AgroPages-UPL'S KASUMIN Bactericide Granted Section 18 Approval On California Almonds-Agricultural news

UPL announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) have granted and approved a Section 18 emergency exemption for use of KASUMIN Bactericide on almonds for the control of bacterial blast on this Tuesday.

The approval applies to treatment on a maximum of 100,000 acres of almonds in the state and is limited to the counties of Butte, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo and Yuba.

"Bacterial blast can be economically devastating to an orchard grower's operation if not effectively managed," said David Davies, Marketing Manager, Specialty Crops, UPL. "The Section 18 approval of KASUMIN will now provide California almond growers with a highly effective tool for controlling bacterial blast by targeting a different site of action to protect tree health, crop quality and yields."

Under the Section 18, KASUMIN can be applied up to two times at a use rate of 64 fl oz per acre. Application should be made when conditions favor disease development, from bud break to petal fall. Application after petal fall is prohibited.

"There was considerable support for this use from the industry, including significant university support as well as lobbying from the Almond Board of California and independent growers," says Davies. "We are very thankful for the support and pleased to offer almond growers a new tool to control bacterial blast."

Unique mode of action

KASUMIN is already being successfully used in California walnut production for control of walnut blight after receiving federal and state registrations in 2018. As the only member of FRAC Group 24, KASUMIN has a high level of preventative activity on a wide array of plant pathogenic bacteria. Its active ingredient, kasugamycin, has a unique site of activity and mode of action.

Locally systemic in green tissue

The bactericide acts mainly as a preventative and is applied to coincide with early shoot emergence and bloom, which places a protective layer of the bactericide on emerging green tissue and blossoms. KASUMIN acts as a locally systemic bactericide. In addition to controlling plant diseases on contact, the active ingredient in KASUMIN is absorbed by the plant's green tissue and provides even broader control of targeted pathogens.

KASUMIN is most effective when it is incorporated in a rotation program because the product shows no cross-resistance to other bactericides. KASUMIN features a 12-hour restricted-entry interval (REI) and 100-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) on almonds. It has no animal or human uses.

UPL offers an integrated portfolio of agricultural products for specialty crops, including biological, crop protection and post-harvest solutions. To learn more about KASUMIN, visit the company website or contact your local UPL sales representative.