US EPA updates labels for Arysta's Royal MH-30 pesticides

Arysta LifeScience North America announces that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has approved a supplemental label for Royal MH-30® XTRA and a supplemental label for Royal MH-30. Royal MH-30 and Royal MH-30 XTRA feature a potassium salt formulation of maleic hydrazide (MH) used to prevent sucker development in tobacco.

This label update means Royal MH-30 XTRA and Royal MH-30 may be used for the reduction and suppression of bacterial wilt in tobacco crops.

“Bacterial wilt, or Granville wilt, is a major disease problem in Southeast flue-cured and burley tobacco production,” explains Keith Griffith, Arysta LifeScience technical sales support representative. “This label update offers tobacco growers a way to significantly reduce the impact of this disease.”

Bacterial wilt is caused by a soil-borne bacterium that’s extremely difficult to control, and in severe cases, may cause tobacco losses up to 90% in some fields.

Research at Clemson University recently found that MH (i.e. Royal MH-30) is extremely effective in suppressing the bacterium that causes bacterial wilt disease in tobacco. However, timing is critical. If MH is applied four days prior to topping, it was not uncommon to see a 50% to 60% reduction in spread due to mechanical topping, and in some cases even higher reduction rates.

“This suggests that growers should consider an application of MH (Royal MH-30 or Royal MH-30 XTRA) four days prior to topping to minimize the spread of bacterial wilt by topping machinery,” says Griffith.