Raspberry 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.

Raspberry disease models

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be grapes.

In viticulture, it is commonly known as botrytis bunch rot; in horticulture, it is usually called grey mould or gray mold.

The fungus gives rise to two different kinds of infections on grapes. The first, grey rot, is the result of consistently wet or humid conditions, and typically results in the loss of the affected bunches. The second, noble rot, occurs when drier conditions follow wetter, and can result in distinctive sweet dessert wines, such as Sauternes or the Aszú of Tokaj. The species name Botrytis cinerea is derived from the Latin for “grapes like ashes”; although poetic, the “grapes” refers to the bunching of the fungal spores on their conidiophores, and “ashes” just refers to the greyish colour of the spore masses. The fungus is usually referred to by its anamorph (asexual form) name because the sexual phase is rarely observed. The teleomorph (sexual form) is an ascomycete, Botryotinia cinerea.

• RASPBERRY GREY MOULD – Botrytis cinerea.