Abstract
Options for the integrated management of white blister (caused by Albugo candida) of Brassica crops include the use of well timed overhead irrigation, resistant cultivars, programs of weekly fungicide sprays or strategic fungicide applications based on the disease risk prediction model, Brassicaspot™. Initial systematic surveys of radish producers near Melbourne, Victoria, indicated that crops irrigated overhead in the morning (0800–1200 h) had a lower incidence of white blister than those irrigated overhead in the evening (2000–2400 h). A field trial was conducted from July to November 2008 on a broccoli crop located west of Melbourne to determine the efficacy and economics of different practices used for white blister control, modifying irrigation timing, growing a resistant cultivar and timing spray applications based on Brassicaspot™. Growing the resistant cultivar, ‘Tyson’, instead of the susceptible cultivar, ‘Ironman’, reduced disease incidence on broccoli heads by 99 %. Overhead irrigation at 0400 h instead of 2000 h reduced disease incidence by 58 %. A weekly spray program or a spray regime based on either of two versions of the Brassicaspot™ model provided similar disease control and reduced disease incidence by 72 to 83 %. However, use of the Brassicaspot™ models greatly reduced the number of sprays required for control from 14 to one or two. An economic analysis showed that growing the more resistant cultivar increased farm profit per ha by 12 %, choosing morning irrigation by 3 % and using the disease risk predictive models compared with weekly sprays by 15 %. The disease risk predictive models were 4 % more profitable than the unsprayed control.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anon (2011) Crop protection compendium report—Albugo candida (white rust of crucifers). Commonw Agric Bur Internat. http://www.cabi.org/cpc. Accessed October 2012
Appleton J (1979) Lancs spout trial rates 55 varieties for white blister. Grower 91:52, 55, 58
Bains SS (1993) Differential reaction of leaves and young flowers to different cruciferous crops to Albugo candida. Plant Dis Res 8:70–72
Bansal V, Thiagarajah M, Stringam G, Tewari J (1999) Inheritance of partial resistance to race 2 of Albugo candida in canola-quality mustard (Brassica juncea) and its role in resistance breeding. Plant Pathol 48:817–822
Cerkauskas RF (1994) White rust. In: Howard RJ, Garland A, Seaman WL (eds) Diseases and pests of vegetable crops in Canada. The Canadian Phytopathological Society and the Entomological Society of Canada, Ottawa, pp 105–106
CropLife Australia (2012) Fungicide resistance management strategies. http://www.croplifeaustralia.org.au/files/resistancemanagemen/fungicides/2011%20Fungicide%20Resistance%20Management%20Strategies.pdf. Accessed November 2012
Etebarian HK (1993) Studies on white rust of radish and cress in Varamin and Shahre-e-ray areas. Iran J Plant Pathol 29:51–52
Föller I, Henneken M, Paul VH (1998) Occurrence of false flax diseases (Camelina sativa (L.) CRTZ.) in field trials in Germany in 1995 and 1996. Bull OILB SROP 21:65–76
Gilijamse E, Raaijmakers J, Jeger M (1998) Epidemiology and host specialization of Albugo candida white rust on cabbage and related crops. In: Proc 7th Intern Cong of Plant Pathol, Edinburgh, Scotland 9–16 August 1998, 2.2.90
Gilijamse E, Raaijmaker J, Geerds C, Jeger M (2004) Influence of environmental factors on the disease cycle of white rust, caused by Albugo candida. In: Spencer-Phillips P, Spencer-Phillips JM (eds) Advances in Downy Mildew research, 2nd edn. Academic Publishers, Kluwer Dordrecht, pp 107–118
Goyal B, Verma P, Spurr D, Reddy M (1996) Albugo candida staghead formation in Brassica juncea in relation to plant age, inoculation sites, and incubation conditions. Plant Pathol 45:789–794
Holub E, Brose E, Tor M, Clay C, Crute I, Beynon J (1995) Phenotypic and genotypic variation in the interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana and Albugo candida. Phytopathology 8:916–928
Humpherson-Jones FM (1991) The development of weather-related disease forecasts for vegetable crops in the UK. Problems and prospects. Bull EPPO 21:425–429
Kennedy R (2004) Further development of a spray timing model for white blister (Albugo candida) in vegetable Brassica crops within the Brassicaspot system. In: Hort Dev Bd Rep FV53e 2004 Peterfield UK, p 26
Kennedy R, Gilles T (2003) Brassicaspot a forecasting system for foliar disease of vegetable brassicas. In: 8th ICPP Christchurch, NZ, 2–7 February 2003. Christchurch NZ, p 131
Kennedy R, Wakeham AJ (2008) Development of infield detection systems for the sporangia of Peronospora destructor. Eur J Plant Pathol 122:147–155
Koike ST (1996) Outbreak of white rust, caused by Albugo candida, on Japanese mustard and tah tsai in California. Plant Dis 80:1302
Koike ST, Gladders P, Paulus AO (2007) Brassicaceae. In: Vegetable diseases: A colour handbook. Manson Publishing Lond, pp 155–198
Lakra B, Saharan G (1989) Sporangial viability of Albugo candida infecting mustard under different storage conditions. Oil Cr News Lett 6:22–24
Lakra B, Saharan G, Verma P (1989) Effect of temperature, relative humidity and light on germination of Albugo candida sporangia from mustard. Indian J Mycol Plant Pathol 19:264–267
Laun N (1998) Induced resistance: first experiences with Bion in vegetables. [German]. Gemvese (Munchen) 34:294–297
Li C, Sivasithamparam K, Walton G, Salisbury P, Burton W, Banga SS, Chattopadhyay C, Kumar A, Singh R, Singh D, Agnohotri A, Lui SY, Li YC, Fu TD, Wang YF, Barbetti MJ (2007) Expression and relationships of resistance to white rust (Albugo candida) at cotyledonary, seedling, and flowering stages in Brassica juncea germplasm from Australia, China, and India. Aust J Agric Res 58:259–264
Lomas J (1991) Sprinkler irrigation and plant disease under semi-arid climatic conditions. Bull OEPP/EPPO 21:365–370
Minchinton EJ, Faggian R, Petkowski JE, Murdoch C, Thomson F, Nadesan S (2004) A scoping study for race identification, source of epidemic and management of white blister (rust) on brassicas. Horticulture Aust Ltd Final Rep: VG02118, pp 64
Minchinton EJ, Galea V, Thomson F, Trapnell L, Murdoch C, Nadesan S, Kita N (2005) Disease management strategies for downy mildew on spring onions and white blister on radish. Horticulture Aust Ltd, Final Rep: VG01045, p 24–50
Minchinton E, Galea G, Auer DPF, Petkowski J, Trapnell N, Thomson F, Sapak Z, Joyce D, MacManus G, Akem C, Jovicich E, Rawnsley B, Hall B, Pung H, Duff J, Wakeham AJ, Kennedy R (2011) Benchmarking predictive models, nutrients and irrigation for management of downy and powdery mildew and white blister. Horticulture Aust Ltd Final Rep: VG07070, pp 204
Minuto G, Minuto A, Garibaldi A (1997) Eruca sativa: chemical control of downy mildew and white rust [Rucol Peronospora e ruggine Bianca]. Colture Protette 26, 61–66. In: Crop Protection Compendium report—Albugo candida (white rust of crucifers). http://www.cabi.org/cpc/. Accessed October 2012
Murphy B, Timbal B (2007) A review of recent climate variability and climate change in southeastern Australia. Int J Climatol 28:859–879
Petkowski E, Minchinton E, Thomson F (2011) Use of fungicide alternatives to control white blister on brassicas. In: Akem C (ed) Integrated management of foliar diseases in vegetable crops. Horticulture Aust Ltd Final Rep: VG07127 Integrated management of foliar diseases in vegetable crops, p 171–185
Rotem J, Palti J (1969) Irrigation and plant diseases. Annu Rev Phytopathol 7:267–288
Rotem J, Palti J, Lomas J (1970) Effects of sprinkler irrigation at various times of the day on development of potato late blight. Phytopathology 60:839–843
Santos MR, Dias JS (2004) Evaluation of a core collection of Brassica oleracea accessions for resistance to white rust of crucifers (Albugo candida) at the cotyledon stage. Genet Resour Crop Evol 51:713–722
Santos MP, Dias JS, Monteiro AA (1996) Screening Portuguese cole landraces for resistance to white rust [Albugo candida (Pers.) Kuntze]. Acta Horticult 407:453–460
Scheck HJ, Koike ST (1999) First occurrence of white rust of arugula, caused by Albugo candida. Plant Dis 83:877
Verma PR, Harding H, Petrie GA, Williams PH (1975) Infection and temporal development of mycelium of Albugo candida in cotyledons of four Brassica species. Can J Bot 53:1016–1020
VSN International (2010) GenStat for Windows 13th Edition. VSN International, Hemel Hempstead, UK. Web page: GenStat.co.uk
Wakeham AJ, Kennedy R (2010) Risk assessment methods for the ringspot pathogen Mycosphaerella brassicicola in vegetable Brassica crops. Plant Dis 94:851–859
Acknowledgments
This research was conducted with funding from Horticulture Australia Ltd (under Project Codes VG01045 and VG07070), the Federal Government of Australia and the State Government of Victoria. We thank the vegetable growers for supplying plant material and field sites, and Department of Primary Industries Victoria extension officer Mr Mark Hincksman for liaising with growers. Dr Robert Emmett and Dr Rudolf deBoer are thanked for reviewing of the manuscript. Seedlings of broccoli cv. ‘Tyson’ and cv. ‘Ironman’ used in the field trial were supplied courtesy of Boomaroo Nurseries Ltd., Lara, Victoria.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Minchinton, E.J., Auer, D.P.F., Thomson, F.M. et al. Evaluation of the efficacy and economics of irrigation management, plant resistance and Brassicaspot™ models for management of white blister on Brassica crops. Australasian Plant Pathol. 42, 169–178 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-012-0181-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-012-0181-z