the ASPIDA lime-sulfur fertilizer in Peach to reduce Taphrina deformans attack with two scenarios: In the 1st, two sprays with “ASPIDA” were applied (the first in the development of the first leaf buds and the second 15 days later with 3 l / hl). In the 2nd scenario the first spray was done with ASPIDA at 5 l / hl and the second with Zipam. The effectiveness of these two scenarios was compared to the usual practice of the two Ziram sprays.
Measurements * of the affected shoots showed that:
The insult to the unsprayed witness in both estates was close to 70%, proving that the prevailing conditions were extremely favorable to insult, but also to complete the incubation and fruiting of the fungus.
The infectious rain, which occurred on 19/2, found the first of the two estates sprayed. The second, the unsprayed, had fewer startled brows, which explains the fewest insults to the unsuspecting witness of this estate. Despite the smaller attack on the witness, because sprays in the second estate were delayed, these few buds were infected to such an extent that we had a greater attack on all treatments.
The effectiveness of the second scenario – with the first spray with ASPIDA and the second with ZIRAM – in both estates was higher than in the 1st scenario but also from the usual practice of 2 sprays with Ziram.
Lesser effectiveness was shown in the implementation of the 1st scenario where both sprays were done with ASPIDA and especially in the estate where the distance between the two interventions was greater. This indicates that the shelf life of ASPIDA is less than that of Ziram if there is no frost.
On 21/2, after the first spraying of the first estate, there was light frost with a lower temperature of -1,4 ° C to -2,2 ° C. The significantly lower attack on the ASPIDA-sprayed portion relative to the ZIRAM-sprayed portion (for which its protective effect is known to decrease significantly when exposed to temperatures below -0.5 ° C) shows its greater resistance ASPIDA under frost conditions.
In conclusion, the application of ASPIDA to the development of the first leaf buds accompanied by the ZIRAM application after 10-15 days, gave the best results in limiting the Taphrina deformans attack. It is worth noting that when tree cover needs to be done very early in February or even in late January in some varieties, frosts are more likely and the use of ASPIDA is a solution given the ZIRAM’s sensitivity.
Β. In addition, the measurements made in mid-May showed that the two ASPIDA applications significantly reduced the intensity (-70%) and the extent (-68%) of the Tetranychus urticae leaf attack. But even one application alone was able to hold 50% of the extent of the attack and 60-65% of its intensity.