In an extremely competitive fungicide marketplace, the industry has high expectations for foliar SDHIs to deliver above and beyond just disease control.
Following this first season for ELATUS™ ERA, Jason Tatnell, Syngenta technical indication expert, explains were gains are being made in light of a challenging season.
“This year has been a prime example of why growers should understand the ‘extra’ benefits that can be expected from any potent SDHI fungicide, above and beyond just disease control, when it comes to crop development and the resulting yield impact,” says Mr Tatnell.
He explains that green leaf area (GLA) retention is an additional benefit delivered by persistent SDHI fungicides. “It’s scientifically proven that extending the duration of GLA from the point of flag leaf emergence can equate to an additional yield of 0.15t/ha/day.
“What we’ve seen in multiple trials carried out across Europe, and most importantly in the UK, is the ability of ELATUS™ ERA to deliver persistent disease control which directly results in clean, green leaves for longer, when applied at T2 to the flag leaf.
“Importantly, rather than senescence being elongated over four or five days, we’ve been able to keep the crop fully functioning very close to the day of harvest, without delaying harvest, equating to an average total yield of 9.8t/ha in trials.”
In addition to this, Mr Tatnell explains the effect foliar SDHI fungicides have on stomatal conductance. “The dry conditions we’ve seen between March and May this year mean a lot of crops have been under an increased amount of stress.
“However, ELATUSTM ERA has been proven to reduce leaf transpiration without impacting photosynthesis. Its ability to deliver equal yields, using less water, ensures crops can better tolerate drought situations, and offers growers another tool in the box when drought stress is an issue.
“This year’s dry season has meant that many growers have reduced their yield targets. However, there is still potential in crops, and when it comes to chemistry choice, every little helps to maximise yield. The added value that SDHI technology can deliver, will really come into its own,” says Mr Tatnell.
