Citrus disease models

Climate is changing and farmers have to spray less due to economic and legislative reasons. Some diseases are difficult to control and the timing of fungicide application is crucial in keeping them under control.

At Pessl Instruments, we developed disease model algorithms based on environmental parameters collected from growers’ cloud-connected weather stations linked to the biology and the life cycle of over 80 different diseases to predict their development and progression in more than 45 different crops.

How do they work?

All the disease models are based on the latest research work from different scientists and measured with highly accurate sensors. METOS® weather stations, equipped with sensors for rain, relative humidity, leaf wetness, solar radiation, soil parameters and temperature, connected to our disease model subscription, determine risky periods for an infection in the field on an hourly basis. With this information, fungicide applications can be optimally timed.

Citrus disease models

On FieldClimate we offer models for two Citrus diseases. Alternaria brown spot, caused by the fungus Alternaria alternata, affects a wide range of orange and mandarin varieties specially Murcott tangors. Where severe, the disease results in extensive fruit drop and must be controlled on processing and fresh market fruit. Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. It affects all species and cultivars of citrus. It must be controlled on processing and fresh market fruit. Navel and Valencia oranges do experienced the most severe damages.

• ALTERNARIA BROWN SPOT – Alternaria alternata
• PFD POST BLOOM FRUIT DROP – Colletotrichum acutatum