New chemicals available to fight brown rot fungus
US: A peachy crop so far this year in the Upstate

South Carolina's state fruit is doing just peachy so far this year, and experts at Clemson University are trying to keep it that way.

Clemson plant pathologist Guido Schnabel, the South Carolina state specialist for fruit diseases, has developed a new weapon to combat brown rot, a fungal condition that affects peaches and other stone fruits.

Local peach growers seem appreciative.

"The farmers, we're grateful for what (Clemson does) for us in continuing to try and help us and give us the means to be in the modern era," said James Cooley, owner of J.E. Cooley Farms in Chesnee.

Schnabel said Wednesday the chemicals scientists have developed for local farms to combat brown rot are "site-specific," meaning they attack at only one site in the fungus. The more a fungus is hit with a particular chemical class, he added, the more likely it is that it will become resistant.

Schnabel's research team has developed a kit that will help growers determine the resistance profile in their respective areas, and have provided local county agents with these kits.

So if a Spartanburg County grower sees any evidence of brown rot in his crop this season, he should call Upstate county agent Andy Rollins, who will collect samples from the grower's farm and within three days be able to determine what kind of resistance profile the grower has in his area.

"This is a tool that enables us to make sure that when we apply the fungicide, that we don't have a resistance and we're not spending money and not getting results," Cooley said. "I spray as a preventative, and so far everything is Cracker Jack for me, but anything that they can offer to help us will certainly be welcome."

Carol Fisher of Fisher's Orchard in Greer, run by her family of fifth-generation peach farmers, said brown rot has not been a factor in the last several crops because of recent dry seasons and advanced defense mechanisms.

"It's been years since we have had any kind of a problem with the brown rot because of all the fungicides that are available to the farmers now," Fisher said. "Years ago, we did have problems before they had any kind of chemicals that would control it, but (now) it's virtually nonexistent for us."

Schnabel warned, however, that brown-rot epidemics come in phases, about every three or four years. "And when an outbreak occurs," he said, "then it's pretty bad and everybody is yelling and screaming, so we keep working on (battling) it."

Brown rot will not develop during droughts such as the one the Upstate has been experiencing. "But in a year like this," Schnabel said, "where there is a lot of rainfall during peach maturation and ripening, and it continues to be rainy in the spring, we can expect that we'll probably have a situation of brown rot later this year."

Like Cooley, Fisher said her family and Upstate farmers in general are grateful to Clemson, and think the university provides an invaluable service to their livelihood.

"We always follow the spray schedule that Clemson sets aside for this area, and we always have real good luck with it," Fisher said, "so I think they're a vital part of the farmers around here because we count on them for a lot of support."

There's more good news for the state's peach industry: Desmond Layne, state horticulture program leader and extension tree fruit specialist at Clemson, said early indications are that this will be a great peach season in South Carolina - the second-biggest producer of peaches in the nation behind California.

"We had a lot of what we call 'chill hours,' which is cold temperature in the winter time that we need to make sure that we have good fruit development and good growth," said Layne, considered one of the Southeast's leading experts on peach and fruit trees. "Right now, things are looking very positive to have an excellent season with very good yields. The first two weeks of April, we're always still a little bit nervous about the weather, if there might be a freeze possibility, but if we make it to the 15th of April, generally speaking, we're good to go.

"So I think everyone - growers, and those of us at the university - we're all pretty optimistic and excited that we're going to have an excellent year."


Source: goupstate.com

Publication date: 4/3/2009

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