Long-term fungicide efficacy is the goal.
Most every farmer goes into the growing season with some type of disease management plan. As a BASF technical service representative, I encourage peanut growers to make sure they are using the right tools to mitigate disease, not only for this season but also for future growing seasons.
What’s In Your Toolbox?
Diseases like leaf spot, white mold and Rhizoctonia can be detrimental to a peanut crop. We can talk about the symptoms and environmental circumstances of each, but it’s like flipping a coin. It doesn’t matter if the coin lands on heads or tails, a grower is bound to see some type of fungal disease pressure.
The key is how to manage this disease pressure. There are some common management techniques that help reduce fungal disease such as choosing extended crop rotation, using varieties with higher disease tolerances, and planting at the right time and in the right conditions.
Additionally, fungicide applications offer great in-season disease protection when used according to the label. Before we get knee-deep into the growing season, I encourage farmers to look at their fungicide plan and make sure they’ve selected fungicides from different Fungicide Resistance Action Committee groups. The last thing we want to do is overuse any one fungicide and increase the potential for fungicide resistance.
I recommend Priaxor fungicide, FRAC Group 7 and 11, followed by Provysol fungicide, FRAC Group 3 for peanut growers in Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
Know Your FRAC Groups
An application of Priaxor should be made in the early season within 45 days of planting. It’s beneficial for control of leaf spot, white mold and Rhizoctonia. Additionally, Priaxor offers plant health benefits, allowing the crop to better withstand heat and drought stress.
After that initial fungicide application, dig further into the toolbox. The FRAC Group 7 and 11 fungicides that many farmers rely on today work well for the most part, but they are facing increased pressure because of widespread use, which could result in resistance management challenges.
I recommend growers explore Provysol fungicide. It’s the first and only isopropanol azole in peanuts. The unique isopropanol azole bridge allows the molecule to customize its shape, allowing for a tighter bind at the enzyme site of action for excellent efficacy on even the toughest diseases. It can be an essential piece of your farm’s resistance management strategy.
At the end of the day, we want long-term fungicide efficacy. Explore your options, use fungicides in different FRAC groups and incorporate management practices that help reduce disease pressure.
For more information, talk to your local agriculture chemical retail expert or contact your BASF representative. To learn more about FRAC, including effective resistance management strategies, visit FRAC.info.
Article by Abraham Fulmer, BASF technical service representative for Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
