Transfer of disease management technology to the canning peach industry in Hawke's Bay

Abstract

A technology transfer project jointly funded by industry and government commenced in 1995 to implement integrated fruit production methods in the canning peach and fresh summer-fruit industry in Hawke's Bay. A suite of decision aids was used to assist growers in weather-based fungicide spraying aimed to minimise fungicide inputs while achieving consistent disease suppression. The main diseases were brown rot and peach rust. Most of the 13 participating growers achieved good results despite unusually wet summers in both 1995/96 and 1996/97. Their crops received minimal fungicide inputs that were well timed and most had low disease levels at first pick. However, some crops had unacceptable levels of disease. The reasons for this and ways to prevent disease reoccurrence are discussed.