Evaluation of gooseberry cultivars resistance to the American gooseberry powdery mildew Sphaerotheca mors uvae Schwein and its chemical control

Abstract

In the course of 1993–2001 extensive field trials were carried out to evaluate the resistance (susceptibility) level of 34 gooseberry cultivars to the American gooseberry powdery mildew Sphaerotheca mors uvae Schwein. Cultivars originated from the Czech Republic and from other European countries. Each tested cultivar had 7 trees (5–10 years old). Beside the resistance (susceptibility) evaluation, biological efficacy of 9 fungicides using EPPO methods has been checked at the same number of cultivars and at the same number of gooseberry trees. Highly significant differences of resistance or susceptibility were observed among gooseberry varieties. Analogical results (differences in biological activity of fungicides) have been attained in the course of chemical treatment. 18 cultivars has been classified as low resistant, 12 cultivars as moderate resistant and 4 cultivars as high resistant. None of the tested fungicides proved perfect biological efficacy (100% healthy berries). 4 of them proved high biological effect (more than 90% healthy berries), 3 proved low biological activity (less than 75% healthy berries) and 2 proved moderate biological activity (75–90% healthy berries).