Nufarm’s AMICUS fungicide approved in New Zealand

A new fungicide which protects potatoes and cabbages has been approved for use in New Zealand, subject to conditions.

The applicant, Nufarm, sought approval to import or manufacture Amicus for the control of the diseases club root in transplanted brassica crops and powdery scab in potatoes.

Amicus comes in the form of water-dispersible granules, applied to brassicas as a pre-plant seedling drench and to potatoes as an in-furrow spray.

During the application process, Nufarm submitted that Amicus is a low-risk and cost effective tool to benefit disease control and resistance management in the horticultural industry.

"In granting approval for Amicus, strict rules have been set for its use. These include that it can only be applied once a year, at a restricted amount. Limits have also been applied to prevent spray drift," says the Environmental Protection Authority’s acting General Manager of Hazardous Substances and New Organisms, Dr Clark Ehlers.

"This product can only be applied by people who are trained to safely use these types of substances.

"The active ingredient, amisulbrom, is new to New Zealand, but already approved for use in Australia, Europe, and Japan. It is under evaluation in the USA."