How to Treat Crops After Rain When Fruits Are Already Ripening?

Extended periods of rain after a long spell of hot weather are wonderful! Plants revive and gain strength for our harvest to ripen. However, there's a hidden danger: increased humidity paired with warm weather creates ideal conditions for the rapid development of diseases.

Phytophthora blight on tomatoes, fruit rot on stone fruit crops, scab and rhizoctonia on potatoes, powdery mildew on grapes and roses, and many other "surprises" will inevitably emerge after a warm summer rain.

Along with diseases, pests also spread rapidly, gladly feasting on fruits and plant sap. Aphids, Colorado potato beetles, cutworms, whiteflies, and many of their friends will happily settle in your garden and orchard.

But what can you do when this happens, when fruits are already ripening, and chemical pesticides can't be used due to long waiting periods and accumulation in the fruits?

Biological Plant Protection After Rain

After prolonged rains, it's crucial to carefully inspect plants for signs of diseases (fungus, rot, spots, etc.) or pests. Even if there are no signs of disease yet, it's worth starting treatment with biopreparations for prevention. If the first signs of disease or pest infestation appear, treatment is absolutely essential!

For a wide range of fungal and bacterial diseases, we recommend treatments with the biofungicides Sporomax™ T and Sporomax™ B. These are based on antagonist fungi (Trichoderma harzianum) and bacteria (Bacillus subtilis), which are highly effective. They compete with pathogenic microorganisms for space and nutrients, and also produce antibiotics and enzymes that inhibit the development of pathogens.

The recommended application rate is 10g / 10L of water per 2-3 hundred square meters.

If pests are present, treat with the biological insectoacaricide Imexab™ at 10g per 10L (compatible with Sporomax™ biofungicides). Imexab™ not only neutralizes pests but also destroys their egg clutches and larvae due to its ovicidal action, significantly enhancing the protective effect, which lasts up to 20 days.

This comprehensive approach allows you to fully protect your plants and harvest clean, safe crops.

What to Do If It Rains Again After Treatment?

Yes, during seasons of prolonged rain, it's highly likely that it will start raining immediately after treating plants. Rain washes the working solution off the plants, and effectiveness drops almost to zero.

To avoid this inconvenience, add the adjuvant Izomax™ (3ml/10L) to your tank mix. This special auxiliary preparation uniformly spreads the droplet across the leaf, accelerates the "absorption" of the preparations into the plant through the cuticle and stomata, which increases the effectiveness of the treatment and protects against wash-off by rain. Effective treatment with the addition of Izomax™ is possible just 20-30 minutes before forecasted rain.

Conditions and Technique for Applying Bioproducts

Application Conditions:

• Temperature: Biopreparations are generally effective within a specific temperature range, from +15°C. Imexab™ works effectively even at +30°C and above, when most chemical agents are ineffective. For maximum effect, check the instructions for the specific preparation.

• Air Humidity: Biopreparations work best with high air humidity (but not excessive dampness, which can be harmful).

• Time of Day: It's best to apply treatments in the morning or evening, when there is no direct sunlight, wind, or precipitation.

Treatment Technique:

• Uniform Coverage: Ensure maximum coverage of the entire plant surface (leaves, shoots, stem) with the working solution. Effectiveness is especially enhanced when adding Izomax™ to the working solution, which not only uniformly covers the plant but also helps overcome pubescence (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.), waxy coatings (cabbage, peppers, peas, etc.), and micro-hairs (cucumbers, zucchini, etc.) that can hinder droplet adhesion.

• Soil Treatment: Spray not only the plants but also the soil beneath them to reduce the likelihood of re-infection. This is particularly relevant when using Sporomax™ T, which contains Trichoderma harzianum, a fungus that thrives in soil and significantly improves its phytosanitary condition.

It is recommended to treat with biopreparations every 10-14 days.

Waiting Period After Treatment:

• Sporomax™ B and Sporomax™ T - 1 day

• Imexab™ - 2 days

Remember that biopreparations do not act instantly like chemical ones, but over several days. Their effectiveness often manifests in an improvement in the overall health of the plants and an increase in yield. The best use of biopreparations will be preventative treatments BEFORE diseases appear.