BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF PEACH TWIG BLIGHT (MONILINIA-LAXA) WITH EPICOCCUM-NIGRUM

Various preparations of spores and mycelium of the antagonist Epicoccum nigrum, alone or in combination with Captan, were applied in four different field trials to peach trees inoculated with Monilinia laxa, the cause of twig blight. Biocontrol obtained after application of E. nigrum was variable each year, depending on the releative disease severity in the first 2-3 weeks after infection and the climatic conditions. In three out of four trials, treatments with E. nigrum were comparable with Captan in reducing disease severity and combinations of E. nigrum and Captan gave a level of disease suppression similar to that given by the antagonist or chemical alone. In the remaining trial, combinations of E. nigrum and Captan were necessary to obtain successful disease suppression.