Comparative physical modes of action of azoxystrobin, mancozeb, and metalaxyl against Plasmopara viticola (grapevine downy mildew)

The physical modes of action of azoxystrobin, mancozeb, and metalaxyl were evaluated on grapevine seedlings using Plasmopara viticola as a model patho gen. The protectant, postinfection, postsymptom, translaminar, and vapor ac tivities of azoxystrobin were evaluated at a rate of 250 mug/ml. Azoxystrob in provided 100% disease control when applied 1 to 5 days before inoculatio n. Postinfection applications of azoxystrobin had little effect on the inci dence of disease, but colony area and sporulation from the resultant lesion s was reduced by 47 and 96%, respectively, relative to the check treatment when applied up to 5 days after inoculation. Postsymptom applications (6 da ys after inoculation) of azoxystrobin resulted in an 85% mean reduction of resporulation from diseased tissue relative to the check when seedlings wer e evaluated 1 to 14 days after treatment. Translaminar activity was greates t when the upper surface of the leaf was treated 7 days before inoculation of the lower leaf surface (94% disease control), in contrast, control was < 50% when leaves were similarly inoculated 1 and 3 days after treatment. Vap or activity was not pronounced, providing maximum reductions of 5, 11, and 37%, with regard to incidence, colony area, and sporulation, relative to th e check when seedlings were treated 1 to 7 days before inoculating adjacent , untreated leaves. Comparatively, mancozeb (1,790 <mu>g/ml) provided compl ete control of the disease when applied 1 to 5 days before inoculation, but showed little postinfection activity in reducing disease incidence, althou gh it exhibited moderate to high antisporulant activity when applied in pos tinfection and postsymptom modes (mean reductions of 38 and 89%, respective ly, compared with the check treatments). Metalaxyl (260 mug/ml) also provid ed complete control of the disease when used in protectant mode, and also w hen applied 1 day after inoculation. Applications at 3 to 5 days after inoc ulation provided substantial reductions in disease severity and sporulation (mean reductions of 46 and 94%, respectively, compared with the check trea tments). and postsymptom applications resulted in a mean 84% reduction in r esporulation. Collectively, the results of this study illustrate the unique physical modes of action for azoxystrobin in comparison to that of two tra ditional protectant and systemic fungicides, and provide information on how azoxystrobin and other strobilurin fungicides with similar physical modes of action should be best used in disease management programs.