Not long ago, rising disease resistance levels were proving a challenge for many vegetable growers in the Virginia area of South Australia, however strong support from a former grower in the region and a recent fungicide option has helped to turn the tables.
Powdery mildew, in particular, has been a problem in capsicum, eggplant and cucumber crops, while some varieties of the latter also have been more susceptible to gummy stem blight.
Mong Van Tran, who farmed in the area for 10 years and became a great ally for growers throughout the region, especially within the strong Vietnamese community, said powdery mildew was uncontrolled in some crops, causing leaf drop, reduced photosynthesis and associated production and sales issues.
"We have some resistance issues because people have used products again and again (without rotation) – and once powdery mildew gets into the stem of fruit, you cannot sell it and it becomes seconds," Mong said. Crops throughout the region are grown in soil and hydroponic bags in greenhouses, which exacerbate disease due to humidity levels especially overnight in summer. Disease also can be more prevalent in select areas of greenhouses due to wind flows.
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