Controllo integrato della maculatura bruna del pero

Pseudothecia in the leaf litter and the saprophytic colonization of the lawn plants, are the sources for <i>Pleospora allii</i> [<i>Stemphylium vesicarium</i>] ascospores and <i>Stemphylium vesicarium</i> conidia causing the brown spot of pear. Experiments were conducted in Italy from 2005 to 2007 to determine the efficacy of the leaf litter removal and the application of <i>Trichoderma</i> to the lawn to reduce the disease when applied alone or in combination with fungicide sprays. Fungicide sprays alone (7-8 applications per season) were not able to control the disease satisfactorily, but the methods for reducing the production of inoculum increased their efficacy. In 2005, combining fungicide sprays, leaf litter removal and Trichoderma reduced by 50% the disease incidence on fruits compared to fungicide sprays alone. In 2006 and 2007, leaf litter removal and Trichoderma were applied with no fungicides and showed an efficacy of 36 and 59%, respectively. Leaf litter removal was more effective than Trichoderma in 2005, when the latter was applied twice in early season (30 March and 18 April), while Trichoderma was more effective in 2007, when it was applied later and for three times (16 April, and 7 and 28 May). Trichoderma based products seem very promising for the reduction of S. vesicarium inoculum all season long.