BASF presents results of new fungicide research

BASF discussed research regarding Merivon® fungicide and Priaxor™ fungicide at the American Phytopathological Society (APS) annual conference this week. Merivon and Priaxor both contain the new active ingredient fluxapyroxad, trade name Xemium® fungicide, as well as pyraclostrobin. EPA registration for the products is expected in early 2012.

Priaxor research was conducted primarily on row crops—including soybeans, wheat and corn—as well as some specialty crops, such as potatoes and tomatoes. Merivon research was conducted on specialty crops, specifically pome fruits, such as apples and pears, and stone fruits, including cherries and peaches.

Tested in field trials in 2009 and 2010, Merivon and Priaxor are premixes composed of pyraclostrobin—the active ingredient found in Headline® fungicide—and Xemium, a new active ingredient in the carboxamide family. Results indicate that Merivon and Priaxor will provide long-lasting preventative and disease-stopping protection as well as good coverage of the leaf surface and systemic distribution to ensure optimum coverage.

The active ingredient in Headline and Cabrio® EG fungicide provides superior disease control and Plant Health benefits. Merivon and Priaxor, combined with the new mode of action, Xemium, will provide continuous protection and effective control of a broad range of devastating crop diseases. Merivon contains a 1:1 ratio of the active ingredient in Headline to Xemium, while Priaxor contains a 2:1 ratio of the products, to provide excellent control of a variety of diseases.

The research presented at APS was conducted over multiple locations using a randomized block design with at least four replications per trial. Private cooperators and university researchers conducted the trials, during which they recorded multiple disease ratings highlighting disease severity and disease incidence.

Merivon Research Results

Merivontrials demonstrated efficacious control of diseases, such as powdery mildew in cherries, blossom blight and brown rot in peaches, and apple scab. Apples treated with Merivon showed 17 percent less incidence of powdery mildew than those treated with a current fungicide offering. When left untreated, the apple crop showed 94.3 percent disease incidence, well beyond the marketable threshold, compared to 3.8 percent incidence with Merivon. Peaches treated with Merivon showed 3 percent less incidence of blossom blight than those treated with a current fungicide offering, and 8.2 percent less than the untreated check.

"Research indicates that Merivon is effective at controlling several major specialty crop diseases, including powdery mildew and scab diseases, while also improving crop quality,” said Scott Walker, Ph.D., BASF Biology Project Manager for Fungicides. “Apple scab and powdery mildew are two of the most economically devastating diseases for growers on the East and West coasts. Merivon will be an important tool to help protect tree crops from these diseases, ensuring healthy trees and marketable fruits.”

Priaxor Research Results

Priaxorresults showed excellent disease control of a number of diseases, including the Septoria diseases Septoria tritici and S. nodorum in wheat, gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf spot in corn, and net blotch and scald in barley. Soybeans treated with Priaxor showed as much as 4.5 percent lower severity of frogeye leaf spot and 5.3 percent lower severity of Septoria brown spot than soybeans treated with a competitive product. On a scale of 0 to 9, where 0 shows the lowest infection of frogeye leaf spot in soybeans, Priaxor-treated crops rated a 2.

Priaxorwas found to be effective at controlling early blight in potato and tomato, powdery mildew and black mold in tomato, and black dot in potato trials. Tomatoes treated with Priaxor showed a 20 percent less incidence of early blight than those treated with a competitive product.

"The introduction of Priaxor will give growers a new tool to prevent and control a broad spectrum of diseases that rob yield,” said Nick Fassler, BASF Technical Market Manager. “By combining Xemium with the active ingredient in Headline, Priaxor provides a new level of disease control, giving growers healthier plants, higher yield potentials and improved crop quality.”