AgroPages-Syngenta to launch carrot fungicide Reflect-Agricultural news

A new fungicide from Syngenta has been found to enhance green leaf tops and boost yields in carrots, as well as providing broad-spectrum disease control, and may now receive approval for other crops.

Officially launched at the British Carrot Growers Association open day tomorrow (1 October), Reflect (active ingredient: isopyrazam) promotes stronger upright foliage to give prolonged photosynthetic activity, according to Syngenta field technical manager Pete Saunders.

"It will help growers to extend top lifting, which is faster and cleaner, with improved packout percentage for higher root yields," he said. "It also gives longer frost protection that can reduce costly straw down and improved root quality."

It has shown high level of control of Alternaria and powdery mildew, while the strong foliage reduces susceptibility to Sclerotinia, he added.

Independent trials have shown two applications of Reflect within a commercial carrot fungicide programme led to over 50 per cent more disease-free green leaf at the end of the season, compared to using a strobilurin + triazole fungicide at the same timings.

These two sprays also yielded an extra 9.6 t/ha, equating to an increased crop value of around £1.600/ha over using trifloxystrobin + tebuconazole in the programme.

Isopyrazam was launched in 2008 and originally approved for use on cereals. For its Reflect product, "the approval has come through quickly for carrots only on the label", a Syngenta representative added.

"Having got that, other sectors of the industry would now able to look at extending authorisation into other fresh produce crops where appropriate. There has, for example, been some very encouraging trials in parsnips."