• BS in Plant Protection (4 years)

• Plant Protection Engineer (2 years)

• Teaching Assistant U of NS (3.5 years)

• MS in Plant Pathology (3 years)

• PhD in Plant Pathology – research on

trunk injection in agriculture (4.5 years)

• Environmentally safe and precise way

to deliver pesticides

• Insensitive to weather

My background

Srdjan Acimovic, Bert Cregg, George Sundin

& John Wise

The Theory of Trunk-injection and Applications

in Control of Tree Diseases

(Cartoon by Marlene Cameron)

• Harnessing xylem transport

capacity

• Environmentally safer - no

compound losses

• What influences the

efficiency after injection?

Trunk Injection Basics

Soil - Plant - Atmosphere Continuum

- Good flow of water - transpiration stream -

Soil - High

Energy

Air- Low

Energy

Energy

gradient is

pull force:

Transpiration

Engine

Loblolly

pine

Ash

Transpiration

Absorption

Soil and Root System - Evaporative Demand -

G

ram

s o

f w

ater

Time

• Good soil moisture (soil type, irrigation)

• Daily water consumption (apple 50-60, forest 100-300 gal./day)

• Drought – do not inject

• Good root system – rootstock

• Well developed and displayed crown

• Transpiration engine capacity

http://www.carrobgrowers.co.uk

Tree - Rootstock & Scion - Engine Capacity -

Tree Trunk Anatomy

http://bio1152.nicerweb.com

• Xylem is target tissue

• Know xylem type in tree species

• Anatomy affects timing and spatial uniformity of

compound distribution in the canopy

Vessel elements building blocks of efficient

sap transport, besides tracheids

Conifers and Hardwoods

http://petrifiedwoodmuseum.org

http://www.studyblue.com

SOFTWOODS (Conifers)

HARDWOODS

Tracheids and resin canals

• Sunny - rainy (±wind)

• Mid to lower RH

• Mid to high

temperatures • Soil moisture

Weather Conditions - Good for Injection -

Atmosphere Conditions – Engine Gas Pedal

Vapor and temperature regulate transpiration intensity:

• Inject at lower relative air humidity (RH)

• Higher Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)

• Mid to higher temperatures (season)

Cartoon by Bert Cregg

50°F

68°F

86°F

Spatial Distribution - Injected Imidacloprid - Apple Tree Canopy -

• Spatial distribution varies in crown - efficiency?

• Quantify spatial distribution in crown

• 1 g imidacloprid per tree

• 1, 2, 4, 8 injection ports per trunk

• How and where injected imidacloprid moves?

Water flow patterns in pine and ash

Tanis et al. 2011

Spatial Distribution - 14 Days After Injection -

14 DAI

Helical 360° spiral

pathway with diffusion

1 Injection port

The Plant and Pest We Treat

• Know pest lifestyle

• Know infestation pressure

• Problems in diagnostics

• Dose and time

• Healthy tree – good water

transport

• Affected crown parts obstruct

uptake (DED)

Pest lifestyle: Canopy, Wood or Roots? - Infection Pressure -

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

6/24/2014 7/28/2014 8/27/2014

Anth

racnose leaf

incid

ence (

%)

Sycamore Anthracnose

DI water control

Azoxystrobin

Azoxystrobin +Propiconazole

Propiconazole(3.75ml/trunkinch, 10%)

Control of apple scab with injected fungicides

• Optimize number of injections and timing for efficient

control

81.9 A

50.9 A

60.8 BC

22.8 CD

47.7 C

18.5 D

53.5 C

18.4 D

16.7 D

20.6 CD

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

5/4/2012Day 1

5/18/2012Day 15

5/4/2012Day 1

5/18/2012Day 15

6/14/2012Day 42

8/17/2012Day 106

Spurs Shoots

Ap

ple

sca

b in

cid

en

ce [

%] WTC PhJetL

PhJetH

Prophyt

SpraySTD*

WIC PhJet 2.59 ml/1” DFH PhJet 5.17 ml/1” DFH Prophyt 2.18 ml/ 1” DFH Spray EBDC

2012 Maximum configuration: 4 injections in spring

‘Red Delicious’

21

March

20

April

25

May

22

June

55.7 A 63.3 A

21.6 B

34.0 C

19.7 B

27.8 CD

15.0 B

21.3 DE

6.6 C

18.8 E

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

6/13/2013 7/3/2013 6/13/2013 7/3/2013 7/30/2013 8/26/2013

Spurs Shoots

Ap

ple

sca

b in

cid

en

ce [

%]

WTC Prophyt PhJetL PhJetH Spray STD

WIC Prophyt 2.18 ml/ 1” DFH PhJet 2.59 ml/1" DFH PhJet 5.17 ml/1" DFH Spray EBDC

2013 Maximum configuration: 4 injections in spring

‘Red Delicious’

72.2 A 54.0 A

15.5 E

20.0 D

47.8 CD

16.7 DE

39.3 D

14.3 E

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

5/1/2012Day 1

5/16/2012Day 16

5/1/2012Day 1

5/16/2012Day 16

6/13/2012Day 44

8/15/2012Day 107

Spurs Shoots

Ap

ple

sca

b in

cid

en

ce [

%]

2012 MAXIMUM CONFIGURATION: 4 INJECTIONS IN FALL + SPRING ‘Mac Spur’

WIC

Spray EBDC

PhJet 2.59 ml/1" DFH

PhJet 5.17 ml/1" DFH

15 October 2011 11 April 2012 11 May 2012 8 June 2012

72.2 A 54.0 A

59.8 B

30.3 B

52.5 BC

26.2 C

15.5 E

20.0 B

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

5/1/2012Day 1

5/16/2012Day 16

5/1/2012Day 1

5/16/2012Day 16

6/13/2012Day 44

8/15/2012Day 107

Spurs Shoots

Me

an a

pp

le s

cab

inci

de

nce

[%

]

2012 MAXIMUM CONFIGURATION: 4 INJECTIONS IN FALL + SPRING ‘Mac Spur’

WIC Alamo 8.3 ml/1" DFH Alamo 16.6 ml/1" DFH Spray EBDC

2012 – High Phosphojet dose

2012 – Water control

MINIMAL CONFIGURATION: 1-2 INJECTIONS IN FALL /+ SPRING 2013 – phosphites in apple scab control on ‘Mac Spur’ leaves (α=0.05)

88.3 A

94.4 A

69.5 C 70.5 D

47.4 DE 47.3 EF

65.8 C

49.7 E 63.4 C

36.9 FG

52.1 D

31.6 G

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

6/17/2013 7/9/2013 6/17/2013 7/9/2013 7/30/2013 8/30/2013

Spurs Shoots

Ap

ple

sca

b in

cid

en

ce [

%]

WIC PJ Fall: 1 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh

PJ Fall+Spring: 2 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh PJ Spring: 1 x 5.17 ml/ 1" dfh

Agrifos spray: 9 x 1892.7 ml/ 0.405 ha PJ Spring+Spring: 2 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh

11 October 2012 21 April 2013 22 May 2013

95.5 A

77.9 B

68.0 B

33.8 C

35.5 C

28.9 C

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

6/17/2013 7/9/2013 7/30/2013 8/30/2013

Ap

ple

sca

b in

cid

en

ce [

%]

WIC PJ Fall: 1 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh Agrifos spray: 9 x 1892.7 ml/ 0.405 ha PJ Fall+Spring: 2 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh PJ Spring: 1 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh PJ Spring+Spring: 2 x 5.17 ml/1" dfh

MINIMAL CONFIGURATION: 1-2 INJECTIONS IN FALL /+ SPRING 2013 – phosphites in apple scab control on ‘Mac Spur’ fruits (α=0.05)

Control of fire blight on apples with injected

compounds

• Performance in blossom and shoot blight control on ‘Gala’

apples

• Can injected plant resistance activators induce resistance?

• Can injection enhance the effect of plant resistance activators?

Controls Fire Blight on Apples

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11 June 18 June 25 June

Blo

sso

m b

ligh

t in

cid

en

ce (

%)

Treatment Mean

WC 72.9 a

KS 49.8 c

Arbor-OTC 28.7 d

2013 B

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11 June 18 June 25 June

Sho

ot

blig

ht

inci

de

nce

(%

) Treatment Mean

WC 68.5 a

KS 39.7 b

Arbor-OTC 26.9 c

2013

a

a a

a a

b b b

b b

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

5/21/2012 5/28/2012 6/4/2012 6/11/2012 6/18/2012

Sho

ot

blig

ht

seve

rity

(%

) WIC

OTC

a

a

a a a a

b b b b b b

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

6/10/2013 6/17/2013 6/24/2013 7/1/2013 7/8/2013 7/15/2013

Sho

ot

blig

ht

seve

rity

(%

) WIC

OTC

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

22 May2012

29 May2012

5 June2012

Blo

sso

m b

ligh

t in

cid

en

ce (

%)

WIC 47.2 a

ASM 1 27.3 bc

PH 20.8 c

SS 18.4 c

a a

a a

b

a

b

a

0

10

20

30

29 May2012

5 June2012

Sho

ot

blig

ht

inci

de

nce

(%

)

WIC

ASM 1

PH

SS

b

b

b

Erwinia amylovora

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11 June2013

18 June2013

25 June2013

Blo

sso

m b

ligh

t in

cid

ence

(%

)

WIC 72.9 a

ASM 1 59.0 b

PH 54.6 bc

SS 51.8 c

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11 June2013

18 June2013

25 June2013

Sh

oo

t b

ligh

t in

cid

en

ce (

%)

WIC 68.5 a

PH 52.5 b

ASM 1 50.0 bc

SS 43.5 c

Effect on Fire Blight on Apples

* -

*

*

*

-

*

*

*

-

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Non-injectednon-inoculated

Control

Actigard 3+3(2x0.34 g/tree)

Actigard 3(1x0.34 g/tree)

Phosphojet(2x22.5 ml/tree)

Water InjectedControl

(2x520 ml/tree)

Re

lati

ve g

en

e e

xpre

ssio

n

Treatment/ Dose

PR-1

PR-2

PR-8

Phosphojet Mode of Action - Induced Resistance - 31 May 2013 - gene expression -

Injection: 1 and 22 May

Sudden Oak Death

Phosphojet Treated Untreated Control

Sudden Oak Death

Mauget

pressurized

capsules

Wedgle

ChemJet

syringes

Tree IV

Bite

Quik-Jet

Air-Hydraulic

BRANDT

enTREE

Mauget

Injection Devices

Trunk Injection Technology Comparison

Treatments with Inspire Super® - apple scab:

QuikJet 7 ml/tree

ViperAH 7 ml/tree

Tree IV 7 ml/tree

Bite 7 ml/tree

ChemJet 7 ml/tree

Mauget 7 ml/tree

Wedgle 7 ml/tree

Inspire Super spray

EBDC standard spray

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

5/1/2012Day 1

5/17/2012Day 17

6/13/2012Day 45

8/16/2012Day 110

Shoots

Apple

scab incid

ence (

%)

Control WIC Bite QuikJet Mauget ViperAH ChemJet Wedgle TreeIV Spray STD* SprayS

Fungicide Effect on Leaf Apple Scab

Trunk Injection Ports and Closure

Drilled (no chemical) Lenticular

Injection Port Closure With Callus Tissue

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

4/14/2012 7/20/2012 4/14/2013 7/20/2013 4/14/2012 7/20/2012 4/14/2013 7/20/2013

Horizontal Vertical

Siz

e [m

m]

Date / measurement

Blade (1 x 28 mm lenticular port)

3/8" Drill bit (9.5 mm) + Arborplug no. 4

3/8" Drill bit (9.5 mm)

11/64" Drill bit (4.4 mm)

Drilled Port Healing

- April to July 2012 -

Blade 3/8 Drill bit

Sealed 3/8

Drill bit 11/64 Drill bit

Drilled Port Healing

- July 2013 -

Blade

3/8 Drill bit Sealed 3/8

Drill bit 11/64 Drill bit Blade

Pesticide Formulations for Injection

• Xylem compatible

• No penetrative or adhesive adjuvants

• Allow systemic movement of compound

• Allow good compound solubility in water

• Medium to low organic carbon-water partitioning

coefficient (Koc)

• Water solution pH around 7

• Few xylem compatible formulations available

• Compound translocation is time dependent

• Process of binding determined by Koc

• Reservoir effect for injected compound

Active Ingredient Koc Coefficient

Active ingredient Koc ml/g Water solubility

Propiconazole (Alamo) 1086 100-150 mg/L

Imidacloprid (Ima-Jet) 350 610 mg/L

Cyprodinil 1550 - 2030 13 mg/L

Oxytetracycline (Arbor-Biotic) 195 - 93317 >100 g/L

Streptomycin (Agri-Mycin) 10 100 g/L

Prohexadione-Ca 173 - 1428 174 mg/L

a

a a

a a

b b

b b b

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

5/21/2012 5/28/2012 6/4/2012 6/11/2012 6/18/2012

Sh

oo

t b

ligh

t se

ve

rity

[%

]

WIC

Arborbiotic

Arbor-OTC (Oxytetracycline)

- Controls Shoot Fire Blight -

2.52 ml water / 1” DFH

0.28 g / 1” DFH

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

5/21/2012(7 days)

5/28/2012(14 days)

6/4/2012(21 days)

6/11/2012(28 days)

6/18/2012(35 days)

Date/week unit in days

Sh

oo

t b

lig

ht

severi

ty (

%)

WIC (520 ml water/tree)

Apogee (11.23 g + 520 ml water/tree)

Apogee (Prohexadion-Ca) - No Control -

Conclusions

• Optimal number of injection ports (uniform)

• Devices largely similar in performance

• Tree IV slightly better

• Use needle or small drill-bit for small trunks

• Schedule injection according to pest cycle

• How much port wounds impair sap flow?

• Technology: no simultaneous injection of more trees?

Conclusions - Know your Device & Compound

• Use products formulated for injection

• Learn about Koc and water solubility

• Define time of compound movement and accumulation

• Use device that suits you best – $ and efficiency

Tree Fruit Pathology Lab

Applied Insecticide Toxicology Lab

Pesticide Analytical Lab

TNRC staff:

Hao lab

Schilder lab

Chilvers lab

Day lab

Beaudry lab

Sabbatini lab

A.L. Rogers Endowed Research Scholarship by Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program at MSU

Acknowledgements

Committee:

Dr. John Wise1

Dr. George Sundin2

Dr. Bert Cregg

Dr. Ray Hammerschmidt