The Effectiveness of Silicon in a Copper Fungicide Mixture for the Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri Control

摘要

All species of Citrus are susceptible to Citrus canker, a disease caused by bacteria, which attacks twigs, leaves and fruits. In Brazil, in areas where orchards with canker are permitted, the use of copper fungicide and other plant management practices are required. In these areas, copper is sprayed on new shoots during the rainy season at least 4-5 times, which has been shown to reduce infection. The use of silicon (potassium silicate) has increased for many crops, as it protects against fungi, bacteria and insects. Copper oxychloride in a mixture with silicon was assayed in field studies against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri, the cause of Asiatic citrus canker. It was applied five times from November 2007 to March 2008. The applications took place in an orchard of Pera-Rio (Citrus sinensis) , the sweet orange, located in Paranava , PR, Brazil. The treatments with copper oxychloride in a mixture with silicon and adjuvant added to the mixture, significantly reduced the area under the disease progress curve for foliage (AUDPC). and the percentage of cankers on the fruit.