Persistent Resistance Required
Gowan Comércio, the new owners of the active ingredient zoxium, are urging potato growers to take anti-resistance measures more seriously, especially in the light of the more challenging blight populations.
"The blight pathogen is notorious for its ability to develop resistance to single-site fungicides and the new aggressive A2 blight strains, with its faster reproductive cycle, more aggressive nature and ability to thrive at lower temperatures, could be even more of a problem when it comes to build up of resistance. The situation is, quite rightly, causing more concern amongst advisors and growers," explains John Edmonds, European Technical Manager for Gowan Comércio.
He advises that growers should apply the rules of resistance management more strictly, by integrating blight fungicides that work on different sites of action and that have proven multi-site activity into the blight control programme.
"Electis contains two active ingredients; zoxium which works on a unique site of action distinct from all known blight products and mancozeb which works on several different sites in the fungus. So Electis offers a particularly strong anti-resistance position. The unique combination of actives also results in proven foliar and tuber blight activity," points out John.
"Furthermore there is no known resistance to Electis and no shift in its status since its launch in 2001. In fact mancozeb has been around for over 45 years with no known resistance problems anywhere in the world. Electis controls all known blight races and strains, including the new A2-13 genotypes and those resistant to phenylamides," he says.
John Edmonds reports that FRAC defines 5 sites of action for potato fungicides and zoxium with its unique site of action offers one out of this limited number of possibilities. "By including this unique active into your blight programme, growers can take advantage of all available sites of action and so minimise any future risk."
"The low resistance risk of Electis is demonstrated by its label which allows up to ten sprays in any one season. This gives growers ultimate flexibility as to how they integrate this fungicide into their programmes for effective foliar and tuber blight control and as a resistance management strategy."
John Edmonds points out that Gowan Comércio are keen to reinvigorate this unique and highly effective blight product this year and for the future and are investing heavily in it, not just in demonstration trials but also in late blight trials in the UK and Europe. "In addition we are also looking to the future at appropriate partner products to prolong zoxium for the benefit of potato growers."
For further information, please contact John Edmonds, on 01223 506 606 or 07764 268 199 (mobile).
Electis contains 8.3% w/w zoxium (zoxamide) and 66.7% w/w mancozeb, formulated as a WDG. It is recommended on all varieties of potatoes at spray intervals of 7 to 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-ha pack (5.4 kg).
Gowan Ltd is a family-owned international company with its Headquarters in Arizona, USA. Founded in 1963 it has a turnover of $330 million and employs over 625 employees. Its business strategy is to target opportunities to acquire product lines from larger companies and revitalise them. Although the majority of Gowan’s current business is in the USA, the company is expanding internationally, particularly into Europe. It now has European interest in Spain, Italy, Portugal, France and the UK.
