Effect of Copper Bactericides on Copper-Resistant and -Sensitive Strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae.

Fourteen formulations of copper-based bactericides were evaluated for their efficacy in reducing populations of copper-resistant and -sensitive strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae growing on tissue-cultured lilac and of copper-sensitive strains of this pathogen on field-grown lilac. The amount of free cupric ions (Cu) in solution was the only predictor of formulation efficacy, but this variable could not be estimated from the metallic copper content of the product. Relative to nontreated controls, all copper-based bactericides reduced the population size of copper-sensitive strains by 50%, but only cupric hydroxide mixed with mancozeb or ferric chloride reduced the population size of copper-resistant strains by an equivalent amount. Several noncopper bactericides, including streptomycin-sulfate, caused only small reductions in bacterial populations on tissue-cultured or field-grown lilacs. In the field, two applications of cupric hydroxide (wettable powder) when plant growth stages were at dormant (mid-February) and delayed dormant (late February) provided better control than either one or no treatments.