Evaluation of Silver-Stabilized Hydrogen Peroxide as an Alternative Control Strategy for Major Bacterial Diseases of Kiwifruit

Bacterial canker and bacterial leaf spot are among the most economically important diseases affecting kiwifruit production, and their management has relied heavily on antibiotics and copper-based bactericides. However, increasing concerns regarding antibiotic resistance and environmental impact have highlighted the need for alternative disease control strategies. In this study, the antibacterial activity and disease control efficacy of silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide were evaluated against major bacterial diseases of kiwifruit under laboratory, greenhouse, and orchard conditions. Silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide significantly inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae and Acidovorax valerianellae in vitro, including streptomycin-resistant isolates. Under greenhouse conditions, application of the oxidative agent reduced disease severity by approximately 40-60%, while disease suppression of approximately 30-50% was observed under orchard conditions, depending on disease type and assessment timing. These ranges reflect variability among experimental replicates and environmental conditions, while treatment effects remained statistically significant. Although disease control efficacy was generally slightly lower than that achieved with conventional antibiotic treatments, silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide consistently suppressed disease development under both controlled and field conditions. These results indicate that silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide provides stable and reproducible disease suppression and may serve as a reliable complementary component of integrated disease management programs aimed at reducing antibiotic dependence in kiwifruit production systems.