Rural Development Administration Promotes Measures to Minimize Damage from Fire Blight in Fruit Trees

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Rural Development Administration announced on the 7th that it is operating a pilot service for predicting fire blight in fruit trees to prevent and minimize damage, and is promoting experimental control using agricultural drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) and trunk injections. Since the occurrence of fire blight in domestic fruit trees was confirmed (2015), the Rural Development Administration has been focusing its research capabilities on developing effective fire blight control technologies and is conducting joint research with universities and related private companies.

Currently, the 'Fire Blight Prediction Pilot Service,' being developed through joint research by the Rural Development Administration, universities, and agricultural environmental information technology specialized companies, is in operation. This prediction pilot service, which fruit farmers can use as a reference, is a fire blight forecasting system for fruit trees (apple, pear) developed to suit domestic conditions, providing information by utilizing meteorological observation data and biological seasonal prediction models.

Before the full-scale control during the flowering period, which takes place from mid to late April, a pilot control using agricultural drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) and trunk injections will be promoted jointly with the Agricultural Technology Center in Chungju, Chungbuk*. As part of diversified control technologies to prevent fire blight, joint drone control will be conducted on the 8th in six areas?Sancheok-myeon, Angseong-myeon, Dongryang-myeon, Eomjeong-myeon, Sotae-myeon, and Anrim-dong?in Chungju, Chungbuk, covering 658.2 hectares.

Previously, fire blight control was carried out by ground spraying using high-performance sprayers (SS machines), but to protect farmers' health from pesticides and reduce the time and labor required for control, the fire blight occurrence area is zoned and controlled by drones. This joint drone control uses microbial pesticides, which are protective fungicides. Among the pesticides used during the flowering period, these can be applied from the early flowering stage (early to mid-April, when flowers begin to bloom) and as needed thereafter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.