California approval for FMC’s Rhyme fungicide for chemigation applications

Rhyme fungicide from FMC, registered for a wide range of specialty crops throughout the U.S., received approval from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for chemigation application in strawberries, tomatoes, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables with other crops to follow.

Chemigation use instructions allow Rhyme fungicide to be applied through drip or sprinkler irrigation systems including center pivot, lateral move, end tow, side (wheel) roll, traveler, big gun, solid set, micro-sprinkler or hand move systems. Chemigation use instructions are now on file everywhere Rhyme fungicide is registered.

Drip irrigation is widely used in California and Florida in strawberries, tomatoes and vegetable crops. The chemigation label for Rhyme fungicide gives growers a tool to control diseases including charcoal rot. Charcoal rot resides in the soil for many years and, when a susceptible host is encountered, it will infect the roots resulting in the collapse and death of plants. The disease has been found in all the major strawberry producing counties in California.

The active ingredient in Rhyme fungicide, flutriafol, is highly systemic so it quickly moves into the plant and new growth via the xylem conductive system. “Rhyme fungicide differentiates itself from other DMIs by being highly mobile in the plant and translocating quickly to provide protection from fungal pathogens, which makes it an excellent material for drip application,” says Kaustubh Borah, product manager for FMC.