Autonomous UV-C application to control mildew in strawberry Optimization and compatibility with IPM
Powdery mildew Year-round pressure of powdery mildew Chemical crop protection Resistance Alternation Residue 2017
UV-C High energy wavelength 254nm Physical control Direct DNA damage Cell cycle arrest Schuch et al., 2013
2010: First promising trials Every 48h Two doses of UV-C
2017: Dose efficiency Monday-Wednesday-Friday 5 doses Side effect?
UV-ROBOT 2017-2021 Innovative UV-robotics to improve existing IPM strategies and to benefit farmers, consumers and the environment Robot UV-C strategy + Userinterface + e-nose Automatic application and detection Dose optimisation and side effects Spheric: strawberry Horizontal: lettuce, basil Vertical: tomato, cucumber IPM integration Field validation Demonstration
UV-ROBOT strawberry Powdery mildew Optimisation of UV-C application Timing: day/night dose Side effects + Botrytis + Pests: thrips, aphids, whitefly, spider mite, - Beneficials: predatory mites, - Yield ± Chemical crop protection
Day versus Night DNA can be repaired in daylight UV-C treatment is therefore (partly) undone Trial set-up Autumn glasshouse Two timings of treatment Day: noon Night: after sunset 4 doses compared to untreated control
Day vs. Night Mildew infection
UV-C in IPM? P E S T Thrips Aphids Spider mite Whitefly - Preventive treatment aphids - Predatory mites - Sticky traps - Predatory bugs Plant growth November - May D I S E A S E S 2-3x laminarin/cos-oga 1x kresoxim-methyl, 1x cyflufenamide SIDE EFFECTS? Mildew June - October 2-3x laminarin/cos-oga Botrytis Curative action based on MONITORING Flowering 3x laminarin/cos-oga, 1x potassium bicarbonate Harvest 3-4x potassium bicarbonate 1x penconazool, 1x trifloxystrobin 1x boscalid+pyraclostrobin, 1x penconazool 3x laminarin/cos-oga, 1x potassium bicarbonate Weekly potassium bicarbonate 1x kresoxim-methyl, 1x cyflufenamide 1x fluopyram+trifloxystrobin, 1x penconazool 1x thiram, 1x iprodiome 3x Bacillus subtilis 1x cyprodinil+fludioxonil, 1x mepanipyrim 1x boscalid+pyraclostrobin, 1x penconazool 2x Bacillus subtilis 1x fenhexamid
Side-effects Botrytis: Daytime appliation No consistent effect
Side-effects Chemical crop protection: Daytime appliation No increased breakdown Luna Sensation 15% fenhexamid 10% % MRL thiacloprid trifloxystrobin fluopyram fenhexamid + UV-C 5% thiacloprid + UV-C trifloxystrobin + UV-C fluopyram + UV-C 0% Day 0 Before UV Day 4 Day 11 2 x UV-C 5x UV-C
Side-effects Aphids & Thrips: Daytime appliation No effect of UV-C during day-time application Spider mite: Daytime appliation
Side effects Spider mite: Day vs. Night Clear suppression Dose effect Night effect
Side-effects Predatory mites Amblydromalus limonicus Clear suppression Dose effect Night effect 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% a Predatory mite population compared to untreated a a b b b bc c 3 6 12 20 3 6 12 20
Side-effects Yield Production and grading can be affected by high dose of UV-C
Integration of UV-C in IPM Nighttime application Increasing efficiëncy Lower energy use No distribution of daily greenhouse activities Mildew control Side effect compared to untreated Predatory mites Spider mite 3 mj/cm² 83,4% 86% 42% 6 mj/cm² 92,4 % 55% 13% Test for side-effects during nighttime application
www.nweurope.eu/uv-robot Thank you! Marieke Vervoort This research was made possible thanks to 1.35 million financial support from the European Regional Development Fund provided by the Interreg North-West Europe Programme in context of UV-ROBOT