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Robust Rates Of New Chemistry Needed to Tackle Eyespot Risk
Press release by Bayer CropScience, 9 March 2006
 
New eyespot fungicides have improved the level of disease control achieved in practice, believes Dr Fiona Burnett of SAC.

Proline is proven to be a very effective fungicide and gives a higher yield and better margin than other eyespot treatments, she reports.

"The old standard, Unix, gave 50% control of eyespot," explains Dr Burnett. "But the arrival of Proline and Tracker last year, moved things on. They represented a step improvement for eyespot control."

Last year also saw the launch of an HGCA-funded model for determining eyespot risk, which was developed by Dr Burnett. The model assigns points to known risk factors, allowing growers to determine the need for an eyespot treatment.

"If the risk is high, they can then either add in a specific eyespot fungicide at T1 or, in the case of products like Proline, simply increase the dose rate," advises Dr Burnett.

She adds that all eyespot fungicides will stop the disease for a while, but then it comes back. "The higher rate treatments are more persistent and will give longer lasting control. That's important with the mixed population infections that are around now."

The previous threshold approach used for assessing the need for an eyespot treatment is not appropriate anymore, warns Dr Burnett.

"Our understanding of the disease has moved on. The presence of eyespot in the crop as a predictor is simply not accurate enough."

Looking ahead to this season, she points out that the potential risk for 2006 is high. "There was a lot of early sowing last autumn, and the weather has been fairly conducive. There's been nothing to halt its progress."

Identifying fields at risk means taking sowing date, rainfall, cultivations, soil type and previous crop into account, she advises. "And don't just think about second wheats. First wheats also suffer from eyespot."

The arrival of broad-spectrum fungicides has helped with the decision process, she remarks. "You don't have to add anything else. But it is important to increase the dose rate with the perceived risk - with Proline you get an impressive yield and margin response."

A Proline plus Unix mix is not helpful, and neither is splitting the dose between T0 and T1 she concludes. "It doesn't add enough. A robust dose of Proline at T1 is just as effective."
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