Acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C.) diseases management

Abstract

The acerola crop (Malpighia glabra) is in expansion by range of products and by-products due to the high levels of vitamin C contained in its fruit. In the Nova Alta Paulista region, the town Junqueirópolis is the largest producer of acerola of São Paulo state, and most of its production is destined to the external market. The acerolas are being affected by diseases: spot target (Corynespora cassiicola), anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and scab, that cause early defoliates of plants and deformation of fruits. The spot target is the principal acerola disease in the region. There is difficulty in controlling these diseases, because fungicides are not registered for use in acerola crop. There are few studies on the acerola diseases. In this context, studies are being proposed to enlarge the knowledge of the spot target and develop strategies for their management. Then, the objectives of this work are: to establish diagram form scale for evaluation of spot target in acerola; to evaluate the influence of temperature and the wetting period on severity of spot target; to determine the behavior of varieties of acerola to the spot target, anthracnose and scab under greenhouse conditions; to evaluate the performance of varieties acerola to the propagation by grafting; to evaluate the effect of nutrients, via soil, in severity of spot target in the greenhouse; to evaluate the effect of fungicides and inducers of resistance in the severity of the spot target plants of acerola, under field conditions; to evaluate the effect of pruning on the intensity of the spot target and the acerola production; Establish strategies and management to target spot in the acerola crop. (AU)