The 2017 bloom period will start in just a few weeks and growers will soon begin monitoring their orchards for signs of fungal disease. Growers are aware that successful disease management requires diligent monitoring of the disease pressure within the orchard and careful consideration of the appropriate fungicide materials. An equally important component of managing diseases in the orchard involves managing disease resistance to fungicide materials.
The University of California publishes a Fungicide Efficacy Guide designed to assist growers in selecting the proper disease management materials and optimum treatment timing to most effectively manage problems within the orchard while reducing the potential for disease resistance. The current guide was updated in 2016 and is available on the UC Integrated Pest Management website at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r3902111.html.
We encourage all growers to consult the Efficacy Guide and observe its guidelines to most effectively manage any disease issue that may arise.