Practical Guidance to Reduce Apple Tree Canker
Trials funded by Growing Kent & Medway have identified new practices that growers could adopt to help reduce the impact of a damaging disease that affects apple trees.
The Niab led research showed improving soil in holes before trees are planted using beneficial fungi and biocontrols significantly reduced the incidence of apple canker disease.
Further research showed sowing beneficial wildflower mixes can increase the presence of these beneficial fungi, helping to make the mature trees more resilient to disease.
Niab has created practical guidance and technical details to help growers incorporate these techniques into their standard practices.
These links will take you to the Niab website.
Reducing Apple Canker with Soil Amendments at Planting
Find out how Niab treated Gala trees during planting using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Trichoderma-based biocontrol products
Establishing wildflowers in mature apple orchards to enhance canker control
Discover how the soil in the tree alleys was prepared, the composition of the wildflower seed mix, and the seed sowing rate.
The trials led by Niab, were funded by Growing Kent & Medway and supported by Agrovista, AM Fresh, British Apples and Pears Ltd and The East Malling Trust.
