Welcome to SMOR 2009!

Site specific management of resistance (SMOR) is an apple scab fungicide resistance testing service offered by the NYSAES Tree Fruit and Berry Pathology program of Cornell University. All orchards are tested for sensitivity to three classes of fungicide chemistries used most often in apple production. The previous director had planned to offer the service beyond 2007 on a fee for service basis, but we are exploring paradigms by which we can continue to offer the service to New York growers free of charge. If you are out of state, please inquire about options for participation. NY growers, please review instructions posted below if interested in participating.

Simply click here to access the instructions and click here to access the submission form

Updates:

• 5-22-09: Considerable apple scab is begining to show up in the Hudson Valley. In Western NY, the first scab infections are begining to show up as well. Fresh young scab lesions on cluster leaves are ideal for the service. It is a good time to begin looking for scabby leaves in your blocks.

General Instructions:

• Selection of Trees: We recommend selecting six trees at the opposite corners of a typical orchard block and leaving them unsprayed until scab lesions develop on cluster leaves.  At that point collect between 50-100 young leaves containing fresh lesions.  The leaf may contain several scab lesions, but please refrain from collecting leaves with sheet scab.  Once the leaves have been collected, you are free to begin spraying the corner “test” trees and include them in all subsequent treatments.  Alternatives to using corner trees include unsprayed trees close (no more than 1000 feet) to the orchard block, or a recently abandoned orchard (no more than two seasons) where the scab was previously managed with the same fungicide program.  Another creative alternative introduced to us by a consultant is to place a few potted 'McIntosh' trees within the orchard rows.  These also must be left unsprayed, but can easily be manipulated when treating your orchard trees. Of course, if you experience a control failure, leaves from such incidents are usually suitable too.

 

• Selection of Leaves and Submission of Samples: Please collect 50-100 young apple leaves containing fresh single scab lesions. There can be multiple scab lesions on the leaf, but please try to avoid sending us leaves with sheet scab . Ideally we want to process 50 leaves per orchard, so the more leaves that you send the better chance we have of finding higher quality lesions. Additional considerations for selecting and packaging leaves are listed below.

Additional Guidelines (Make sure to follow these):

• Make sure the samples will arrive at our facility no later than Tuesday June 30th 2009. Receiving the samples by this deadline is crucial to a successful evaluation of your orchard. In 2008 several submissions received after the deadline had to be discarded because the conidia were dead on arrival
  
• Do not send wet leaves! It is best to collect your samples after the morning dew has cleared and on a dry day.
  
• Place the leaves in brown paper bag(s). Please do not submit the samples in a plastic/Ziploc bag as the moisture buildup inside of the bag will compromise processing efforts. Keep the bag open for some time after collection to allow excess moisture to escape. sure the samples will arrive at our facility no later than Tuesday June 30th 2009. Receiving the samples by this deadline is crucial to a successful evaluation of your orchard. In 2008 several submissions received after the deadline had to be discarded because the spores were dead on arrival.
  
• After collecting your leaves and placing them in a paper bag, store the sample in a relatively cool place (lower than 75F). Apple scab spores are quite sensitive to heat in comparison with other pathogens and if they are “heated up” (such as inside a vehicle) on a sunny day, they will be dead on arrival. If you must be in the field following SMOR sample collection, we suggest bringing a small cooler with icepacks to hold the leaves.
  
• If necessary, leaves may be stored in a regular refrigerator for 1-2 days prior to overnight shipment.
  
  
• Fill out the submission form (included in the SMOR kit or available on our website).
  
• Please notify Sara Villani (smv8@cornell.edu/315-787-2402) or Dr. Kerik Cox (kdc33@cornell.edu) prior to shipment.
  
• Mail samples and submission form OVERNIGHT to our facility, but make sure to avoid weekend deliveries. Other shipment procedures take too long and hinder the viability of scab fungus spores. Weekend deliveries are problematic, as packages arrive at different facilities on the weekend. We often do not receive weekend deliveries until later in the following week.

Simply click here to access the instructions and click here to access the submission form

Contact information

Sara Villani
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology
218 Barton Laboratory 630 West North Street Geneva, NY 14456
Telephone: 315-787-2402
e-mail: smv8@cornell.edu or kdc33@cornell.edu)n: