Alternative control of Mycosphaerella fragariae in organic strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Abstract

Leaf spot or micosferela caused by Mycosphaerella fragariae is one of the most severe and harmful illness to development and production of strawberry. A participative research was conducted on the St. Joseph Farm, in Botucatu–SP, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with seven treatments and five replications. Treatments were: 1) Water, 2) Equisetum arvense preparation, 3) Equisetum hyemale preparation, 4) Equisetum giganteum preparation, 5) Homeopathic preparation (usingEquisetum hyemale, D28), 6) Biodynamic preparation 501 and 7) Bordeaux mixture. There was no statistical difference between treatments 2–7 in controlling micosferela, showing its effectiveness against this disease in the crop cycle of strawberry. However, treatments 3 (E. hyemale preparation) and 6 (biodynamic preparation 501) tended to have fewer spots on the leaves in all the observations undertaken.