Efficacy of trifloxystrobin (Flint), a new strobilurin fungicide, in controlling powdery mildews on apple, mango and nectarine, and rust on prune trees

Trifloxystrobin is a new strobilurin fungicide, active against a wide range of fungal plant pathogens. The present study shows that trifloxystrobin is highly effective in controlling powdery mildews on field-grown apple, mang o and nectarine trees and rust disease on prune trees. In the majority of t he field experiments conducted during 1998-1999, trifloxystrobin (at a conc entration of 0.01-0.015% v/v) was superior to demethylation inhibitors (DMI fungicides) or sulphur. Trifloxystrobin was significantly (p < 0.05) more effective than the DMI fungicide penconazole in controlling primary and sec ondary infections of powdery mildew on apple trees, and it provided 95-100% protection compared with non-treated trees. Similarly, trifloxystrobin was more effective than either myclobutanil or penconazole in controlling powd ery mildew on fruit and leaves of nectarine trees. Trifloxystrobin provided the best control of powdery mildew on bloom clusters of mango, while sulph ur, hexaconazole, and kresoxim-methyl were less effective. Trifloxystrobin effectively inhibited rust on prune trees and provided 98.0% protection, co mpared with the control. Trifloxystrobin is an excellent compound for effic ient integration into control programs against fungal pathogens in apple, m ango and stone fruit orchards. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.