Presidio® Fungicide has been granted registration for control of Blue Mold on field tobacco. It is a liquid suspension concentrate that contains 39.5% of the active ingredient (a.i.) fluopicolide. Presidio® Fungicide is the sole component of the chemistry group 43 fungicide that has both systemic and translaminar action and works on contact. It is effective against several oomycetes including Peronospora tabacina, the pathogen that causes Blue Mold on tobacco.
Presidio® Fungicide has both preventive and curative activity and it works by interrupting the pathogen’s cell structure. It must be applied on the plant foliage prior to disease onset in tobacco or at first indication that Blue Mold is in the area. A second foliar application may be made with a minimum treatment interval of 7 days between applications. The application rate is 292 mL/ha.
For resistant management, Presidio® Fungicide should be applied in a tank mix with a labelled rate of another fungicide registered and recommended for Blue Mold control, but with a different mode of action. Currently the options are Aliette WDG or Quadris Flowable. A maximum of two foliar applications of Presidio® Fungicide (584 mL/ha) per season is permitted. When applying Presidio® Fungicide, use sufficient water to guarantee good leaf coverage. A minimum of 200 L of water/ha is recommended.
The re-entry interval (REI) after application is 12 hours and the pre-harvest interval (PHI) is 7 days.
The Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation (CTRF) evaluated Presidio® Fungicide in several field experiments and found the fungicide to have no effect on tobacco yield and quality. The Tobacco Review and Evaluation Committee (TREC) also found the fungicide to be acceptable for use on flue-cured tobacco.
Even though Blue Mold on field tobacco has not occurred in Canada since 2008, it is important that products be available for control in the event the disease reappears.
Always read the label before applying a pest control product.
Post prepared and sent by Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation
Mailing Address: CTRF, P.O. Box 322, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4H5
Telephone: 519-842-8997
Web Address: https://ctrf1.com