Plant protection care for vines and fruit species in autumn

Fruit species

Apples and pears

On most days in October, the conditions will be suitable for harvesting the fruit crop. In apple and pear orchards affected by scab, in order to reduce the infection it is advisable, at the beginning of leaf fall and after the fruit has been harvested, to carry out a treatment with a 5% urea solution. After a thorough inspection and detection of late infections, as well as against diseases that develop during storage of the produce, treatment is carried out with Topsin M 70 WDG - 0.1% or Top Plus 70 WP - 0.1%. For good storage of apples and pears and for reducing rots and decay during storage, it is also recommended to perform one post-harvest treatment with Topsin M 70 WG - 0.120%. After spraying, the fruits are left to dry and then arranged in cold storage chambers or deep and cool cellar premises.

Stone fruit species

For stone fruit species, after mass leaf fall, spraying with a 2% Bordeaux mixture is recommended against the causal agents of shot-hole disease, early brown rot, peach leaf curl, etc.

Under these climatic conditions, the environment is also favorable for the occurrence and multiplication of multivoltine insects and mites. They develop their last generations, whose population density will largely determine the damage during the following year. During the month, conditions are created for the formation of heavy dew, which is a cause of late blight infections on late tomatoes and others.

Vineyards

During this period, grey mould (Botrytis bunch rot) causes significant damage to the vine from berry colouring to consumption. Therefore, in humid and cool weather, treatment is carried out with Topsin M 70 WDG - 0.2%, Switch 62.5 WG – 100 g/ha, Shavit F 72 WDG – 0.2% (200 g/ha), Quadris 25 SC – 0.075%.

At this time, adults of the third generation of the European grapevine moth are also flying. The larvae cause damage to the ripening or already ripe grape berries. For control of the pest, a registered pyrethroid is added to the fungicide spray solution.

One-year-old vines are covered with soil 3–5 cm above the graft union and thus prepared for the winter season.

Pursuant to the Plant Protection Act, farmers are obliged to use only plant protection products authorized for use for the respective crop and pest, and at the corresponding rate.