Fungicide Alternatives

Tree disease prevention is an important service provided by arborists.  Fungal foliar infections are common causes of premature defoliation in landscape trees.  Some of these infections can cause diseases including: apple scab, cedar apple rusts, anthracnose, powdery mildew, and other fungal leaf spots, blotches, and blights.  As a way to prolong fungicide resistance in a fungal population, it's beneficial to diversity the number of products available with different modes of action.  This study evaluated disease management efficacy among different chemicals.  These treatments included in this trial include: water, Neem oil, a spreader-sticker, paraffin wax, and thiophanate-methyl+chlorothalonil.

This study was funded by a Tree Fund John Z. Duling grant. http://www.treefund.org/archives/9098