A Mist Generator and Environmental Monitoring System for Field Studies on Shothole Disease of Almond

Abstract

(...) The system wetted leaf surfaces on selected shoots and recorded temperature, leaf wetness, relative humidity, rain, wind speed, and wind direction. The mist generator consisted of a pressurized water source and reservoir, a delivery system, and a datalogger control system that monitored periods of leaf wetness and regulated mist regimes. Conditions conducive to infection of leaves of almond cultivars Nonpareil and Carmel by Wilsonomyces carpophilus were generated in the field by controlling duration of mist bursts, intervals between bursts, and length of time that leaves remained wet (...)