By FMC

Adoption of fungicides continues to grow. From 2010 to 2018, according to the USDA NASS, U.S. corn acres applied with a fungicide to aid in foliar disease management rose from 8% to 17%, a 112.5% increase in eight years.

With approximately 90 million acres of corn planted annually in the United States, corn growers are looking for proactive measures to combat the impact fungal diseases may have on their crops. The Crop Protection Network estimates that foliar corn diseases rob growers of hundreds of millions of bushels each season. In 2020 alone, the organization estimated that foliar diseases caused a loss of 286.5 million bushels in the 28 key corn-growing states. If using the 2021 average closing price of corn, these losses come out to $1.69 billion.

But as acceptance of foliar fungicides gains further steam and diseases continue to limit corn growers from reaching their hybrid’s full yield potential, the approach to achieving control is evolving just as fast.

 

Foliar Disease Control: An Evolving Space

Several factors are shaping the foliar fungicide segment. From ever-changing and less predictable weather conditions and patterns to the sheer amount of acreage applied to a gradual change in who owns the responsibility of applying fungicides, methods like self-application are gaining interest among growers.

A common denominator among these two factors is time. This can range from timing a fungicide application in relation to the disease’s infection to the residual of foliar fungicides, which can range from 10 to upward of 28 days. The key to an effective fungicide application is timing in relation to the disease infection. Applied too soon and a grower will risk running out of residual when the disease is most active in the canopy. Applied too late and they have missed the window to help manage the disease, thus incurring economic damage.

As fungicide technology advances, options are emerging to help growers address the residual vs. application timing quandary. 

 

The Newest Advancement in Foliar Disease Control

Until recently, U.S. corn growers have only been able to manage foliar diseases with a fungicide application during one of the key growth stages: V5-V10 or VT-R1. That has changed. In 2021, FMC introduced a new way to help manage foliar disease protection: Xyway™ brand fungicides. These products, which are applied at-plant, include Xyway LFR® fungicide – applied 0.5 to 3 inches off the seed with liquid fertilizers – and Xyway 3D fungicide delivered through the 3RIVE 3D® application system. Both formulations provide season-long foliar disease protection, the first and only fungicides to do this. In their first year of being commercially available, Xyway brand fungicides were applied on more than 1 million acres of corn in the U.S.

Xyway™ brand fungicides deliver inside-out protection before diseases including gray leaf spot, Southern corn leaf blight, Northern corn leaf blight, common rust, head smut and common smut, are present at early disease emergence stages and beyond. The highly systemic and long residual activity of Xyway brand fungicides help protect the corn plant and reduce disease infection levels from the lower canopy of the plant to the top of the plant. In a sampling of 151 research trials conducted across the U.S. from 2018-2021, Xyway brand fungicides delivered an 8.6 bushel per acre average yield advantage over the untreated check.

 

XYWAY BRAND FUNGICIDES 0.228 LB. AI. /A VS. UNTREATED CHECK

[caption id="attachment_7285" align="aligncenter" width="455"] Balanced data set; 21 protocols; 151 trials; 2018-2021[/caption]

 

The element that allows Xyway brand fungicides to thrive the way they do, from planting and onward, is its active ingredient, flutriafol. Studies by researchers at Michigan State University in 2019 and 2020 confirmed flutriafol moves from the plant’s roots via the xylem to the leaves. Lab analysis of individual leaf, stalk and root samples collected 90 days after the at-plant fungicide application found levels of flutriafol in these areas, indicating movement throughout the plant during the season.

The activity level and residual of flutriafol-based at-plant fungicides pay dividends both agronomically and economically by easing management and timing concerns. Because the residual of the active ingredient is still in the plant and working defensively, growers can apply a foliar fungicide, if needed, at a timing that is more suitable to their disease spectrum for late-season diseases like Southern rust and tar spot. This flexibility allows growers to achieve the greatest control instead of hoping their VT/R1 timing will last through the key grain-fill period.

To learn more about implementing an at-plant fungicide into your disease protection plan, talk to your FMC representative or visit xyway.ag.fmc.com/

Always read and follow all label directions, precautions, and restrictions for use. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states. Xyway 3D fungicide and Xyway LFR fungicide may not be registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your local FMC retailer or representative for details and availability in your state. FMC, the FMC logo, 3RIVE 3D, LFR and Xyway are trademarks of FMC Corporation or an affiliate. ©2022 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. 22-FMC-0163 01/22.