Disease management

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.

Spray just prior to canopy closure.

W Hawthorne, Pulse Australia