Control of Botrytis cinerea in strawberries with

Gliocladium catenulatum vectored by

bumblebees

IOBC VIII Workshop on Integrated Soft Fruit Production

8th Meeting in Vigalzano, Pergine Valsugana, Trento

26-28 May 2014

Research Centre HoogstratenMeerle, Belgium

Tom Van Delm

Introduction

• Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) in strawberry

• Control:

~ Covered crops

~ Substrate

~ Fungicides

• Aim of research:

~ Reduces residues: non-chemical alternatives

Botrytis trial 2011

François-Xavier Boulanger (Biobest)

Tom Van Delm (Reseach coordinator strawberry, Proefcentrum Hoogstraten )

Katrijn Stoffels (Strawberry researcher, Proefcentrum Hoogstraten )

Peter Melis (Strawberry researcher, Proefcentrum Hoogstraten )

Yann Jacques (Researcher, Biobest)

Felix Wackers (R&D manager, Biobest)

• Can bumblebees contribute to biological

control of Botrytis cinerea in strawberry?

Botrytis trial 2011

• Inoculation and natural disease pressure

• Chemical control: scheme with different products▪ Frupica® (mepanipyrim)

▪ Captan® (captan)

▪ Teldor® (fenhexamid)

▪ Signum ® (boscalid + pyraclostrobin)

• 3 different BCA’s in dispensers:~ BCA 1: good uptake by the bumblebees

~ BCA 2: became compact => reduced uptake

~ BCA 3: became sticky => no uptake

Botrytis trial 2011

• Conclusions 2011:~ Possibilities with Flying Doctor® system in strawberry

~ At low to moderate pressure: similar control

~ At high pressure: Chemical control was better

=> Integrated system: spray application (biological orchemical) with Flying Doctors®

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Aim:~ Control of Botrytis: Efficacy of Gliocladium catenulatum vectored

by bumblebees

~ Value of additional sprayings:▪ Chemical treatments

▪ Biological treatments

• Trial setup~ Plastic greenhouse autumn

~ Natural infection

~ 3 inoculations (labeled)

Objectnr

Object Bumblebee hive Product in dispenserRegistratie of yield/grading

1 Untreated control Dispenser / No

2Gliocladium catenulatum: spraying (3x Prestop)

Dispenser / No

3Fenhexamid spraying (1x Teldor)

Dispenser / No

4 FD Verdera B4 Dispenser Verdera B4 Yes

5 Prestop 1x + FD Verdera B4 Dispenser Verdera B4 No

6 Teldor 1x + FD Verdera B4 Dispenser Verdera B4 No

7 Chemische Controle Dispenser / Yes

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013////////////

1 2 /7 7 /

////

4 5 / 6 4///

3 1 /7 7 /

////////

2 3 /7 /

////

6 4 / 5 6///

3 1 /7 7 /

////////

2 3 /7 /

////

5 6 / 4 5///

1 2 ///

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Plant date 86- Control of Botrytis cinerea in strawberryPlant type by Flying Doctors System

Variety 1 Untreated control 4 FD Verdera B4 = no inoculation = Flying doctors hive

= 2 Prestop spraying (3x) 5 Prestop 1x + FD Verdera B4 = Inoculation B. cinerea (without VerderaB4)

3 Teldor spraying (1x) 6 Teldor 1x + FD Verdera B4 = Flying doctors hive

7 Chemical control // = Mesh to divide greenhouse in two seperate filled with VerderaB4

compartments

Section 37 (PS 3)

Section 36 - PS 2

kap 1 kap 2 kap 3 kap 4

Trayplanten

Elsanta

Plant density 12 pl/lm 9,6 pl/m²

Section 35 (PS 1) betonpad

kap 4

buiten betonpad Section36 (PS 2)

Section 35 - PS 110/07/2013

kap 1 kap 2 kap 3Compartment 1 Compartment 2 Compartment 3

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Crop protection and ‘Flying Doctors’:

~ Fungicides, insecticides, acaricides:

▪ Compatibility with G. catenulatum

▪ Avoid products that need to lock the bumblebees

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Harvest: August, 12 – October, 9 2013

~ Shelf-life tests:

▪ Inoculated fruits harvested each picking date

▪ 5 sampling dates for fruits under natural disease

pressure

56%60%

42%38%

0,00

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

3,00

3,50

4,00

Flying Doctors with Verdera B4 Flying Doctors (empty dispenser)

kg

/m²

Groot Klein Misvormd Rot

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Inoculated fruits: Botrytisinfection post

harvestThe occurrence of Botrytis cinerea (%) on strawberry fruit after 14 days in cold storage for

inoculated fruits

Object Inoculation 31/7 Inoculation 7/08 Inoculation 13/08 All data

Control 65,6 ab 68,9 ab 54,9 ns 63,1 a

Prestop 3x 73,8 a 75,4 ab 48,8 ns 66,0 a

Teldor 47,6 ab 76,9 a 65,4 ns 63,3 a

FD 38,4 b 57,1 b 51,0 ns 48,9 ab

FD + Prestop 1x 45,2 ab 57,3 b 57,8 ns 53,4 ab

FD + Teldor 1X 33,7 b 64,9 ab 39,0 ns 45,9 b

Chem control 44,0 ab 69,0 ab 54,2 ns 55,7 ab

Significance p<0.05 according to Duncan

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

80,0

90,0

100,0

Control Prestop 3x Teldor FD FD +

Prestop 1x

FD +

Teldor 1X

Chem

control

% B

otry

tis

po

st h

arv

estInoculation on 31/7 - 7/8 - 13/8 14d post harvest

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Natural disease pressure: Botrytis infection

post harvest

The occurrence of Botrytis cinerea (%) on strawberry fruit after 14 days in cold storage under

natural disease pressure

Object 21/08/13 26/08/13 2/09/13 5/09/13 16/09/13 All data

Control 58,0 a 54,0 a 62,0 ns 40,0 ns 58,7 ab 53,5 a

Prestop 3x 50,0 ab 47,0 ab 76,0 ns 35,0 ns 54,0 ab 52,0 ab

Teldor 44,0 ab 54,0 a 64,0 ns 29,0 ns 56,0 ab 47,8 ab

FD 37,0 ab 27,0 b 53,0 ns 28,0 ns 45,0 ab 36,3 b

FD + Prestop 1x 41,0 ab 32,0 ab 55,0 ns 38,0 ns 49,0 ab 41,5 ab

FD + Teldor 1X 27,0 b 36,0 ab 55,0 ns 38,7 ns 66,0 a 39,2 ab

Chem control 35,0 ab 26,0 b 66,0 ns 34,0 ns 38,0 b 40,3 b

Significance p<0.05 according to Duncan

Control of Botrytis: trial 2013

• Conclusions~ Flying Doctors® system with VerderaB4:

no negative effect on pollination

~ Efficacy?▪ Finding:

− Generally: FD-objects and chemical control < untreated

− Not always statistic significant reduction:

* Relatively low disease pressure (53% Botrytis 14days PH)

* Inoculation partly successful (53 -> 63%)

▪ Statistical differences:− All assessed fruits together (inoculated+natural disease pressure):

more fruits per object

~ Flying Doctors® + VerderaB4 : ▪ Reduction of Botrytis, comparable with chemical control at low

disease pressure

▪ In this trial: no additional value of spraying applications

~ What at high disease pressure?▪ Development of a good and reliable strategy for growers

Thank you.

Tom Van DelmProefcentrum Hoogstraten

Voort 71, B-2328 MeerleBelgium

Tel: +32 (0) 3 315 70 52tom.vandelm@proefcentrum.be

www.proefcentrum.be