Bayer CropScience launches Prosaro fungicide against FHB in Western Canada

Prosaro®, a new protective and curative fungicide from Bayer CropScience, is now registered in Western Canada to offer the broadest spectrum of activity for leaf and head disease in wheat and barley. 

"This is great news for cereal growers, especially after the wet season we experienced in 2010,” says Graham Hastie, Manager of Cereal Crops Fungicides/Insecticides & Seed Treatments. “With Prosaro, cereal growers get the most effective fungicide for suppressing fusarium head blight.”

Hastie recommends that growers use three factors to assess a fungicide’s effectiveness: how well it sticks to the plant, how well it enters the plant and how well it translocates through the plant.

"Prosaro has been specially formulated with a surfactant to stick to the plant leaf so it sticks better and more quickly than other fungicides,” he explains. “That ensures the fungicide is available to the plant for disease control and not wasted by washing off onto the ground."

The two active ingredients – tebuconazole and prothioconazole – in Prosaro complement each other on how they react within the plant, providing curative and protective activity.

Tebuconazole enters and translocates through the plant, providing quick action and taking care of infections that have already occurred. Prothioconazole, the second active ingredient, is slower to translocate through the plant but has longer activity, protecting against future infections.

Growers can depend on Prosaro to provide extended protection against leaf spotting diseases and the strongest curative activity for the highest level of rust control in wheat and barley.

"At harvest time, you’ll see the results. Better test weights, less fusarium, less FDK and the best reduction of mycotoxin (DON) levels in the grain,” says Hastie. “The result is a complete package of protection against all leaf diseases as well as FHB in one product.”

Hastie advises that while growers have control over certain elements, the environment is one area they cannot control.

"We encourage growers to take the proper precautions by scouting for disease early, and if crops look good with the potential for high yields then apply Prosaro. After all, growers don’t want to be left thinking of what could have been because they didn’t use Prosaro.“

Prosaro will be available for the 2011 growing season from participating Bayer CropScience retails across Western Canada.