Chemical control of mango blossom diseases and the effect on fruit set and yield.
Lonsdale J. H., Kotzé J. M.
Author Affiliation: Merensky Technological Services, Westfalia Estate, PO Box 14, Duiwelskloof 0835, South Africa.
Plant Disease 77 : 558-562
Abstract : In field trials in South Africa, blossom sprays with iprodione, chinomethionat, prochloraz manganese chloride, triadimenol, copper oxychloride, mancozeb, flusilazole, calcium polysulfide and pyrazophos, applied fortnightly, were evaluated over 2 seasons (1989-91) for the control of powdery mildew (Oidium mangiferae), blight (Nattrassia mangiferae) and blossom spot (Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides [Glomerella cingulata]) of mango (Mangifera indica). All treatments controlled powdery mildew, whilst flusilazol was most effective against blossom spot. A tank mix of flusilazol + mancozeb gave better control of blossom spot than flusilazol alone. Although other treatments gave equal or better disease control, blossom sprays with flusilazol or pyrazophos gave good control of the mango blossom disease complex and gave the highest fruit set and yield.