Growers of brassica, carrot and leek crops are being promised the chance to control all of the key fungal pathogens as well as enhance plant growth.

The multi-activity fungicide Nativo 75WG contains the active ingredients tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin. Both are said to have good protective properties, trifloxystrobin being particularly long lasting, while tebuconazole is also curative.

The latter leads to delayed leaf senescence which prolongs photosynthesis, helping to improve yield and giving brassicas and leeks a more pristine, healthier appearance and thus better eye appeal, according to manufacturer Bayer CropScience. The result is improved saleability and higher returns/ha.

Each ingredient reinforces the other’s activity against numerous diseases including ring spot, Alternaria and powdery mildew on brassicas, Sclerotinia, Alternaria and powdery mildew on carrots and rust on leeks. In addition trifloxystrobin controls the oomycete pathogens, white blister and downy mildew on brassicas and white tip on leeks.

Up to three applications of Nativo75WG can be applied during a crop’s lifetime. For carrots the application rate is lower than that of the other crops at 0.3kg/ha because of its high intrinsic activity against the key diseases.

In brassicas and leeks 0.4kg/ha is recommended due to the wider disease spectrum in these crops which includes oomycete diseases against which trifloxystrobin is acting alone.

“On the whole the industry has tended to rely quite heavily on triazoles alone,” said the Allium and Brassica Centre’s Andy Richardson. “The nice things about Nativo are that it has eradicant and pretty good protectant activity and is giving broad spectrum control. It does most things reasonably well and some very well.

“We’re not used to getting new products - usually products disappear - and so it’s nice to see a new one,” he added.

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