Karpun N.N. (Cand.Biol.Sci.), Yanushevskaya E.B. (Cand.Biol.Sci.),

Mikhailova Ye.V.

Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution

Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops, Sochi, Russia

e-mail: mixailovaOZR@mail.ru

The effectiveness of applying biological preparation Albit® of eliciting effect in peach cultivation technologies

 

Abstract. Application of Albit® (poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid) in peach protection systems increases its resistance to pathogens (Taphrina deformans, Clasterosporium carpophilum, Monilia cinerea), thus reducing Delan® (dithianon) and Score® (difenoconazole)  application rate twice. This increases the activity of plant protection mechanisms, as evidenced by the growth rate of catalase and photosynthesis intensity. Applying Albit® improves plants functional state, providing a positive effect on the growth and development of shoots, as well as increases peach productivity.

Key words: agrocenosis, immune stimulants, pesticides, phytopathogens.

 

Introduction. Traditionally used intensive cultivation technologies of peach with the application of pesticides have a negative impact on the environment of the Black Sea coast. Soil contamination with residual quantities of active ingredients from these xenobiotics leads to destabilization in biotic resources, accompanied by violation of microbiota life activity as well as processes of soil self-purification and self-healing [5, 9]. Climatic features of humid subtropics reduce peach resistance to pathogens, thus causing significant annual crops diseases such as leaf curl, shot hole and monilia (Taphrina deformans, Clasterosporium carpophilum, Monilia cinerea), as well as reducing its yield [6, 7]. An urgent problem is to increase the immune status of peach as a basic condition for the realization of crop adaptive and productive potential as well as environmental sustainability of agro cenoses.

At present we have received some positive results on the use of preparations having eliciting effect to activate plants protection mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses [4].

The aim of the present research is to investigate immune-stimulating effects of the biological product Albit® and identify possible reduce of fungicides consumption rates when it is used in peach protection systems.

Materials and methods. The experimental part of the work was carried out on the experimental plot for peach cv. Red haven (Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops) in years 2013-2014. The experiment and diagnostics of the diseases were carried out in accordance with conventional techniques [2]. Preparations used in industrial processing served as reference: Delan® (dithianon, producer BASF SE) at a rate of 0.7kg/ha in early April, Score® (difenoconazole, producer Syngenta, Switzerland) - rate of 0.2 l/ha in late April and late May. The experimental treatments were conducted with tank mixtures of Albit® (poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid, producer scientific and production firm «Albit», Russia) (250 ml/ha) with half the norms of fungicides consumption used in production spraying.

The treatments were not conducted in the control option of the experiment. Experimental options and the control were laid out in triplicate by 5 trees repeatedly. An active substance of Albit® is poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid, emitted from healthy rhizosphere microorganisms. Albit® has a wide range of positive effects on crops, activating their protection mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses. The biological product is recommended for use in tank mixtures with half doses of fungicides. Thus growth-stimulating effect of Albit® and its effect on crop yield are controlled, eliminating the hyperactivation of these functions and ensuring the involvement of plant bio-energy processes in the formation of protective reactions [10].

To establish the effectiveness of tank mixtures with Albit® we used a set of indicators that reflect the functional peach state. In all the options of the experiment we were measuring the catalase activity in peach leaves in the dynamics (April to July). Photosynthetic activity of leaves (Kf_T) was determined after the treatments by the parameters of slow chlorophyll fluorescence induction had been completed [1, 3].

All the data were processed statistically. The significance of differences between the average values was evaluated by Student criterion.

Results and discussion. According to the research of 2013, the processing of peach with tank mixture of fungicides and Albit® significantly (P<0,01) decreased (relative to control values) the intensity of leaf curl lesions on leaves in 4.6 times, shot hole lesions in 10.5 times. The effectiveness of the biocidal action of Delan® and Score® despite half application rates was at a standard level. Together with this a minor degree of diseases development was noticed. In the experimental option for leaf curl diagnosis it was 11,5 ± 2,8%, in the standard – 12,2 ± 1,8%; in the experimental option for shot hole diagnosis it was - 2,4 ± 0,25% and 2,1 ± 0,18% respectively. High efficiency, corresponding to production treatments was achieved in the experiment option in the fight against Monilia. Rainfall and hail caused massive fruit damages; the intensity of disease development in control was 52,3 ± 5,35% at harvest. Both production and experimental treatments had a positive effect, reducing the amount of disease in 5.2 and 5.1 times, respectively.

Similar data concerning the fight against leaf curl were obtained in 2014. A positive result was also set in the fight against peach shot hole applying Albit® with fungicides. The protective effect of tank mixtures lasted for a long time (up to two months) after the treatments had been finished. This is evidenced by the dynamics of peach shot hole in 2014. In the control option a maximum shot hole lesion was recorded in late July and reached 49 ± 3,54%. The experiment treatments conducted in April and May significantly restrained the development of this disease. The degree of leaves damage was not only lower the control values (5.1 times), but also lower than the indicators after production treatments (2.3 times).

The dynamics of leaf curling intensity (%)

Options

Treatments

1st

2nd

3rd

Control

24,8±2,62

21,0±2,71

11,9±2,05

Industrial treatment with

Delan® 0,7kg/ha 2.04.2014

Score® 0,2 l/ha 24.04.2014, 28.05.2014

13,2±2,14

8,0±1,93

6,1±1,55

Experimental treatments with Albit® 250 ml/ha

Delan® 0,35 êã/ãà 2.04.2014

Score® 0,1 l/ha 24.04.2014, 28.05.2014

8,8±1,92

6,2±1,51

6,4±1,53

The average values of all experimental options are significantly different from the control at P <0,01

Among the wide range of positive properties of Albit®, special is an ability to improve the plants functional state, violated by phytopathogens impact. We have determined a decrease of catalase activity in peach leaves within leaf curl lesions in 1.8 times, shot hole lesions – in 1,2 times (P <0,05). After the first peach treatment with Albit® and fungicides, the level of catalase activity exceeded the control values by 40% (P <0,05), after the second and third treatments it corresponded to the control. According to the literature, this activity dynamic of catalase is a protective reaction of plants, preventing tissue damage by reactive oxygen species during the nutrient stress [8]. Simultaneously with this process, the resistance to pathogens increased and no disease signs were recorded. A high level of photosynthetic activity in the experimental option proves Albit® adaptogenic properties (Kf_T 0,678), which is similar to control values. Compared with healthy leaves this indicator decreased significantly at leaf curl lesion (up to 41%) and shot hole (up to 11%). Effective peach protection from pathogens applying Albit® with half doses of fungicides boosted crop productivity. Relative to the control option, where no processing was carried out, in 2013 peach yield increased in 2,4 times, in 2014 – 1,7 times. In the experimental option peach yields exceeded the standard up to 3,6% in 2013, and up to 4,2% in 2014, which indicates that Albit® moderately activates (250 ml/ha) the processes which are basic for crop productivity. This regularity of Albit® effects (at a dose of 250 ml/ha) on peach crops is confirmed by evaluation of its growth-stimulating action. The average length of shoots increased in 2013 up to 11,5 ± 0,8%, in 2014 – up to 12,3 ± 0,5% compared to the standard, indicating that there is an activating effect of this biological product on the growth processes within the permissible range for growth-stimulating substances (less than 15%).

Conclusions: The effectiveness of tank mixtures of Albit® with Delan® and Score® in the fight against Taphrina deformans, Clasterosporium carpophilum, and Monilia cenerea corresponds to the standard that allows us to decrease the rates of these fungicides twice. When peach leaves are infected by plant pathogens we can observe the inhibition of catalase activity and photosynthesis process. Applying Albit® combined with half-dose of Delan® and Score® increases the activity of catalase and the rate of photosynthesis in peach leaves, indicating the activation of plant protection mechanisms. Albit® in dosages of 250 ml/ha causes a moderate growth-stimulating effect and increases peach productivity in comparison with the control (with no treatment).

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