Preliminary results from a three-year project to evaluate
fungicide-application methods on chickpeas show that fungicide carrier
volume is more important than spray droplet size.
“In short, don’t skimp on water when applying fungicide to chickpea,”
said Sabine Banniza, a research scientist with the University of
Saskatchewan’s plant sciences department.
The project began last year on plots in Saskatoon, Scott, Outlook,
Redvers, Swift Current and Indian Head. Its objectives are to study how
spray droplet size, carrier volume, chickpea leaf type and fungicides
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affect ascochyta blight control and chickpea yields.
Banniza said trial plots at five locations had low disease pressure
last year because of dry conditions. However, a high level of ascochyta
blight – up to 72 to 89 percent – developed at Outlook, where the
chickpeas were irrigated.
“So our first-year results are based on the Outlook trials, where the
fungicides differed significantly in their disease control, depending
on the cultivar,” Banniza said.
“For each cultivar and fungicide combination, however, spray droplet
size had no significant effect on blight control, which led us to a
preliminary opinion that fungicide spray carrier volume is more
important than droplet size.”
She said this is because the active ingredient in the fungicide needs
to be in contact with all the leaves.
In other words, acochyta blight prevention will be effective only if
the fungicide carrier volume ensures coverage of bottom leaves and
plant parts as well as the top canopy.
Despite last year’s low incidence of ascochyta blight, Banniza said
farmers must always be vigilant, because weather is the critical
factor. She urged farms to monitor crops closely.
“If lesions – small brown spots – are apparent on leaves or stems, and
if there is any moisture – dew or even a shower Ð the chickpea crop
should be sprayed with a fungicide,” she said.
“Weather is the driving force with ascochyta blight.”
