DISEASE IN SWEDES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 223, 17 June 1936, Page 3

DISEASE IN SWEDES

Method of Control Found

Effective

A statement as to the prevalence of a disease attacking swede turnips and methods of control has been issued by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W, Lee Martin, who says:— “The disease known as mottled heart or brown heart of swedes has become extremely troublesome during the past season. Much attention has been paid overseas to a similar disease and satisfactory control measures, have been suggested. The Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture has followed up the overseas work by carrying out experiments in various parts of the Dominion.

“The treatment which has been put under trial, and which has been found very satisfactory by the fields division consists of applying 101 b. per acre of ordinary commercial borax to the land at time of sowing. A deficiency of boron in the soil is apparently, the cause of a number of diseases of crops and it will be of interest to farmers to know that such a simple and cheap remedy is so effective in controlling this particular disease of swedes. “In order to facilitate the application of such a small quantity of borax it is considered that the material can be mixed with the fertiliser without loss of efficiency from the treatment. Too great a concentration of borax should be avoided, however, if the manure is being sown in contact with the seed and where the crop is being sown by means of a ridger which allows of fertiliser being sown botli with and below the seed the borax should be mixed with the fertiliser being delivered not actually in contact . with tlie seed so as to avoid germination injury. Where turnips are sown under the'usual methods there appears to be no danger of such injury if not more than 41b. of borax is mixed with each lewt. of fertiliser.”