July/August 2019 - 2

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Supplement slows blight infection?
Results from two years of trials using a new nutrient formulation launched this month suggest
that it may offer a bonus in the way of synergistic activity. It has been billed as a 'unique complex
of zinc and copper' which could form part of an integrated crop management program.
For a long time, we've been talking
about the benefits of nutrition
for crop health, OMEX®
technical
development managed David Booty
observes. " Ten years ago, nobody
was taking a great deal of interest -
it was muck and mystery, there was
a full arsenal of crop protection
products out there and more on the
way - but it's an idea now whose
time has come because of changes
in the industry.
" Many pathologists would say that
a lot of diseases and pathogens
come in on the back of crop stress.
We had anecdotal evidence that
some combinations of nutrients held
promise in this area so we decided to
put some proper science behind it.
" CELL POWER®
Zynergy is probably
the first of a new stable of products.
It's a nutrient formulation of
copper and zinc with enhanced
bio-availability - that's a fancy way
of saying that it is formulated for
improved crop uptake. What we say
is that it compliments, often in a
synergistic way, the fungicidal and
bactericidal activity of agrochemicals.
Used in a program with crop
protection it can enhance the results,
but we are not claiming that it is a
fungicide and have no intention of
registering it as such.
" This is a genuine fertilizer which
does provide plant-available copper
and zinc, both, of which play a part
in crop health later on. We're not a
hundred percent certain about its
mode of action but we believe that it
is boosting the plants own defense
mechanisms and it has shown
particular promise against rust and
Phytophthora diseases. "
Initial lab tests at Nottingham
University with inoculated potato
leaves showed promising results
when CELL POWER®
Zynergy was
compared with contact fungicide
mancozeb. Using a virulent strain of
blight, both treatments appeared to
hold back infection. The next step
was to put the product in replicated
plots at the Eurofins trials in 2015.
Compared with a full fungicide
programme, CELL POWER®
Zynergy
mixed with half rate fluazinam
(Shirlan) and a foliar nutrient gave
encouraging results. " If anything,
the canopy looked better than
on the fungicide plots, " Mr Booth
recalls. " The foliar feed combination
under intense disease pressure
held up pretty well. " Further trials at
Eurofins last season included yield
assessment. " As you might expect,
if you prolong the life of the canopy
you get a stronger yield, " he adds.
While field experiments appear
to suggest that CELL POWER®
Zynergy performs well compared
to standard sprays, Mr Booty
is reluctant to overstate the
significance of the findings. " I don't
think we want to say to potato
growers that you can cut back on
fungicide treatments, " he cautions.
Nor does he claim systemic activity.
" Movement of copy and zinc through
the plant did not confer protection
to parts left unsprayed. Similarly, we
looked at curative action and while
there was a little, it pretty soon
ran out. We're not talking about
the kickback control you get with
some fungicides. CELL POWER®
Zynergy acts as a protectant similar
to mancozeb but you need to treat
the plant before the disease takes
control. The only negative indication,
as with any foliar nutrient, is that
if it's really hot and the crop is
under stress you might get a bit of
phytotoxic spotting, but with good
wetting chemistry and careful timing
that shouldn't happen.
" It is an effective foliar fertilizer.
We don't want to make a plant
protection claim but it does have
obvious useful synergy in integrated
pest management programs against
a range of diseases.
" That can be especially useful where
you have harvest intervals or if there
are gaps in the conventional program.
You can plan a seven-day blight
program but you might not be able to
stick to it; something that helps confer
a bit more protection could be useful
in those circumstances. "
For more information on products
please contact OMEX®
Agrifluids
at OmexUSA@Omex.com or call
559-661-6138.

July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2019