Last chance to protect against Potato Blight

In some areas potato blight risk is considered to be high and seven-day spray intervals are again being recommended. A recent survey on the web site, potatocrop.com, has suggested that during a dry time, growers are likely to extend intervals between sprays. The recent ADAS Blight Report notes that growers are stretching intervals to nearer ten days rather than seven days due to workload. Electis is a very strong protectant fungicide with flexible spray intervals and a rainfastness of one hour and is ideally suited to changeable weather patterns, according to Dow AgroSciences.

"The latest blight reports also recommends using products with known zoospore activity. Electis prevents zoospore release and therefore protects against tuber blight. Stem lesions are present in many crops and with night temperatures between 10 - 15°C zoospore production is more likely," advises Andy Leader, Agronomist for Dow AgroSciences.

"The cost of the blight programme is minimal in the context of potato growing, but provides vital insurance against deterioration in quality of a valuable crop during storage and saves money through reduced wastage and reduced grading costs. Based on a 50 t/ha yield, a total blight programme, including Electis, will cost between £3-3.50 per tonne. A grower-owned fridge store costs are estimated at £12 per tonne, grading costs (bagged) will have a cost base of around £15 per tonne, rising up to £40 per tonne for a crop with high levels of tuber blight. In a market where only the best produce is good enough, the best programme to protect your potato crop makes the most sense," comments Simon Parker, Potato Specialist for Dow AgroSciences.

Electis contains 8.3% w/w zoxium and 66.7%w/w mancozeb, formulated as a WDG. It is recommended on all varieties of potatoes at spray intervals of 7,10 or 14 days. It has a dose rate of 1.8 kg/ha in 200-600 litres of water per hectare. It has a maximum number of treatments of 10 per crop and a harvest interval of 7 days. It is packed in a 3-hectare pack (5.4 kg) and marketed exclusively by Dow AgroSciences.