The apple industry at Stanthorpe has welcomed the addition of new crop protection products. The modern chemistry in these products offers greater effectiveness and superior traits compared with the older options.
Elders Stanthorpe agronomist and branch manager, Andrew Hennoste, said the apple industry in southern Queensland was quite progressive and had been quick to adopt some of the new chemistries.
“We switched to this new chemistry because some of the older options were being taken off the market, or because they were becoming less effective—we were starting to see a lot of damage,” he said.
One of the main new products is the insecticide Altacor® from DuPont™ which has been used for codling moth control in many local orchards.
Codling moth control
Mr Hennoste said codling moth is the number one pest in orchards.
“Control of codling moth can’t be taken lightly, monitoring has to be done weekly and spraying is based on the monitoring results.
“The Stanthorpe area is different to other areas as there are usually three distinct moth flights.
“One is just after flowering, another is in mid-November and then we can get one quite late. But you can catch moths virtually any time of the year.”
The first insecticide spray is scheduled to coincide with the codling moth life cycle and is generally ten to fourteen days after petal fall.
“We do a block to a program spray. We might do a couple of sprays in a row and then go to a different chemistry to target different pests as well, and then we can come back,” he said.
“We are always aware of resistance management and the number of sprays that we can use of a particular product in any one season.”
Mr Hennoste said Altacor is generally used back-to-back and has provided excellent control of codling moth in that block period.
“I think it has an add-on effect as you are getting that follow-up spray. It seems to work quite well.”
He said one orchard incorporated Altacor into its program for the first time last season and that the insecticide provided excellent results.
“Last year was our first real program with Altacor and we probably had the best results ever with codling moth control; proving that the product is very good.”
Soft on beneficial species
He said there were other benefits of having Altacor in the program, including the fact that it was soft on beneficial species.
“We see a lot of ladybirds and predatory mites in orchards. They are there to help us in our cause. Having them there it is a good thing,” he said.
“Instead of taking them all out which is what happened with older chemistries, they are now left to help with secondary pest problems and to help stop flares of mites and mealy bugs.”
Safer for users
Mr Hennoste added that Altacor has an excellent profile in terms of health and safety which is a key consideration for apple growers in the region.
“I think it is very important. A lot of younger growers don’t want to use the old chemistry anymore,” he said.
“People have become more aware. Even those working in the orchard want to know what the trees have been sprayed with, and that it is not going to harm them if they are in there working.
“I think down the track, even the market and some of the larger chain stores are going to want to know what has been sprayed on the crops they’re buying, and by using these softer options it’s a win–win.
“Apples are a fresh market product, so you’ve got to know that it is done right, that you will be safe picking it off the shelf, and that there is not going to be anything harmful to the consumer.
“Products like Altacor are softer options and definitely better.”
For more information visit
www.cropprotection.dupont.com.au
See this article in Tree Fruit Oct 2015
