Geoxe set to improve top fruit protection from storage rot

Top fruit growers will now have the chance to produce disease free apples and pears from storage that better meets the demands of retailers and consumers. Applied prior to harvest, the new Syngenta fungicide, Geoxe, offers broad spectrum protection against the key storage rot pathogens in apples and pears. Syngenta will be exhibiting Geoxe for the first time at Fruit Focus 2014, on stand 228.

Trials at PC Fruit and East Malling Research have demonstrated that where Geoxe was used at the end of the fungicide programme on apples and pears harvested in September, the level of Botrytis rot infection was significantly lower when assessed at the end of May the following year.

Geoxe provides a reduction in a range of storage pathogens, including Botrytis spp., Gloeosporium spp., and Penicillium spp along with activity on Monilinia spp., Alternaria spp. and Nectria spp. The extended protection offered by the single active, fludioxonil, coupled with the short 3 day pre-harvest interval makes it the perfect fit for end of season applications.

Syngenta Fruit Technical Manager, Mark Bullen, advocates that apples and pears destined for standard storage duration, typically sold before the New Year, are best treated with one application of Switch, followed by two applications of Geoxe. If the fruit is likely to be stored for longer, however, the recommendation would be to apply two Switch treatments, followed by one Geoxe at the end of the programme.
“In apple orchards with a known incidence of Nectria canker, Switch should be applied after flowering to reduce the risk of infection, along with some additional control of Apple scab,” he advises. “The later application of Geoxe, prior to harvest, then gives increased protection against the other storage pathogens.”

Mr Bullen points out that Geoxe remains on the skin surface and is not absorbed into the fruit. “It binds strongly to the surface of the fruit to provide a protective layer to stop disease pathogens penetrating the skin”.

“Using Geoxe at the end of the programme provides the protection of fludioxonil against the common rot causing storage pathogens. Including Geoxe as part of an integrated store management programme, gives the potential to supply consistently high quality fruit over a long storage period."

Geoxe will be available this season for orchard treatment for the 2014 harvest.

For more information
Syngenta
Mark Bullen
T: 01223 883443
mark.bullen@syngenta.com

Nick Badger
T: 01223 883450
nick.badger@syngenta.com

Publication date: Tue 8 Jul 2014