By UPL

When it comes to crop disease pests, managing to avoid fungicide-resistant diseases is a priority for growers. A great base for a disease management program is to utilize chemistry with low resistance risk.

One class of such chemistry is the ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (EBDC) or FRAC group M3. The multi-site, contact activity of EBDC fungicides block the metabolism of the pathogenic fungus at the cellular and at several stages of the Krebs cycle. In fact, mancozeb has effectively been used for decades without a reported incidence of resistance. Its multisite action reduces the risk of disease resistance, a benefit difficult to find in other fungicide options. The EBDC’s, such as mancozeb, can be used alone or combined with a single-site fungicide to help with resistance management.

Mancozeb is widely used in crops with high disease incidence or pressure. In a potato crop, mancozeb is commonly used in multiple applications to control late blight and provides incidental protection against early blight. For late blight control in potato, mancozeb can be used as a base and should be used in combination with systemic or translaminar fungicides. Cercospora Leaf Spot in sugarbeet and Apple Scab in apple are other crop examples utilizing mancozeb as a base with multiple disease control applications.

UPL offers mancozeb as a dry formulation as MANZATE® PRO-STICK™ fungicide (FRAC M3) and is the preferred option for superior control of early and late blight in potato. Its advanced formulation is built to provide better coverage and adherence to the leaf surface. MANZATE® is also available in a liquid formulation as MANZATE® MAX.

As a multi-site protective fungicide, MANZATE® PRO-STICK™/MAX prevents pathogenic organisms from adapting and mutating, meaning that even after 40 years of use, fungal strains have not developed resistance to mancozeb, the active ingredient in MANZATE® PRO-STICK™/MAX. MANZATE® is an important resistance management tool and a base for integrated pest management.

For more information about MANZATE® PRO-STICK™ fungicide, visit UPL's website.