Brown Rot Takes Heavy Toll of Fruit

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 47, 25 February 1938, Page 7

Brown Rot Takes Heavy Toll of Fruit

INVESTIGATION BY RESEARCH WORKERS AUCKLAND, Feb. 24. Continued experiments are being conducted in Auckland by officers of the Plant Research Division to determine an effective and economic method of controlling the incidence of brown rot infection, which has again played havoc this season in the stone fruit orchards of Auckland growers. It is estimate u. that about 70 per cent, of the nectarines and peaches for city markets have ben destroyed. With the cause of thi disease known, it is said to be possible to reduce losses by the application of a scientific spraying programme, but in a wet season the costs involved in the extra work that is required are more or less prohibitive. The director of the newly-established Plant Research Station at Mount Albert, Dr. G. H. Cunningham, said one member of the staff was fully occupied in attempting to make further improvements on the methods of control. He was investigating the merits of new types of sprays and was making variations in the times of application and in the quantities applied to each tree.

‘The research has extended over the past three seasons, and this year methods of post-picking control have been more particularly investigated,” Dr. Cunningham explained. “Results cannot be achieved in a day, or a month, and this type of work is essentially a long-term investment. There is really little to announce at the present time. We can control brown rot, but in a wet, humid season the cost of the special spraying plan is too high for commercial growers. It is our aim to modify the system in such a way as to make it thoroughly economic and practicable.”