Publication Date
Summer 2018
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Dr. Todd Willian (Director), Dr. Becky Gilfillen, and Dr. Elmer Gray
Degree Program
Department of Agriculture
Degree Type
Master of Science
Abstract
Fungal diseases pose significant challenges for grapevine producers in Kentucky due to the region’s abundant moisture and relative humidity. Methods to reduce fungicide application frequency would prove both economically and temporally valuable to producers. A field experiment was established in Bowling Green, KY in 2017 to investigate Bacillus mycoides isolate J (LifeGard) as a supplement to a fungicide program for systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Three fungicide treatment regimens were implemented consisting of a program modelled from the Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide (2017) and an identical program supplemented with 140 g ha-1 LifeGard per application (both applied on 14 day intervals), a reduced frequency application every 28 days supplemented with 140 g ha-1 LifeGard, and an untreated control. Treatments were applied to 9-year-old French-Hybrid grapevines (cv. Chambourcin); each treatment was replicated 3 times in a randomized complete block design. All treatments were applied with a backpack sprayer delivering 150 L ha-1 at 2 Bar pressure. Canopy management, fertility, herbicide, and insect management were standardized across treatments and no supplemental irrigation was applied. Data collected included fruit yield, pH, ºBrix, and titratable acidity (TA). Data were analyzed with SAS PROC GLIMMIX; differences in means were determined at < 0.05. Plots supplemented with B. mycoides had lower fruit pH than untreated plots but higher fruit pH than the traditional fungicide program. Treatment regime did not influence Brix, TA, or total yield; however, all treated plots yielded more high quality fruit than the untreated control.
Disciplines
Agriculture | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Fruit Science | Viticulture and Oenology
Recommended Citation
Mairs, Ryan Alan, "Effects of Bacillus Mycoides Supplement in a Reduced Frequency Fungicide Program on Chambourcin Grapevines (Vitis Vinifera L.)" (2018). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 3047.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/3047
Included in
Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Fruit Science Commons, Viticulture and Oenology Commons