Agro Perspectiva

Syngenta Astounds Canola Growers With the Launch of the New Canola Fungicide - Astound®

31.03.2010 10:38 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Syngenta Canada is pleased to announce the registration of Astound®, a new canola fungicide that provides preventative and curative protection against stem rot caused by sclerotinia. Containing two active ingredients, fludioxonil and cyprodinil, Astound works both systemically and on contact, to inhibit spore germination outside the plant and prevent disease penetration into the plant tissue. «Sclerotinia stem rot is the most economically significant canola disease in Canada, so Syngenta is delighted to be able to offer Astound as an option to growers for the 2010 growing season,» says Fernando Olea, Brand Manager, Fungicides and Insecticides, Syngenta Canada. «With sclerotinia, prevention is better than cure. Once producers see visible symptoms of the disease in their canola crop, the damage has been done and yield loss will inevitably occur — usually to the tune of one half of the infected plants in the field,» explains Olea. «In practical terms this means that if 10 per cent of a canola field is infected with sclerotinia, yield loss will be approximately five per cent.» As yield loss is irreversible, Canola growers should use a preventative method to control against sclerotinia stem rot, particularly in areas where sclerotinia is prevalent and growing conditions are favourable for sclerotinia germination. In farmer-run field trials during 2009, Astound proved highly effective in preventing infection as well as controlling the spread of the disease. Yields using Astound were on average up to three per cent higher than currently registered products, with yield advantages of more than seven per cent recorded. Field trials showed optimum application timing to be between 20 to 50 per cent bloom and before any visible signs of infection. «Astound should be used as part of an integrated crop management plan,» says Syngenta Canada’s Olea. Syngenta recommends the following best practices for growing a successful canola crop and protecting against yield loss caused by sclerotinia: Avoid tight crop rotations: sclerotinia can survive for up to five years in the soil or on stubble, so long crop rotations can reduce the overall risk of infection. Rotate with crops such as cereals and grasses that are not susceptible to sclerotinia; Do not seed over the recommended seeding rate: the denser the crop the greater the risk of sclerotinia infection; Consider a no-till system: no till systems with good rotations can reduce the number of apothecia that are able to produce spores. It’s most important to keep the sclerotinia out of the band of soil within five cm (two inches) from the soil’s surface. Astound contains a combination of Group 9 and Group 12 fungicides. It can be tank mixed with Matador® 120EC insecticide for foliar disease and insect control.