New red light risk warning for Brassica Alert
With continued weather pressure increasing disease attacks in brassica crops this season, growers can now receive early warning of impending outbreaks direct to their mobile phone with the Syngenta Brassica Alert SMS service.
Following successful trials for the past two seasons, the service alerting growers to the risk of Ringspot, Alternaria and White Blister has now been extended to cover localised disease warnings across key areas of the Lincolnshire fens and Wash. Furthermore, the Brassica Alert SMS now includes information on the numbers of Diamond Back Moth, Silver Y Moth and Thrips being found in crops across the region.
Mark Bullen of Syngenta highlights that early warning of disease attacks can help growers to time spray applications more effectively, to achieve the best possible levels of control and deliver higher quality produce.
Brassica growers and agronomists can track disease and pest development on the seven monitoring sites that will be most appropriate to their local growing conditions. The system, developed and managed in conjunction with the Allium & Brassica Centre, now uses a simplified 'traffic light' approach to alert growers to impending risk in a weekly SMS message.
"The new system has been designed to give growers quick information that can be readily utilised when making crop walking decisions in the field," according to Andy Richardson of the Allium & Brassica Centre. Where the spore trap monitoring and weather station information indicates a red high risk for Alternaria or Ringspot, for example, he advocates all susceptible crops that had not received a triazole fungicide in the past 14 days should be treated as soon as possible.
In the first week of July, Brassica Alert identified conducive weather conditions had already created a moderate risk of White Blister attack in five of the seven monitoring areas, warns Mr Richardson. "The forecast is intended to focus growers' crop inspections for White Blister. We advise fungicide applications of either Folio Gold for sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli. or Fubol Gold on cabbage as soon as symptoms are identified on plants."
Pest warnings are based on pheromone and sticky traps placed in-crop on the monitoring sites, alerting growers to potential problems that may be found in their own fields.
Brassica growers can register to receive free warnings throughout July, with a one-off subscription of £100 for the rest of the season. For further details visit the web site: www.syngenta-crop.co.uk and click on the link for Brassica Alert.
