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A chance application of a product formulated by Cherikoff Bioactives may have revealed a way to control grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) in cut roses (and a wide range of other flowers).
Botrytis or grey mould is a fungal disease that affects a number of ornamental plants. Its spread is favoured by cool rainy weather.
Roses infected by grey mould typically show necrotic brown areas on petals with eventual rot of the corolla.
It’s a problem for growers and florists. It’s a particularly troublesome fungus in warmer climates as spores are always developing and spreading. In cooler climates it will overwinter to germinate in humid spring conditions.
Florists will not know if the roses are infected until the first tell-tale signs.
Additionally, the existing synthetic fungicides used in the industry have socio-environmental risks and there is an imperative to find more generally acceptable alternatives.
Susan Kirk, a horticultural journalist and florist in Kureelpa Queensland, used the product, Herbal-Active™
“I asked Mr Cherikoff the question; would Herbal-Active™
Cherikoff was confident that it would work as it is made from GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) essential oils from culinary herbs and spices and is an effective and powerful antimicrobial replacing chemical preservatives in many applications.
“Micro-organisms cannot develop a resistance to the actives in Herbal-Active™
The product is natural and approved for use as an ingredient in organic foods by Organic Food Chain P/L. It is used in many food and beverage applications in Australia, in the USA, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK with customers in other countries in various stages of trial and application.
But back to Mrs Kirk’s floral tests: One bunch of 10 roses with no obvious signs of the disease, were dipped in a 1% solution of Herbal-Active™
Three days later, only one rose was showing signs of mould. The affected petal was removed and the rose was again dipped in the solution. The stem were cut and placed into chlorinated water.
“These roses, eight days later, have showed no signs of infection and even looked healthier than when first purchased.”
Another bunch of roses, which was used as the test control and not dipped, was nearly decimated with petal blight in less than a week.
“Dipping as near to harvest as possible is recommended but as soon as practical will still mean longer life flowers,” says Mr Cherikoff.
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Media Contact Vic Cherikoff ph: 0418 405 183 vic@cherikoff.net
PHOTO available of roses.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
