By Craig Chisholm, Field Technical Manager
February Arable Update:
Now we are nearing the end of February, planning for spring fungicide programmes is well underway. All fungicide applications will be made to protect the crop for up to 3-4 weeks, although decisions are generally made on the weather conditions in the previous 3-4 weeks and the disease situation at that time.
What is harder to take account of is how long we have been reliant on the same modes of action and the impact this has on resistance. Harder still, what can be done about the situation without adding cost? The first part is easy, for over a decade we have mostly relied on SDHI and triazole chemistry for the control of septoria and largely we still do. Is there resistance to SDHI and triazole chemistry? Yes. Will it get worse without action? Yes, especially as potent new forms of this chemistry are launched, increasing the selection pressure on existing resistance mechanisms.
Is there a solution? A panacea, no, but employing a break in the reliance on these chemistries by introducing an alternative mode of action chemistry that also has high efficacy on septoria will help.
This active is Inatreq™ and it can be found in Univoq™. Does choosing Univoq over a triazole + SDHI option compromise a fungicide programme? No, in fact it may well enhance it. Will choosing Univoq over an alternative SDHI + triazole product cost more? No, in fact it may be cheaper.
Univoq has excellent efficacy at both T1 and T2 leaving you to choose an alternate product at the other timing based on your belief as to what meets your needs. If you have not used it yet, be assured that over 2 million hectares have been treated with Inatreq products since launch and many growers and advisors would not use a programme without it now.
As cereal growers begin to plan their fungicide programmes for 2025, here’s what six industry experts have to say about the potential in this year’s crop, market conditions, product efficacy, and anti-resistance strategies.
Corteva would like to thank all the contributors featured in this video who volunteered their time and provided expert opinions to support growers’ decisions for their 2025 fungicide programmes.
Craig Chisholm, Field Technical Manager