trifloxystrobin and propiconazole

The use of foliar fungicides on field corn has increased greatly over the past 5 years in the United States in an attempt to increase yields, despite limited evidence that use of the fungicides is consistently profitable. To assess the value of using fungicides in grain corn production, random-effects meta-analyses were performed on results from foliar fungicide experiments conducted during 2002 to 2009 in 14 states across the United States to determine the mean yield response to the fungicides azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, propiconazole + trifloxystrobin, and propiconazole + azoxystrobin. For all fungicides, the yield difference between treated and nontreated plots was highly variable among studies. All four fungicides resulted in a significant mean yield increase relative to the nontreated plots (P < 0.05). Mean yield difference was highest for propiconazole + trifloxystrobin (390 kg/ha), followed by propiconazole + azoxystrobin (331 kg/ha) and pyraclostrobin (256 kg/ha), and lowest for azoxystrobin (230 kg/ha). Baseline yield (mean yield in the nontreated plots) had a significant effect on yield for propiconazole + azoxystrobin (P < 0.05), whereas baseline foliar disease severity (mean severity in the nontreated plots) significantly affected the yield response to pyraclostrobin, propiconazole + trifloxystrobin, and propiconazole + azoxystrobin but not to azoxystrobin. Mean yield difference was generally higher in the lowest yield and higher disease severity categories than in the highest yield and lower disease categories. The probability of failing to recover the fungicide application cost (p(loss)) also was estimated for a range of grain corn prices and application costs. At the 10-year average corn grain price of $0.12/kg ($2.97/bushel) and application costs of $40 to 95/ha, p(loss) for disease severity <5% was 0.55 to 0.98 for pyraclostrobin, 0.62 to 0.93 for propiconazole + trifloxystrobin, 0.58 to 0.89 for propiconazole + azoxystrobin, and 0.91 to 0.99 for azoxystrobin. When disease severity was >5%, the corresponding probabilities were 0.36 to 95, 0.25 to 0.69, 0.25 to 0.64, and 0.37 to 0.98 for the four fungicides. In conclusion, the high p(loss) values found in most scenarios suggest that the use of these foliar fungicides is unlikely to be profitable when foliar disease severity is low and yield expectation is high.

Topics: Acetates; Carbamates; Edible Grain; Fungicides, Industrial; Imines; Methacrylates; Plant Diseases; Plant Leaves; Pyrazoles; Pyrimidines; Risk Factors; Strobilurins; Triazoles; United States; Zea mays

In Côte-d'Ivoire, banana leaf surfaces are attacked by Mycosphaerella fijiensis var. difformis, Cladosporium musae, and Deigthonielle torulosa. Control is based on fungicides recommanded for Mycosphaerella fijiensis. Fungicides belonging to triazoles and strobilurines types were added, at different concentrations, to the PDA medium, using this PDA medium containing no fungicide as the control. Mycelium disc and spores of Cladosporium musae, Mycosphaerella fijiensis and Deightoniella torulosa were put on the different media. Total inhibition of mycelium growth of every fungus on the PDA amended with propiconazole was observed. The fungicides used show different activities according to their concentration and their mode of action. The application of a fungicide should talke into account the pathogenic fungus involved in the leaf attacked. Against Mycosphaerella fijiensis var. difformis, the Ci(50) are different according to the concentrations (0.44 to 1.06 ppm). Correlations ranked from 0.71 to 0.91 are also different according to fungicide used. The Ci(50) of Cladosporium musae (0.10 to 2.44 ppm) and Deightoniella torulosa (0.26 to 0.52 ppm) are different and their correlations are respectively 0.78 to 0.99 and 0.86 to 0.95. An assessment of the sensitivity of parasitic fungi of banana can be made by mycelium growth measurement of fungi isolated from resistance zones.

Topics: Acetates; Ascomycota; Cladosporium; Cote d'Ivoire; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Fungal; Fungicides, Industrial; Imines; In Vitro Techniques; Methacrylates; Musa; Mycelium; Plant Leaves; Species Specificity; Spiro Compounds; Strobilurins; Triazoles

Strobilurin fungicides have a broad spectrum activity against all major foliar pathogens of wheat. In addition to this extraordinary fungicidal activity side-effects have been reported which result in higher yields of cereals, e.g. the reduction of respiration, delayed leaf senescence, activation of nitrogen metabolism as well as increased tolerance against abiotic stress factors. In the vegetation period 2000/2001 field trials were carried out at three sites in North Rhine-Westphalia to study the effects of three strobilurin fungicides on the yield formation of six winter wheat varieties. The strobilurins were applied two times as the commercial products Stratego (trifloxystrobin + propiconazole), Amistar/Pronto Plus (azoxystrobin/spiroxamine + tebuconazole) and Juwel Top (kresoxim-methyl + epoxiconazole + fenpropimorph. Fungicide-treated plants were kept disease-free by an initial azole-application in GS 31 in order to exclude disease effects on physiological parameters relevant to yield formation. Photosynthetic electron transport of strobilurin-treated wheat, was improved as early as at GS 65 compared to azole-treated plants. Differences often increased with growth stage and were closely related to a delay in leaf senescence. A higher photosynthetic activity of strobilurin-treated plants was confirmed by gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements under field conditions. The yield benefit of wheat from strobilurin treatments varied from 2% to 9% depending on an improved photosynthetic capacity due to a higher and/or prolonged activity. Neither yield potential nor disease susceptibility of the cultivar had an effect on the height of the extra yield which, in contrast was modified by location and wheat genotype.

Topics: Acetates; Acrylates; Azoles; Chlorophyll; Epoxy Compounds; Fungicides, Industrial; Germany; Imines; Methacrylates; Morpholines; Phenylacetates; Photosynthesis; Pyrimidines; Strobilurins; Triazoles; Triticum