UK: Dow AgroSciences launches new cereal fungicide with Inatreq active

Dow AgroSciences is set to become the first company in over a decade to introduce a new molecule for the long-term control of key diseases in cereals.

Inatreq provides a real solution for Septoria tritici resistance management in wheat with its biochemical mode of action at a new target site.

The new active is derived from a natural compound produced by fermentation and possesses a favourable toxicological profile.

Through extensive field trials, Inatreq has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance on Septoria and a broad spectrum of activity on rusts and other key cereal diseases.

Inatreq will be an innovative and effective tool in helping farmers who face increased resistance threats from Septoria with existing technologies.

As the first member of a new class of cereal fungicides called picolinamides, Inatreq inhibits fungal respiration in the mitochondria at the Qi ubiquinone binding site in complex III which is a new target site and differs from all other cereal fungicides.

Most importantly, Inatreq shows no cross-resistance to any of the existing cereal fungicide chemistries, including triazoles, strobilurins or SDHIs and so will be an essential new tool in the armoury of cereal growers for controlling diseases.

The introduction of Inatreq is the first step for Dow AgroSciences in building a robust long-term fungicide program and will help enable farmers to see improvements in their yield and crop quality. It will be recommended for use in mixtures with other fungicides as part of a robust resistance management strategy.

David Hindes, Dow AgroSciences’ Global Business Leader for Fungicides, said: “Dow AgroSciences is excited to make an entrance into the European cereals market with such a strong product.

“Our ambition is to become a trusted partner within this space. We are committed to bring a truly novel solution to growers which provides a different biochemical mode of action from all other existing technologies. We believe that Inatreq will provide growers the much needed solution to cereal disease problems.”

ADAS Principal Research Scientist Jonathan Blake said: “Septoria tritici is the biggest yield robber in UK wheat crops and in wet springs and summers can cause losses as high as 4t/ha.

“We’re in a constant arms race between pathogen and product. As we continue to bombard Septoria with different modes of action it is finding its way around them and evolving and developing resistance.

“Having new modes of action available is essential and using them in conjunction with existing chemistry we can slow the development of resistance in other groups.

“Inatreq is highly active on Septoria and appears to be curative and preventative which is a key attribute in the battle to control the most difficult pathogen we have in UK wheat crops.”

Inatreq is the result of more than a decade of research by Dow AgroSciences that focused on providing new solutions to a number of challenges experienced by farmers around the world, including Septoria control in wheat.