Quell - the odds-on favourite for early disease control and return on investment in oilseed rape
With oilseed rape pricing now well over £200 per tonne, it is well worth investing in the crop with a robust fungicide programme. Integrating the multi-site fungicide Quell Flo into any programme this autumn will deliver even more return on investment, says Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager of Interfarm UK Ltd.
Trials show that Quell alone offers good activity on downy mildew and useful activity on other rape diseases such as Phoma and light leaf spot. But it is in combination with a triazole that disease control is boosted, yields increased and return on investment increased, says David.
"Quell Flo can be used in combination with a low rate triazole. Trials show that a tank-mix of a reduced rate triazole plus Quell Flo at 1.5 l/ha is just as effective as a higher dose rate triazole alone at controlling Phoma and light leaf spot. The single-site triazole and multi-site mancozeb work in different ways, helping to improve disease protection, whatever the strain of disease, and counteracting the potential threat of resistance. But they also act together to produce excellent yields," explains David.
In recent trials for Phoma control, two sprays of 0.35 l/ha of prothioconazole resulted in yields of 3.47 t/ha. "Adding in Quell to the first triazole treatment in this two-spray programme resulted in yields of 3.92 t/ha, an extra 0.45 t/ha valued at £90. The addition of 1.5 l/ha of Quell Flo, which is a low-cost treatment, to the low-rate prothioconazole programme gave £158/ha return compared to a return of £40/ha for the two triazoles without mancozeb, (with rape at £200/tonne). This is an outstanding return for a treatment that costs just around£4/ha!"
"In other Phoma trials, half-rate tebuconazole gave 51% control of Phoma and yielded 3.79 tonnes/hectare. Adding in 1.5 l/ha of Quell Flo improved disease control up to 65% and yields up to 3.89 tonnes/ha, valued at £20/ha, at least five times the original investment. And you get anti-resistance management thrown in," points out David.
According to Dr. Stormonth, Quell Flo is a really useful way of increasing cost-effectiveness and also reducing the likelihood of resistance development. "Adding in Quell this autumn is a responsible approach that will ensure disease resistance does not become such a widespread problem in oilseed rape, as it already is in many other crops."
In addition to disease control, resistance management and extra yield effects, the mancozeb in Quell Flo at 1.5 l/ha delivers 140 gms/ha of elemental manganese which will help to improve green leaf production and retention, leading to a healthier crop and assisting in early canopy management during the winter period.
"It can be tank-mixed with the major triazoles such as flusilazole, flusilazole + mbc, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, metconazole, prochloraz, prothioconazole and prothioconazole + tebuconazole. It is also compatible with pyrethoids, propyzamide products and most graminicides," concludes Dr. Stormonth.
