In the realm of tree fruit cultivation, the management of various diseases affecting pome fruits like apples and pears is crucial for sustaining production. This study amalgamates findings from three distinct disease investigations to propose an integrated approach to their management. Firstly, in pursuit of mitigating shoot blight severity caused by Erwinia amylovora and preventing fire blight cankers on pear trees, a two-year evaluation was conducted. The study assessed the efficacy of preventive treatments, including foliar spray and trunk injection applications of Giant Knotweed Extract (RSE) alongside antibiotics. Results highlighted the effectiveness of RSE in controlling both shoot blight severity and canker incidence, offering a sustainable alternative to antibiotics. Secondly, in addressing the bitter rot of apples caused by Colletotrichum spp., eighteen fungicide treatments were evaluated over two years, focusing on newer fungicide options to mitigate fungicide resistance development. Fungicides such as Omega, Aprovia, Ferbam, Captan, Ziram, and Cabrio were proven reliable management tools, complementing the existing effective fungicides that growers heavily depend on. Lastly, the emergence of European canker (Neonectria ditissima) on cider apple cultivars was investigated. Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of N. ditissima as the causal agent, posing a significant threat to cider apple production. Koch's postulates were fulfilled through various tests, proving the pathogenicity of N. ditissima. Further research avenues, including genome sequencing were conducted to enhance understanding and control of a devastating pathogen like N. ditissima. Integrating findings from these studies proposes a comprehensive management strategy incorporating preventive spray programs, alternative fungicides, and pathogen identification to combat these diseases effectively, ensuring sustainable production of apples and pears in orchards. This holistic approach offers growers a multifaceted toolkit to manage diseases effectively, safeguarding apple and pear orchards' productivity and economic viability. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / In the world of growing apples and pears, keeping diseases under control is crucial for keeping orchards thriving and productive. We conducted studies on three endemic and emerging diseases aiming to create a well-rounded approach to managing them. First, we looked into ways to reduce the impact of shoot blight and fire blight cankers on pear trees caused by a devastating bacterium Erwinia amylovora. We tested the efficacy of preventive spray applications of plant extract of giant knotweed alongside antibiotics and found more sustainable alternatives to antibiotics that effectively control this disease. Next, we studied bitter rot disease in apples caused by many different species of fungi in Colletotrichum genus. We determined the efficacy of eighteen different biorational and synthetic fungicide spray programs over two years to find new options that can help prevent fungicide resistance development against currently available fungicides in the market. Several fungicides showed promise in managing this disease including Omega, Aprovia, Ferbam, Captan, Ziram and Cabrio, adding to the effective materials that growers already rely on. Lastly, we investigated the emergence of European canker on cider apple trees. This disease, caused by a fungus Neonectria ditissima, poses a serious threat to cider production. We confirmed the pathogen's identity and its capability of causing the disease in controlled experiments. We propose a comprehensive strategy for managing these diseases by including preventive spray applications of alternative materials and classic fungicides, combined with accurately identifying the pathogens. Our holistic approach provides growers with a range of tools to effectively protect their orchards, ensuring sustainable production of both apples and pears.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119544 |
| Date | 27 June 2024 |
| Creators | Correa Borba, Matheus |
| Contributors | Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science, Acimovic, Srdan Goran, Villani, Sara, Nita, Mizuho, Zhao, Bingyu |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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