Institut für Pflanzenschutz in Obst- und Weinbau
Climate change (a.o.) is causing higher temperatures and increased occurrence of extreme weather events (drought, heavy rain, etc.). Fruit growers are responding to this with changes in cultivation methods, especially protected cultivation and irrigation measures. Other demands on agriculture, such as more effective land use through agri-photovoltaics, are also leading to changes in cropping patterns. At the same time, higher temperatures enable the cultivation of other fruit crops and varieties. All effects change the occurrence of fungal pathogens and thus the requirements for plant protection. The changed microclimate in protected cultivation and the higher average temperatures create conditions for the spread of previously less relevant fungal diseases. Specific examples are powdery mildew in strawberries, which requires hardly any plant protection measures in open field cultivation, but causes considerable yield losses in protected cultivation and requires intensive treatments. Drought stress is estimated to be a significant cause of increased incidence of black canker in pome fruit, and higher average temperatures contribute to the spread of Marssonina leaf drop disease (apple). In all cases, considerable research is needed to understand cause and effect in order to develop in particular non-chemical crop protection measures.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity
