Victorian Vegetable Grower

The aim of this trial is to test the effectiveness of the Bactivate Liquid Blend for nursery foliar applications and specifically, biological control of the impact of soil borne & air borne pathogens. The focus of this trial will be to establish an application rate & frequency to address the impact of certain air borne pathogens, in particular Downey Mildew & White Blister using Bactivate Liquid Blend for nursery foliar spraying/drenching.
Trial conducted on Broccoli variety ‘Legacy’. This variety is highly susceptible to pathogen attack and
is no longer grown in the Werribee South farming district.

Stock grown from seed beginning early to mid June 2011. Two separate trials were conducted simultaneously. Trays are standard propagation 198 cells. Spraying began as soon as the cotyledons emerged. First application applied 2nd July 2011; final application applied 3rd August 2011. A proper balanced nutritional regime was deliberately withheld so as to induce a stressed condition for the seedlings in order to maximise pathogenic attack.

• Combat the effects of soil & air borne pathogens in nursery
• Reduce / eliminate certain chemicals in nursery
• Improve overall quality of crop
• increase yields by mitigating losses as a result of combating the effects of pathogens.

• Bactivate 5 Liquid
• Bactivate Granules

Product and Rate

• Bactivate 5 Liquid applied via backpack sprayer till run off into soil.
• Bactivate Granules applied to media in granular form at 6kg per m3 prior to planting.
• Foliar spray 1 x weekly beginning 2nd July 2011.

Results
A control tray was set aside. No Bactivate Liquid Blend for nursery was applied. The control tray by mid August displayed 100% infection rate with Downey Mildew and approx. 50% infected rate with White Blister.

Application rate & method

• Bactivate applied to media at 6kg per m3 prior to seeding.
• Foliar spray 2 x weekly beginning 2nd July 2011 ending 3rd August 2011.

Results
By mid August, this treated tray is showing some signs of both Downey mildew & White Wlister on the initial cotyledons. The new growth displayed no Mildew but some White Blister. Considerably less than the control tray. No counts were taken as this 1st treated tray was discarded half way through this trial due to better results on the 2nd treated tray.
There were no signs of Downey mildew, 100% control achieved. White blister was present at approx.
20% infected rate.

“Since I started using Bactivate, I’ve grown some of the best seedlings I’ve ever grown”