Syngenta's Astound Canola Fungicide Approved in Canada

Syngenta Canada Inc. announced that Astound® canola (cyprodinil+ fludioxonil) fungicide has been granted registration by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for an extended application window. As a result, growers can now apply Astound from 20 to 50 percent canola bloom, allowing for optimal control of yield-robbing Sclerotinia stem rot.

“This extended window increases growers’ application flexibility, making it even easier for them to take advantage of the best-in-class Sclerotinia control provided by Astound,” stated Eric Phillips, Product Lead for Fungicides and Insecticides for Syngenta Canada. “Additionally, as Astound is the only canola fungicide on the market with two modes of action, growers can be confident that it is their best option for resistance management.”

Astound is a broad-spectrum fungicide with the active ingredients cyprodinil (Group 9) and fludioxonil (Group 12). Together, they deliver systemic control of Sclerotinia stem rot. In 2012, internal replicated trials demonstrated that canola treated with Astound fungicide had the lowest rates of disease infection and the highest yields compared to plots treated with competitive fungicides.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the fungal pathogen that causes the disease, can persist in the soil for years and occurs in all canola growing areas of the country. Of all canola diseases in Western Canada, Sclerotinia stem rot is the most economically significant.1 According to the Canola Council of Canada, when conditions for the disease are favourable and infections are initiated during early flowering, yield reduction can equal 50% or more in each infected plant.