New products for rhizoctonia control to be available

Potential new treatments for the control of rhizoctonia were on display in the form of Bayer CropScience’s penflufen seed treatment and a pencycuron
+ fluoxyastrobin co-formulation for in-furrow treatment at planting. Approval for both products is hoped for in the near future.

A liquid formulation of penflufen is already available as Ernesto Prime FS elsewhere in Europe, with registration of a powder formulation for the UK market hoped for in time to enable some use next season.

Commenting on the in-furrow pencycuron + fluoxystrobin treatment, Bayer CropScience’s Paul Goddard said it had been in use in the Netherlands for a number of years, providing control of rhizoctonia and black dot, plus some activity on silver scurf.

Rhizoctonia could be soil and/or seed-borne and the in-furrow treatment was strongest against soil-borne infection, said Mr Goddard.

There were disease control benefits associated with using a seed treatment and in-furrow treatment and Bayer would be looking to support a sequenced approach incorporating both forms of treatment, he added.