Finding Sustainable Solutions for Apple Scab with British Apples and Pears
- Growing Kent & Medway
- Feb 11
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
British Apples and Pears, in collaboration with Niab, utilised one of our small grant programmes to trial novel treatments for apple scab. The project identified a promising alternative to lost chemical fungicides and proved that a risk-based control programme could reduce application costs by £65 per hectare.
At A Glance: Project Quick Facts
Project Lead: British Apples and Pears (Rachel McGauley)
Collaborators: Niab (Dr Tom Passey)
Total Funding: £35,317 (Grant Awarded: £15,317 / Co-investment: £20,000)
Key Findings: One new product matched the efficacy of standard chemical fungicides; a risk-based control programme reduced costs by £65 per hectare without compromising disease control.
Food System Areas:
The Challenge: A Disease Control Crisis
Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) is a devastating fungal disease for UK growers. If left uncontrolled, it causes dark, scabby lesions on the fruit, leading to it being rejected by supermarkets and retailers. Traditionally, managing this disease has involved 12–16 fungicide applications per season – a costly and increasingly unsustainable process.
The industry is facing a crisis as key active ingredients (like captan and mancozeb) are withdrawn due to tightening regulations. Beyond the regulatory pressure, heavy reliance on fungicides carries environmental risks and increases the chance of the fungus developing resistance. Growers urgently need effective, sustainable alternatives to protect their orchards and their bottom line.
The Innovative Idea: Testing Novel Alternatives
The project aimed to evaluate novel products – substances not yet standard in apple production – that could replace traditional chemicals. These included plant elicitors and inorganic compounds. Much like a vaccine in humans, plant elicitors work by triggering the plant’s natural immune system, priming it to defend itself against future attacks.
The innovation lay in testing these products not just for efficacy, but for their ability to integrate into a commercial control programme. Crucially, the project also sought to test a risk-based management approach. Instead of following a rigid calendar schedule, this method proposed using weather data to optimise the timing of fungicide sprays – applying them only when infection risk is high.
The Approach: Semi-Commercial Field Trials
Supported by one of our small grant programmes, British Apples and Pears (BAPL) commissioned Niab to conduct a robust field trial in a historically scab-prone orchard. The team tested three ‘coded’ products (pre-commercial formulations kept anonymous for commercial sensitivity).
These treatments were applied individually and as part of a mixed programme to assess their performance under real-world conditions. Researchers monitored scab incidence on leaves and fruit throughout the season. They also checked for negative side effects, such as phytotoxicity (leaf burn or plant damage) and russeting (rough, brownish patches on the fruit skin that reduce market value).
The Results: Effective Disease Control with Lower Inputs
The trials delivered a significant positive outcome: one of the coded products demonstrated efficacy comparable to the standard 7-day fungicide programme. While another product caused some phytotoxicity (damage to the leaves), the successful candidate showed clear potential for commercial use.
Furthermore, the risk-based control programme proved highly effective. By timing applications according to real-time infection risk, the team reduced the number of sprays from twelve to nine. This reduction lowered the cost of the programme by £65 per hectare compared to the standard approach, demonstrating that sustainable disease management can also be cost-efficient for growers.
Looking Forward: Securing New Tools for Growers
The identification of a viable alternative product is a major step forward for the sector. BAPL and Horticultural Crop Protection are now actively pursuing an Emergency Authorisation (EAMU) for the successful product, aiming to make it available to growers as soon as possible.
The success of the risk-based approach also highlights the potential for precision agriculture to reduce chemical use across the industry. The results will be promoted to all commercial apple and pear growers in Great Britain, offering a practical pathway to navigate the loss of conventional chemistry.
Innovation Spotlight: Data-Driven Disease Control
 | The project delivered exceptional value by leveraging a wide industry network to conduct trials across multiple commercial orchards. This collaborative, multi-site approach mitigated the financial risk of potential crop losses for individual growers, while generating robust, actionable data that benefits the entire sector. |
 | The technical impact centres on the commercial validation of alternative treatments and precision application schedules. By scientifically proving that growers can safely reduce synthetic fungicide use without compromising marketable yield, the project provides a scalable blueprint for sustainable orchard management. |
 | The research was underpinned by a rigorous experimental design that successfully accounted for seasonal and environmental variables across different geographic sites. Partnering with leading research agronomists ensured the field trial protocols were strictly controlled and the resulting efficacy data was statistically significant. |
How To Do Innovation Well
What makes a good innovation project? We evaluated over 70 projects funded by Growing Kent & Medway to compare the characteristics of great innovation. An interactive dashboard is available to highlight these key features.
Our Support: De-risking Industry-Critical Research
This project was supported by one of our small grant programmes, which provided the necessary funding to test these unproven products in a commercial setting. This support was vital for generating the independent data needed to support regulatory authorisation.
Describing the impact of the project, BAPL stated: "This is a very positive result for BAPL and our grower members who are struggling to control this devastating disease due to loss of conventional chemistry. BAPL... will now pursue an authorisation for this product, this will be enormously positive for our members."
