A powerful new fungicide co-formulation that partners leading SDHI, Xemium, with the best strobilurin, pyraclostrobin, has been launched by BASF in time for this season’s key yield-building spray timings.
The new product, Priaxor EC, offers exceptional Septoria and rust control and will be aimed at T2 timings in wheat, says Mark Hemmant, technical manager at Agrovista, the company marketing the product.
Priaxor EC will be applied with Eclipse to reinforce its activity against key diseases and to provide robust resistance management, Mr Hemmant explains.
“This is probably the most potent combination we’ve seen against the key wheat diseases. We didn’t think our Librax/Ennobe combination could be beaten, but from what we’ve seen in trials, Priaxor EC plus Eclipse looks to be a major step forward – it’s as good as anything on Septoria and much better on rusts.”
Priaxor EC contains 75g of Xemium and 150g of pyraclostrobin per litre, while Eclipse adds 84g of epoxiconazole and 250g of fenpropimorph per litre. The combination will have broad appeal, Mr Hemmant believes.
“In my opinion, Xemium remains the leading SDHI against Septoria and is one of the better ones against rust. The robust dose of pyraclostrobin still has an effect against Septoria and is strong on rusts, very useful particularly as new races of yellow rust continue to evolve. Pyraclostrobin also has significant physiological benefits.
“Eclipse contains epoxiconazole, the most effective triazole against rust and which still remains good on Septoria. Fenpropimorph brings additional activity on both diseases as well as mildew.”
In wheat, Priaxor EC plus Eclipse will be aimed at the key T2 spray timing. The standard dose is 0.83 l/ha of Priaxor EC, but this can range from 0.6-1 l/ha depending on Septoria pressure. “You will still have enough active to do a good job on rust,” says Mr Hemmant.
Eclipse should be applied at 1.16 l/ha to maintain a three-quarter dose of triazole, the minimum now required to be effective against Septoria, he maintains.
“With all fungicide programmes we need to remain in a protectant situation wherever possible. Given the recent changeable weather and the difficulties this has caused some growers with T0 and T1 timings, crops will need looking after at T2.”
BASF business development manager Rob Storer says Priaxor EC provides a strong platform to target disease (see table 1).
Priaxor’s advanced Xemium formulation underpins its performance, says Mr Storer. It offers excellent wettability and maximum retention on the leaf, almost three times better at recommended rates than water alone, he explains.
“The Xemium molecules are “anchored” to the waxy layer of the leaf, providing an even spread of rainfast reservoirs that provide long-lasting protection.
“Priaxor’s advanced formulation means Xemium is highly mobile once it is taken into the plant, resulting in a very high curative and preventative performance even on leaves yet to emerge.”
In a series of independent trials on wheat carried out in 2015, Priaxor EC + Eclipse delivered the best disease control and the highest yields.
This pattern also emerged in BASF trials the same year at Rawcliffe Bridge near Goole, where the combination out-yielded the next best SDHI-based programme by an average of 0.22t/ha across 30 varieties, says Mr Storer.
Priaxor EC can also be used in barley, he adds. “We would recommend it at 0.5-0.75 l/ha – in trials in 2014 and 2015 at these rates a single spray at GS31 produced an average yield response over untreated of 0.6t/ha.”
On this crop, the recommended partner is prothioconazole, whose activity is boosted by the addition of a superior SDHI and strob chemistry. In the same trials as above, this mix boosted the average yield response to 0.86t/ha and outperformed the most popular SDHI-based barley chemistry by over 0.3t/ha.
“As well as its undoubted yield benefits and resilience, Priaxor EC offers a raft of AgCelence benefits – physiological changes that result in better yields, such as increased green leaf area, improved canopy duration and and better water use efficiency,” says Mr Storer.
“Yield remains the biggest profit driver, especially at current commodity prices,” he adds. “Add in this season’s significant disease levels and it makes sense to use a proven Xemium-based fungicide programme at the key T2 timing to deliver the best returns.”
Priaxor EC key facts
• Contains 75g Xemium (fluxapyroxad) and 150g pyraclostrobin.
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• Maximum dose 1.5 l/ha, 2 applications per crop.
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• For use on wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale (all up to GS 69).
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• Contains the best SDHI.
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• Contains the most active strob.
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• Strongest AgCelence fungicide.
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• Mix with Eclipse on wheat and prothioconazole on barley.
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Table 1. When the mixture of Priaxor EC + Eclipse is applied with a multi-site fungicide, this supplies five distinct modes of action against Septoria.
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