OMEX USA - 10

Supplement slows blight infection?
Results from two years of trials using a new nutrient formulation launched this month suggest
that it may offer a bonus in the way of synergistic activity. It has been billed as a 'unique complex
of zinc and copper' which could form part of an integrated crop management program.
For a long time, we've been talking
about the benefits of nutrition for crop
health, OMEX®
technical development
managed David Booty observes. " Ten
years ago, nobody was taking a great
deal of interest - it was muck and
mystery, there was a full arsenal of
crop protection products out there
and more on the way - but it's an idea
now whose time has come because of
changes in the industry.
" Many pathologists would say that
a lot of diseases and pathogens
come in on the back of crop stress.
We had anecdotal evidence that
some combinations of nutrients held
promise in this area so we decided to
put some proper science behind it.
" CELL POWER® Zynergy is probably
the first of a new stable of products.
It's a nutrient formulation of
copper and zinc with enhanced
bio-availability - that's a fancy
way of saying that it is formulated
for improved crop uptake. What
we say is that it compliments,
often in a synergistic way, the
fungicidal and bactericidal activity
of agrochemicals. Used in a program
with crop protection it can enhance
the results, but we are not claiming
that it is a fungicide and have no
intention of registering it as such.
" This is a genuine fertilizer which
does provide plant-available copper
and zinc, both, of which play a part
in crop health later on. We're not a
hundred percent certain about its
mode of action but we believe that it
is boosting the plants own defense
mechanisms and it has shown
particular promise against rust and
Phytophthora diseases. "
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omexusa.com
Initial lab tests at Nottingham
University with inoculated potato
leaves showed promising results
when CELL POWER®
compared with contact fungicide
mancozeb. Using a virulent
strain of blight, both treatments
appeared to hold back infection.
The next step was to put the
product in replicated plots at the
Eurofins trials in 2015. Compared
with a full fungicide programme,
CELL POWER®
Zynergy was
Zynergy mixed with
half rate fluazinam (Shirlan) and a
foliar nutrient gave encouraging
results. " If anything, the canopy
looked better than on the fungicide
plots, " Mr Booth recalls. " The foliar
feed combination under intense
disease pressure held up pretty
well. " Further trials at Eurofins last
season included yield assessment.
" As you might expect, if you
prolong the life of the canopy you
get a stronger yield, " he adds.
While field experiments appear
to suggest that CELL POWER®
Zynergy performs well compared
to standard sprays, Mr Booty
is reluctant to overstate the
significance of the findings. " I don't
think we want to say to potato
growers that you can cut back on
fungicide treatments, " he cautions.
Nor does he claim systemic
activity. " Movement of copy and
zinc through the plant did not
confer protection to parts left
unsprayed. Similarly, we looked
at curative action and while there
was a little, it pretty soon ran
out. We're not talking about the
kickback control you get with
some fungicides. CELL POWER®
Zynergy acts as a protectant
similar to mancozeb but you
need to treat the plant before the
disease takes control. The only
negative indication, as with any
foliar nutrient, is that if it's really
hot and the crop is under stress
you might get a bit of phytotoxic
spotting, but with good wetting
chemistry and careful timing that
shouldn't happen.
" It is an effective foliar fertilizer.
We don't want to make a plant
protection claim but it does
have obvious useful synergy in
integrated pest management
programs against a range of
diseases.
" That can be especially useful
where you have harvest intervals
or if there are gaps in the
conventional program. You can
plan a seven-day blight program
but you might not be able to stick
to it; something that helps confer a
bit more protection could be useful
in those circumstances. "

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