European Canker has become a huge problem for us in two of our Hawkes bay orchards, Trotter Rd, where the main issue is in the Jazz variety and also Whakatu in the Envy apples.
The Whakatu block covers 14 hectares. In the growing season of 2013 and 2014, the canker issue was the worst I have seen; after several canker walks pruning out infection, we were left with a bill of $50,000.00 and a losing battle feeling. At the time, we felt our only way forward was to run the block for one more season before pulling out all the trees and replanting.
After talking to our local Roots, Shoots & Fruits representative, Richard Smith we decided, with nothing to lose, that we would give one of his biological products used for plant health a try. From between post-harvest and one hundred per cent leaf fall, we applied three applications of Fulzyme Plus at 1litre /ha.
The results have been truly amazing.
From the beginning, we looked at this as a two to three-year plan at best if it worked. After 1 year, the results are incredible. There is still the odd canker sting in the block but nothing like previous years. We will be reapplying Fulzyme Plus this season after harvest as a blanket across all of our orchards.
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