Carrot Review

FROM THE AHDB ... plant protection products that the industry has previously relied on. The aim of this research (FV 460) is to identify the timing of transmission of carrot red leaf virus (CtRLV) and carrot yellow leaf virus (CYLV) throughout the growing season and to correlate this to aphid flight data gathered from yellow water pan traps in the field. A further objective of the project is to compare the different methods used for monitoring aphid flights (suction trapping and in-field yellow water traps), and also to see whether this new data can be used to refine the current models used for predicting flights of willow-carrot aphid. The first year of research has shown that flights of willow-carrot aphid appear to track well with transmission of carrot red leaf virus. “The first year of research has shown that flights of willow-carrot aphid appear to track well with transmission of carrot red leaf virus.” Aphids day supports carrot growers AHDB recently held a ‘virtual’ Aphids Day which was planned in response to concerns raised by the industry on the loss of key actives for aphid control. The day focused on IPM strategies for aphid pests of horticultural crops. A series of presentations covered issues such as the use of flowers within the crop to attract beneficials such as hoverflies, the larvae of which are voracious predators of aphids. Bioprotectants can be more challenging to use than conventional plant protection products, so there were also presentations from aphid control product suppliers on conditions necessary to maximise the efficacy of their products. These included Flipper, Naturalis, Tecbom, Botanigard and Spruzit. The AHDB AMBER research project is identifying practical ways for growers to improve the performance of bioprotectants in their crop protection programmes. The presentations from industry experts given in the AMBER Field Vegetable workshop are available to view A final break-out discussion gave everyone the chance to discuss the ideas that had been presented and draft IPM strategies for the future. The discussion on carrots was led by Howard Hinds, Root Crop Consultancy Ltd. He started off the discussions with informative slides, setting the scene with a review of 2020 “the worse year for virus in some regions since 2015” with “yield reductions of up to 30%.” ➜ The virtual Aphids Day focused on IPM strategies for aphid pests of horticultural crops. CARROT REVIEW JANUARY 2021 11