Martignani: biological treatments in the apple tree

Martignani electrostatic sprayers are suitable for all types of crops and treatments, including biological. In the case of apple trees, Martignani has always been one of the main allies in fighting scab, a disease caused by a fungus that if the right control measures are not applied can create serious damage throughout production.

Apple scab occurs in all parts of the plant, from the leaves to the fruit or branches. Infections are visible because they have a somewhat darker color, like spots. Subsequently, the scab leaves dry up and fall off prematurely, leaving the plants partially bare.

There are several ways to combat this apple disease, from chemicals to soil treatments.

With Martignani sprayers, ground treatments can be made with lactoferments to prevent the disease without the need for chemicals.

Biological treatment on apple tree in Romagna

The Ecoter organic farm in Romagna has 17 hectares of apples (13.5 hectares of Fuji apples, and 3.5 hectares of gala apples) and has been using Martignani sprayers for treatments for years. One of the company’s managers, agrotechnician Fabiano Cornacchia, explains that “we also carry out soil treatments, both against cryptogams and insects, at different wetting volumes from 300 lt/hectare, to 1000 lt/hectare.”

With respect to scab, Cornacchia confirms that it is the main pest of apple trees and considers that “defense products in organic require low working pressure (Martignani works at 1.5 Bar) because otherwise, the high pressure of conventional sprayers could damage microorganisms.”

In addition, he adds that the main advantages of treatments made with Martignani sprayers are. “perfect wetting, given by the homogeneous air flow and optimal droplet size, ease of use thanks to the precision metering valves that need to be calibrated according to the speed, sixth of system and volume of water to be used, and the simple construction of the machine.”

Another advantage of treatments made with Martignani’s electrostatic sprayers is an important time saving, “thanks to the concentration of BIO products that is impossible with classic sprayers, and the uniformity of distribution that leaves no chance for fungi.”

From Romagna to Trentino

Still talking about organic apple trees, we move on to Mezzocorona, in the province of Trento, where the Pellegrini farm, Martignani customers since 1985 , is located. The farm is run by brothers Corrado and Roberto Pellegrini, along with their father Emilio.

They currently own 9 hectares of apple trees and 8.5 hectares of vineyards and use Martignani Turbo 1 sprayers (for the vineyard) and Sudtirol sprayers (for the orchards) to treat their production.

We spoke with Corrado Pellegrini, one of the company’s owners, and the first thing he pointed out to us was that one of their machines, the Turbo 1, was purchased in 92 and after almost 30 years and with only “some minor maintenance work” continues to work “decently.”

Pellegrini’s organic farm carries out treatments with products of natural, non-synthetic origin to defend against fruit diseases, especially apple scab with the Martignani Sudtirol sprayer.

Corrado Pellegrini is ironic about this, saying that “I grew up on bread, milk and Martignani because I have always seen it in the house. My father has always used it and we continue to use it because for me it is THE ONLY machine that really works with low volume.”

Pellegrini emphasizes the ease of operation of Martignani’s electrostatic charge sprayers. “Used to the ease of maintenance and use of the Martignani, afterwards it is not easy to work with other machines because you have to think more.” Moreover, he adds that, “for speed of work and execution, it is the only one that meets our demands (the Pellegrini company carries out treatments in the apple orchard at 7-8 km/h).”

I grew up on bread, milk and Martignani … for me it is THE ONLY machine that really works with low volume

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one of the main (and even more sustainable and green) benefits of using Martignani sprayers is the very important water savings (between 80 and 90 percent). The Pellegrini company uses 140 lt/hectare of water in treatments on the apple orchard (120 lt/hectare in the vineyard), while there are many companies that, with the use of conventional sprayers, use 1000 lt/hectare.

In this regard, Corrado Pellegrini says. “everyone recommends using high volumes because according to them you cover better and get better wetting, but that is not the case. We have been doing treatments for years with much less water and, thanks to the low volume of Martignani sprayers, we have never had any kind of problem even with clogging, and this is a huge advantage, not only in terms of saving water, but also in terms of time, because we have to fill less times and take less time to prepare the mixtures.”.

Pellegrini adds that by “having to do less filling, we as producers/operators are also less exposed.”

Pellegrini concludes by showing great satisfaction with the results achieved with Martignani sprayers in treatments, “we save water, time and money, because in agriculture time is money and if we add the savings in the use of products the savings are even greater.”