Pome fruit, cherries and walnut growers know how devastating bacterial diseases can be in their orchards and fields. Diseased trees and plants can add up to dollars lost from the bottom line. Arysta LifeScience is responding by delivering disease control solutions for growers that feature unique modes of action for resistance management programs.

One example is in California, where pome fruit growers recently received welcome news with the state registration of KASUMIN® Bactericide for control of Fire blight in their orchards. In March, the batericide was registered in California for Walnut blight in walnuts and Bacterial blast and Bacterial canker in cherries.

KASUMIN is a member of FRAC group 24. Its unique active ingredient, kasugamycin, is active on a wide array of plant pathogenic bacteria and features a high level of preventive activity, making it highly effective on a wide array of plant pathogenic bacteria. KASUMIN is available as a liquid formulation, and field testing has shown it can be easily tank-mixed with other fungicides, such as copper and mancozeb, to increase the spectrum of disease control.

For pome fruit growers, the registration of KASUMIN was welcome news. The threat of infection from Fire blight is always present on apples and pears, although it fluctuates due to weather and other factors. The disease can spread quickly through an orchard and negatively impact quality and yield; unchecked, the disease can kill fruit trees. KASUMIN is an effective tool to help fight this destructive disease, including streptomycin-resistant isolates in apples and pears.

In cherry production, orchards located in areas of higher rainfall are particularly susceptible to Bacterial canker. Managing the disease is difficult because of the pathogen’s ability to colonize and move systemically in the trees under the right conditions. While copper remains the top treatment for many growers, results can be variable and control is short-lived. KASUMIN is a welcome addition for a comprehensive program of Bacterial canker management. 

In walnuts, KASUMIN helps growers control walnut blight before it can severely impact the crop. Without adequate control, walnut blight can take a heavy toll on nut production, particularly in warm, wet conditions and when inoculum is high.

KASUMIN is most effective when it is incorporated in a rotation program. The product shows no cross-resistance to other bactericides, and it features a 12-hour restricted-entry interval (REI) and a 90-day pre-harvest interval.

For more information, visit www.arysta-na.com or your local retailer.