Electis plus cymoxanil for early season and when intervals are stretched

UK - June 11, 2004

Mixing the protectant fungicide, Electis*, with the curative fungicide, cymoxanil, will provide an excellent early treatment for potato blight, especially when blight cases have already been confirmed in isolated areas and Smith periods have already been recorded in a number of regions of the UK, according to Dow AgroSciences.

“Protracted and late potato planting has coincided with early blight risk. This means that emerging crops are vulnerable and require strong blight protection right from the start. A tank mix of Electis and straight cymoxanil (as in C50 from Sipcam) will provide “the belt and braces” approach that potato crops need now and also later in the season when intervals maybe stretched through difficult weather conditions. Cymoxanil will improve the curative ability of Electis, giving unique kickback activity of 2 – 3 days. Electis at the full label rate of 1.8 kg/ha will provide excellent protection against foliar, stem and also tuber blight, as is shown by the blight-free yield results we have seen in trials,” advises Paul Savage of Dow AgroSciences.

“In a number of trials in Scotland conducted by SAC, the Electis + cymoxanil treatments gave outstanding performance. A spray program of a benalaxyl + mancozeb fungicide mixed with cymoxanil, followed by three Electis plus cymoxanil treatments followed by 3 further Electis sprays gave a marketable yield of 49.7 t/ha compared to the untreated yield of 27.7 t/ha.” reports Paul.

“In other trials by AgriSearch last year, when the untreated was showing 99% foliar blight infection, the Electis + cymoxanil program was showing only 1% blight when assessed on 2^nd September. The treatment was keeping blight out very effectively. The trials data for Electis at 1.8kg/ha plus cymoxanil at 0.2kg/ha is very encouraging and the work will be repeated this year,” says Paul.