Mana Canada picked up approval for off-patent fungicide

Off-patent ag chemical maker Mana Canada has picked up federal approval for a foliar fungicide's use against sclerotinia stem rot and alternaria black spot in canola.

Mana Canada, the Canadian arm of Israeli chemical firm Makhteshim Agan, on Friday announced the registration of Overall 240 SC, a Group 2 dicarboximide fungicide with the active ingredient iprodione, found also in FMC's Rovral fungicides.

Sclerotinia stem rot can "devastate" crop yield, Mana said, noting an Argentine canola field with 50 per cent main stem infection can suffer a yield loss of 25 per cent.

Overall 240, Mana said, is expected to help protect a canola grower's investment by controlling sclerotinia and alternaria and helping to produce higher yield and quality.

When applied at 0.85 to 1.25 litres per care at the 20 to 50 per cent bloom stage, Overall is approved to control sclerotinia and suppress alternaria. For alternaria black spot control, the product is to be applied at the early green pod stage at 1.25 L/ac. or in split applications of 0.43 L/Ac. at the 20-50 per cent bloom and early green pod stages.

Like Rovral, Overall is also registered for use in alfalfa seed crops -- in Western Canada only -- to control sclerotinia stem rot, at 0.85-1.25 L/ac. at the 20-50 per cent bloom stage.

Group 2 fungicides have a "medium to high risk" of developing fungicide insensitivity in targeted diseases, Mana noted.

The company advises growers to also use a sclerotinia-forecasting tool to reduce unnecessary applications, and to rotate Group 2 fungicides with fungicides in other groups to control the same disease.