California registered Valent’s Quash® fungicide

Valent U.S.A. Corporation recently announced that Quash® Fungicide(metconazole) has been registered in California for control of Botryosphaeria (Bot) blight in walnuts.

First introduced in California for tree nuts and stone fruit in 2009, Quash is a highly effective foundation fungicide that delivers proven, broad spectrum performance for a planned rotation program. Now, Quash also delivers preventive protection against the spread of walnut Botryosphaeria blight.

"With yield-robbing Botryosphaeria blight increasing in California walnuts, the new registration for Quash provides the state’s growers with a valuable tool for producing optimal yields and improved crop quality," said Kenny Seebold, fungicide product development manager for Valent. "Research shows that Quash is effective against the top species in the Bot blight complex for walnuts, which complements the fungicide’s long-standing preventive disease control in almonds and pistachios."

In addition to cultural practices, Quash helps to reduce pathogen populations at harvest. In 2015 commercial walnut trials studying season-long Bot blight severity, Quash applied alone or in a rotation program effectively reduced disease incidence and development versus standard programs and the untreated check. In 2015 University of California research, Quash applied alone in a calendar spray program effectively reduced the incidence of Bot canker and blight on current season spurs.