Fungicide spraying program
There are three critical periods for fungicide spraying lentil crops for disease.
Start monitoring for disease 6-8 weeks after emergence (WAE).
Critical period |
Crop stage |
Description |
1 |
10-14 WAE |
Just prior to canopy closure to ensure maximum protection through the canopy from botrytis grey mould. |
2 |
14-16 WAE |
Early flowering to early pod fill if botrytis grey mould or ascochyta blight is present or conditions are conducive to disease. A mixture of fungicides may be required to control both diseases. |
3 |
16-18 WAE |
End of flowering to mid pod fill to prevent ascochyta blight infection during pod formation and filling in susceptible varieties resulting in yield loss and stained seed. |
Apply fungicide before rain at the critical periods in high rainfall areas, in a wet year, or where the crop is at high risk e.g. if a susceptible variety, crop rotation is tight, or where adjacent to a lentil stubble.
Under high disease pressure, all varieties could require fungicide protection to control epidemics.
Spray just prior to canopy closure.
W Hawthorne, Pulse Australia