Apple scab 101
What is it and what can be done about it? By Anna Mouton. Apple scab or black spot is a disease of apples caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis — unaffectionately known to many growers as fusi — short for…
Are mancozeb formulations rainfast?
The broad-spectrum fungicide mancozeb is the go-to option for apple-scab control. But what happens to mancozeb when it rains? By Engela Duvenage. “Some mancozeb products on the market claim in their advertising to be more rainfast than others,” says Prof…
Can RIMpro work in South Africa?
Predictive models can help growers to better align their spray programmes with infection risk — but how well do they work in practice? By Engela Duvenage. Predictive models are only as good as the data available for input. In addition,…
Fifty years of apple-scab research
A summary of historical South African research on apple scab starting in 1970 with the work of Dr Wolf Schwabe. By Anna Mouton. Schwabe conducted extensive research on apple scab while with the Fruit and Fruit Technology Research Institute —…
How are dosages determined?
We examine the science behind the numbers. By Anna Mouton. Growers know the dosage rates for chemicals because the numbers are provided with the products. But how do scientists evaluate deposition parameters when they are researching ways to optimise spray…