Studies on the control of apricot Alternaria blight (Alternaria tenuissima)

During the period 1997-2000 in apricot orchards in the region of Silistra (Bulgaria) a very serious disease on leaves and fruits was caused by Alternaria tenuissima (Fries.) Wilthshire. Field experiments were used to evaluate the chemical control of Alternaria blight. In various spray programs of apricot trees from bud swelling to fruit ripening, better protection against the disease was offered by fungicides containing mancozeb, zineb, captan, dodine and iprodione. Depending of weather conditions two to three protective sprays are required. All fungicide treatments provided a significantly better protection against Alternaria blight than the unsprayed control.