MBCAST: A Forecast Model for Marssonina Blotch of Apple in Korea

Hyo-Suk Kim1, Jung-Hee Jo1, Wee Soo Kang2

  • 1Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.

The Plant Pathology Journal
|December 14, 2019
PubMed

Insights

A new disease forecast model for Marssonina blotch of apple was developed. This model uses airborne spore catches and weather data to predict disease risk, aiding in orchard management.

Area of Science:

  • Plant Pathology
  • Agricultural Meteorology
  • Disease Forecasting

Background:

  • Marssonina blotch is a significant apple disease.
  • Accurate disease forecasting is crucial for effective orchard management.
  • Existing models may not fully integrate weather and spore dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a disease forecast model for Marssonina blotch of apple.
  • To identify key weather variables influencing airborne spore release.
  • To correlate spore release with daily infection rates.

Main Methods:

  • Field observations of airborne spore catches, weather conditions, and disease incidence.
  • Development of an airborne spore model (ASM) and a daily infection rate model (IRM).
  • Statistical analysis of weather variables (rainfall, wind speed) and spore catches during spore liberation periods (SLP).

Main Results:

  • The ASM, incorporating rainfall and wind speed, significantly predicted airborne spore catches during SLP.
  • A high correlation was found between estimated airborne spore catches and daily infection rates.
  • The IRM showed statistical significance but limited predictive power for daily infection rates in 2015.

Conclusions:

  • The developed disease forecast model shows potential for predicting Marssonina blotch risk.
  • Key weather variables effectively describe airborne spore variations during rain events.
  • Further refinement of the infection rate model may improve predictive accuracy.

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