Blight fungicide gains SOLA for downy mildew

Valbon (benthiavalicarb and mancozeb) - a fungicide traditionally known for controlling late blight in potatoes - has been granted a specific off-label approval (SOLA) by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate for use on table wine grapes.

The approval allows grape growers to take advantage of its activity against downy mildew, which United Agri products agronomist Julian Searle described as "a very serious disease in grapevines".

He said: "There are three diseases of concern for the crop - downy mildew, powdery mildew and Botrytis - and they all have the potential to destroy an entire crop. So we were very pleased to see the application for an off-label for Valbon. Were very short of downy mildew treatments - critically so.

"And with the area of grapes grown in the UK increasing significantly - from around 400ha 10 years ago to more than 1,000ha now - it really is a timely and essential off-label that will get us out of a hole."

He added that although our climate this year has given low pressure and primary infection so far, in certain areas of significant rainfall - particularly in the west where there are substantial areas of vineyards - the threat of infection increases significantly.

Searle also advised growers that Valbons chemistry was particularly useful for grapevine treatments with a relatively new benthiavalicarb component combined with mancozeb offering curative and protectant activity, along with retrospective kick-back activity.

L Valbon - a registered trademark of  Kumiai Chemical Industry - has a maximum individual dose for grapevines of 1.6kg/ha with a maximum of two applications permitted per year.

Growers must ensure a 56-day harvest interval is observed. As with any off-label approval, growers are reminded that use is at their own risk.