Survey of spinach downy mildew management practices and communication network

Abstract

California spinach growers struggle to manage downy mildew effectively. Management practices are available, but it is not known how growers perceive their relative efficacy. It is also not clear who growers contact for information on spinach downy mildew management. In this study, we conducted an online survey of people involved in spinach production in the US, asking who they contact to discuss spinach downy mildew control, the frequency of that contact, and the perceived efficacy of potential management practices. Growers were the group that was the most frequently contacted about spinach downy mildew. We found that respondents perceived resistant cultivars and the use of synthetic fungicides to be the most effective, with much lower perceived efficacy for the practices of disking diseased fields, application of certified organic fungicides, and roguing diseased plants.