Crop Protection Solutions
2015 Fungicides
I
Insecticides
I
Herbicides
I
Seed Piece Treatments
MAKE TIME FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS. CORAGEN CAN HELP. ®
You’re proud of your potato crop. Let’s face it. No one ever looks back and wishes they’d spent more time controlling crop damaging, yield robbing insects. We get that. DuPont™ Coragen is powered by Rynaxyppyr , a unique active ingredient and a novel mode-of-action that delivers extended residual control of European corn borer, decreasing the number of applications needed in a season. And, if your Colorado potato beetle seed treatment control breaks late in the season, Coragen can provide the added control you need, so you have time for more important things. Did we mention it’s also easy on bees, benefcials and the environment? ®
®
®
1
2
For farmers who want more time and peace of mind, Coragen is the answer. Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit coragen.dupont.ca ®
1. Studies from the University of Guelph, conducted by Dr. Cynthia Scott-Dupree and Angela Gradish, indicate that Coragen® is an excellent alternative product when bees are present if used in accordance with the label instructions. 2. Recommend spraying when bees are not actively foraging. As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Coragen® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada. © Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.
DuPont Coragen ™
®
Insecticide
New solutions for your potatoes in 2015 Pest control products are precious tools for agriculture 2015 brings some new solutions for controlling pests and diseases in potato fields. These new tools from different chemical groups will help reduce the development of pesticide resistance. Pesticide manufacturers are also making more and more effort to offer growers products safer for the user and with fewer consequences for beneficial organisms
By Guy Roy, Contributor
Outlook
TwinGuard
Registered at Health Canada since the spring of 2013 but not widely used yet, Outlook herbicide is of special interest for resistance management. Outlook’s active ingredient is dimethenamid. This Group 15 herbicide controls many grassy and broadleaf weeds in potato fields, including foxtails (green, yellow and giant), fall panicum, crabgrass (smooth, hairy), redroot pigweed, witch grass, eastern black nightshade, barnyard grass and yellow nutsedge (suppression only). Since it does not control the whole range of weeds usually found in potato fields, Outlook cannot be applied alone but must be part of a weed control strategy. It must be applied as a preemergence treatment on potatoes, and before weed emergence as well. This treatment can be carried out after potato planting or following hilling. It is extremely important to spray this herbicide before potato plants emerge to avoid phytotoxicity. Also, one must make sure not to spray Outlook before planting the potatoes. Otherwise, the “active layer� released in the soil by this herbicide would be broken by the tilling action of the planting machinery. A rainfall is necessary within seven to 10 days following treatment in order to activate Outlook and allow it to diffuse into the soil. If there is no rain for a prolonged period, moderate tillage or the use of a rotary hoe might be necessary to bring the product into contact with the moist part of the soil and to control weeds that have not yet been reached. Under cold and wet conditions early in the season, applying Outlook may delay the emergence of potato plants or cause stunting. As with many pest control products, inappropriate use of this herbicide may cause contamination of underground water in permeable soils like sandy soils, and in soils with a shallow water table. www.basf.ca
In 2015, Dow AgroSciences will offer its new TwinGuard insecticide to fruit and potato growers. Recently registered by Health Canada (August 2014), TwinGuard combines the active ingredients from two of its insecticides, Delegate and Closer Sc. The first one, Delegate, controls Colorado potato beetles and corn stalk borers, with rapid and prolonged action (14-21 days). It is made with the active ingredient spinetoram (Group 5).
Potato Guide 2015
03
Launched by Dow AgroSciences in 2013, Closer SC is an insecticide effective against aphids. It contains the active ingredient, IsoclastMC, from a new chemical class, the sulfoximines (Group 4C). With a unique mode of action, Isoclast controls sap-feeding insects like aphids, plant bugs or leafhoppers. As a combination of spinetoram and Isoclast, TwinGuard becomes a new broad-spectrum insecticidal standard for controlling both sucking and chewing insects, and is registered for use in potato, and in pome and stone fruit production. Its two active ingredients give TwinGuard a faster and more effective action in case of an outbreak of these insects, including aphids and Colorado potato beetles. Its two modes of action make TwinGuard an excellent rotation product for better resistance management. Also, TwinGuard offers growers better flexibility and protection of beneficial insects in an integrated pest control program. Its application rate in potato fields ranges from 150 g/ha to 300 g/ha. As with most other foliar spray products, a complete coverage of the foliage is essential for effective control. www.dowagro.ca
Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme Registered in the winter of 2014, Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme is the most recent seed potato protection product from Syngenta. It is a premix of three active ingredients: fludioxonil (a phenylpyrrole fungicide from Group 12), difenoconazole (a triazole fungicide from Group 3) and thiamethoxam (a Group 4 neonicotinoid insecticide). Cruiser Maxx Potato offers all the benefits of a liquid seed treatment in a concentrated formulation. You obtain the same level of coverage and efficiency you expect from the seed treatment technologies offered by Syngenta in a practical all-in-one formulation.
04
This combination of three active ingredients provides a solution for the management of pesticide resistance to fungi from the fusarium family. Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme is registered for the control of Fusarium spp. (including strains resistant to fludioxonil and thiophanate-phenyl) and also for controlling rhizoctonia (black scurf, stem and stolon canker), silver scurf, Colorado potato beetle, aphids (including green peach aphid as well as potato, buckthorn and foxglove aphids) and potato leafhopper. As mentioned on the label and as should be done for every seed treatment, Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme must be used as part of a disease-control strategy. This should also include planting quality certified seed potatoes, cultural practices such as crop rotation, harvesting tubers at optimal time to limit disease development, appropriate handling to avoid bruising, management and disinfection of equipment and storage areas to reduce inoculum, proper storage conditions to eliminate moisture and condensation, and product application on clean potato seed pieces with a well-calibrated system. Remember that cut seed pieces are particularly vulnerable to excess moisture. Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme was designed for very low slurry application rates, while insuring uniform coverage of seed pieces and preventing tuber rot. Avoid treating heavily sprouted tubers with a liquid seed treatment. www. syngenta.ca
Capture 240 EC FMC Corporation registered Capture 240 EC in the spring of 2014. This new Group 3 insecticide can be applied in the furrow once a year at planting for the control of wireworm. Its active ingredient consists of bifenthrin, an insecticidal compound from the synthetic pyrethroid family. It has a longer persistence in the soil when compared to the other products of this family. Properly applied, it provides good protection of mother and daughter seed tubers. Capture 240 EC is very well suited for tank mixing with other products applied in-furrow at planting. Naturally, it is always preferable to perform a compatibility test before tank mixing. Application rates vary from 925 ml/ha to 1,404 ml/ha in the furrow, the lower rate being prescribed for low to moderate wireworm infestation and the higher rate for a high infestation level. Capture 240 EC has a 21-day preharvest interval, an advantage over Group 1B insecticides like chlorpyrifos and phorate (Thimet 15-G), which have preharvest intervals of 70 and 90 days, respectively. www.uap.ca
Potato Guide 2015
WHAT MATTERS MOST WILL NEVER CHANGE, BUT HOW YOU PROTECT IT WILL. We have a history of protecting what matters most to us, and creating new and innovative ways to enhance that level of protection. Reason® seed-piece treatment for seed-borne late blight protection is proof of that. You counted on Reason to protect against late blight and early blight through foliar applications, and now you can start protecting your potato crop with Reason at planting too. As a seed-piece treatment, Reason can be used alone when seed-borne late blight is a threat or mixed with Titan® or Titan Emesto™ for the highest level of disease and insect protection you can achieve.
GEAR UP WITH REASON SEED-PIECE TREATMENT – AN EVOLUTION IN PROTECTION.
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Emesto™, Reason® and Titan® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
Delay before harvest (days)5 Security delay after treatment (hours) 6 Maximum number of applications7
Tarnished plant bug
Other lepidopterous insects
European corn borer
X
7
12
2
X
X
7
24
2
X
X
7
12
2
X
14
12
10
X
7
12
3
X
14
12
3
X
7
12
2
7
24
3
24
12
4
7
36
3
7
36
3
1
12
3
7
12
3
14
24
–
4
48
2
7
12
4
14
12
2
7
48
2
14
12
2
X
7
24
2
X
7
120
5
X
3
12
1
7
24
1
3
24
1
7
24
3
7
12
2
0
4
–
21
24
4
70
24
1
X
7
24
1
X
1
24
1
3
24
1
14
12
2
X
7
24
3
X
X
7
24
–
X
X
X
7
24
–
X
X
7
12
1-3
14
12
10
0
0
–
90
48
1
5
120
5
7
12
2
X
7
12
3
X
7
72
2
Active ingredient thiamethoxam
4
Admire 240 / Alias 240 SC
imidaclopride
4
Assail 70 WP
acetamipridre
Bartlett superior 70 oil / Superior 70 oil
mineral oil
Beleaf 50SG
flonicamid
9C
Clutch 50 WDG / Clothianidin
chlothianidin
4A
Closer SC
sulfoxaflor
4C
Concept
imidacloprid + deltamethrin
Coragen
chlorantraniliprole
28
Cygon 480 EC / Lagon 480 E
dimethoate
1B
X
X
Cygon 480 AG / Cygon 480
dimethoate
1B
X
X
Decis 5.0 EC
deltamethrin
3
Delegate
spinetorame
5
Diazinon / Diazol
diazinon
1B
X
X
X
Dibrom
naled
1B
X
X
X
Exirel
cyantraniliprole
28
Fulfill 50 WG
pymetrozin
9B
Furadan
carbofuran
1A
Governor 75 WP
cyromazin
17
X
Grapple / Grapple 2
imidaclopride
4
X
Imidan 50 W / Imidan 70 WP
phosmet
1B
X
X
X
Lannate
methomyl
1A
X
X
Lorsban / Warhawk 480 EC / Nufos 4E
chlorpyrifos
1B
X
Malathion / Fyfanon 50 EC
malathion
1B
Matador / Warrior / Silencer 120 EC
lambda-cyhalothrin
3
Movento 240 SC / 150 OD
spirotetramat
23
Novodor
Bacillus thuringiensis
11C
Orthene
acephate
1B
Pyrifos 15 G
chlorpyrifos
1B
Pyrinex 480 EC / Chlorpyrifos 480 EC
chlorpyrifos
1B
X
Pounce /Ambush 500 EC / Perm-Up
permethrin
3
X
Pro Malathion 50 EC
malathion
1B
Rimon
novaluron
15
Ripcord
cypermethrin
3
X
X
X
Sevin 50 W / 5-D / XLR / XLR Plus
carbaryl
1A
X
X
X
Sevin SL
carbaryl
1A
Success 480 EC / Entrust
spinosad
5
Superior 70 Oil
mineral oil
N/A
Surround WP
kaolin
N/A
Thimet 15-G
phorate
1B
Thionex EC / Thionex 50 WSP
phosmet
1B
Twinguard
sulfoxaflor + spinetoram
Up-Cyde 2.5 EC
cypermethrin
3
X
X
X
Vydate
oxamyl
1A
X
X
X
4 N/C X X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Wireworm
X
X8
Aphids4
Potato leafhopper X
X8
Commercial name1 Actara 240 sc / 25 WG
3+4
Restrictions
Flea beetle
Colorado potato beetle
Insect pests3
Group2
Insecticides
X X
X
X X X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X X X
X
X X X
X
X
X X
X X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X9 X X X
X
4C + 5
X
X
X
X X
X
1. Commercial name: Many brands and/or formulations with the same active ingredient may be available. 2. Group: Classification of insecticides according to their mode of action. Products from the same group have a similar mode of action. To prevent resistance to a product, repeated applications of products from the same group must be avoided. 3. Insect controlled: The insects for which a product is registered, as stated on the label. These insects may vary depending on the brand and the active ingredient. Check the label to make sure the insect pest is included on the list. 4. Aphids: Many species of aphids can take over the potatoes. For more information about the species of aphids that are controlled, check the label. 5. Delay before harvest: The number of days that must elapse between the last insecticide application and the harvest. 6. Security delay after treatment: The period to respect between the application and the time when workers can return to the field. 7. Maximum number of applications: The maximum number of times the insecticide can be applied per season as listed on the label. It is the number of ground applications; verify for aerial applications. Empty spaces mean that there is no restriction on the label. 8. When the insecticide is applied in the furrow. 9. This product has a repulsion action toward the insect. 06
Potato Guide 2015
Dual II Magnum + Lorox
15
X
Perennial sow-thistle
Yellow nutsedge
P
P
P
P
P
E
P
E
P
P
P
P
P
P
E
E
P
E
–
–
–
E
–
–
–
–
–
Canada thistle
P
E
Quackgrass
Pigweeds
P
E P
P
P
P
P
P
M
–
E
–
E
E
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
X
E
E
P
E
E
P
E
P
–
P
M
P
E
P
P
P
X
E
E
P
E
E
P
E
E
E
P
E
G
M
P
P
P
E
E
E
E
E
–
E
M
M
P
E
M
E
G
P
P
E
E
P
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
G
G
G
G
G
–
G
M
G
G
G
G
–
G
M
P
X
15+7
Common ragweed
Wild mustard
P
Lamb’s quarter
Foxtails
X
Polygonum
Proso millet
Post-emergence
Early post-emergence
Fall panicum
X
16
Witchgrass
14
Des-I-Cate2
Wild oats
Chateau WDG
Barnyard grass
X
Dual II Magnum3
Pre-emergence (cracked soil)
Pre-emergence
14 15+5
Perennial weeds
Crab grass
Boundary LQD
Annual broadleaf weeds
Annual grassy weeds
Before harvest2
Aim EC
Preplant
Commercial name
Application time
Group1
Herbicides
Eptam 8E3
8
Excel Super
1
Glyphosate (many formulations)
9
Gramoxone3
22
Ignite SN3
10
E
E
E
E
E
–
E
E
E
E
E
E
–
–
–
–
Lorox L3 / Linuron 400 L3
7
X
M
M
P
P
M
P
M
E
E
P
G
G
P
P
P
P
Outlook
15
X
E
E
–
E
E
–
E
P
P
P
E
P
M
P
P
P
Poast Ultra
1
X
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
P
P
P
M
P
P
Prism
2
X
P
E
P
E
E
P
E
–
M
G
E
P
–
G
–
–
X X X
X X X
Reglone2
22
Sencor + Linuron
5+7
X
5
X
7+15
X
Sencor3 Sencor + Dual II Magnum Sencor + Eptam
5+8
Sencor + Gramoxone
5+22
Sencor + Linuron
5+7
Venture L3
1
X
X X
X
X X X X
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
M
P
G
G
–
G
G
–
G
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
–
G
G
–
G
G
–
G
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
P
E
E
E
E
E
–
E
E
E
E
E
E
M
P
P
–
M
E
E
E
M
–
E
G
E
E
E
E
M
P
P
P
G
G
G
G
G
–
G
E
E
E
E
E
–
G
M
–
G
G
–
G
G
–
G
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
–
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
P
P
P
E
P
P
1. Group: Products belonging to the same group have a similar mode of action. To prevent resistance to a product, avoid repeated applications of products from the same group. 2. Before harvest: These products are used as vine killers before harvest. 3. Combinations with other herbicides are also registered. Application guidelines with other products may vary from one province to another. Make sure to always consult the label before use.
Potato Guide 2015
07
Mode of action of main active ingredient PND
dimethomorph (+ chlorotalonil or mancozeb or metiram)
40+M
PAD
X
Allegro 500F
fluazinam
29
EC
X
BAS 650 00 F
ametotradin
45
PND
BAS 700 01 F / BAS 700 04 F
fluxapyroxade
7
PND
X
Bravo 500 / Bravo Zn / Echo 90 DF / Echo 720 chlorothalonil
X
X
C
X
X
PND
X
X
boscalid
7
PND
X
Confine Extra / Winfield Phosphite Extra
phosphorus acid
33
CS
Copper 53 W
tribasic copper
M
C
X
Copper Spray
copper oxychloride
M
C
X
Curzate (+ Manzate or Dithane)
cymoxanil + mancozeb
27+M
PND
X
Cyazofamid 400 SC
cyazofamid
21
EC
X
Dithane / Manzate / Penncozeb
mancozeb
M
C
Evito 480 SC
fluoxastrobin
Gavel 75 DF
zoxamid + mancozeb
Headline EC
pyraclostrobin
Inspire Kocide 101 / 1000 / 2000 / Parasol FL / WP Luna Privilege
fluopyram
Luna Tranquility
fluopyram + pyrimethanil
Penred 240 FS
Cantus
X6 X
1
3 7-14
48
4
3 5-10
12
4
3 7-10
12
7
– 7-14
48
1
– 7-10
24
3
3 7-14
12 30
4
14
4
1
5
14
X
48
1
10
5
X
24
1
10 7-10
24
8
7
5-7
12
7
6
7
X
24
1
– 5-10
X
X
12
24 14 10 7-10
X
M
pyraclostrobin + metiram
X X
X
11+M
Cabrio Plus
X
Maximum number of applications4 Interval between applications (days)5
Group1 11
Acrobat 50 WP (+ Bravo or Dithane DG or Polyram DF)
Delay before harvest (days)3
Active ingredient azoxystrobin
Security delay (hours)7
Commercial name Abound / Azoxy
Restrictions
Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) Late blight on tubers (Phytophthora infestans) Rhizoctonia canker (Rhizoctonia spp.) Black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes) Brown leaf spot (Alternaria alternata) Silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani)
Diseases2 Early blight (Alternaria solani) Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) Pink rot (Phytophthora erythroseptica) Seed piece decay, leak (Pythium spp.) Fusarium rot (Fusarium spp.)
Fungicides
X
X8
X
11
PND
X
12
7
3
7
22+M
EC
X
X
48
3
6
7
11
PND
X
X
12
3
3 7-14
difenoconazole
3
PAD
X
copper hydroxide
M
C
X
X
X
7
PND
X
7+9
PND
X
penflufen
7
PND
Phostrol
phosphorus acid
33
CS
Polyram DF
metiram
M
C
Presidio / Fluopicolide 4 SC (+ Bravo)
fluopicolid
43
PAD
Quadris F
azoxystrobin
11
PND
X
Quadris Top
azoxystrobin + difenoconazole
11+3
PND
X
Quash (Metconazole 50 WDG)
metconazole
3
PAD
X
Ranman 400 SC
cyazofamid
21
EC
Reason (+ Bravo or Dithane DG)
fenamidone
11
PND
Revus
mandipropamid
40
PND
Ridomil Gold / Bravo Duo
metalaxyl-m + chlorothalonil
4+M
CS
X
X
X
X
Ridomil Gold MZ
metalaxyl-m + mancozeb
4+M
CS
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
24 14
4
48
1
10 7-10
–
12
7
5 7-14
12
7
5 7-14
12
0
7 7-14
24
1
– 7-10
48
7
4 7-10
X6 X X
X
X X X
X6
X6
X X
X
X
X6 X
X
X X X
X
12 1-906 3 7-14 24 14
3 7-14
12
1
3 7-10
12
7
6
7
48 14
6 7-10
12 14
4 7-14
48 14
3
48
3 10-14
3
14
Scala SC (+ Bravo)
pyrimethanil
9
PND
X
24
7
6 7-14
Serenade ASO / MAX
Bacillus subtilis
M
C
X
4
0
– 7-10
Stadium (post-harvest)
azoxystrobin + fludioxonil + difenoconazole
11+12+3
–
–
–
–
X
24 14
6
7
X
48
7
6
5-7
12
7
6
7
Tanos 50 DF
famoxadone + cymoxanil
11+27
PND
Tattoo C
propamocarb HCL + chlorothalonil
28+M
PAD
Torrent 400 SC
cyazofamid
Treoris
penthiopyrade + chlorothalonil
Vertisan
penthiopyrade
Zampro SC
ametoctradin + dimethomorph
X X
21
EC
9+M
PND
X
7
PND
X
40+45
PAD
X
X X
X
1. Group: Classification of insecticides according to their mode of action. Products from the same group have a similar mode of action . To prevent the resistance, repeated applications of products from the same group must be avoided. 2. Diseases: Each of these fungicides is registered for control or suppression of the corresponding diseases. 3. Delay before harvest (DBH): The number of days between the last application of the fungicide and the harvest. 4. Maximum number of applications: The maximum number of fungicide applications per season, if specified on the label. 5. Interval between applications: The maximum and minimum numbers of days between two consecutive applications of the same product. 6. When fungicide is used in the furrow. 7. Security delay (SD): Delay (hours) before going into the treated zone. 8. Post-harvest application. Some fungicide combinations are approved by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Application guidelines may vary from one province to another. Make sure to always read guidelines before using any fungicide. 08
X
X6 X
–
12 14
4 7-14
12
7
3 7-14
12
4
3 5-10
Mode of action of the main active ingredient C
Contact
EC
Elaborated contact (anti-sporulating action)
PND
Penetrating: non-diffusing or translaminar
PAD
Penetrating with ascending diffusion
CS
Completely systemic
Potato Guide 2015
Admire 240 / SPT (in-furrow and on seed pieces)
imidacloprid
4
X
X
X
Actara 240 SC (in-furrow and on seed pieces)
thiamethoxam
4
X
X
X
X
X
X
Alias 240 SC (in-furrow and on seed pieces)
imidacloprid
4
BAS 700 01 F / BAS 700 04 F
fluapyroxade
7
Capture 240 EC (in-furrow)
bifenthrine
3
Clutch 50 WDG / Chlothianidin (in-furrow)
chlothianidin
4A
Cruiser Maxx Potato Extreme
fludioxonil + difenoconazole + thiamethoxam
Emesto Quantum
chlothianidine + penflufen
4+7
Emesto Silver
penflufen + prothioconazole
7+3
Fortensa
cyantraniliprole
28
X
Genesis 240
imidacloprid
4
X
X
X
Genesis XT
mancozeb + thiophanatemethyl + imidacloprid
M+1 (4)
X
X
X
X
Genesis MZ
imidacloprid + mancozeb
M (4)
X
Grapple / Grapple 2
imidacloprid
Heads Up
Saponins from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
Manzate 200 WP / MancoPlus
mancozeb
M
X
Maxim D
fludioxonil + difenoconazole
12+3
X
X
X
Maxim MZ PSP
fludioxonil + mancozeb
12+M
X
X
X
12+3+4
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
In-furrow treatment
Y
N
X
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
mancozeb
M
Penred 240 FS (in-furrow and seed piece)
penflufen
7
Phostrol
phosphites
33
Polyram 16D
metiram
M
X
Potato ST16 / Tuberseal / PSPT 16%
mancozeb
M
X
Pyrifos 15 G / Chlorpyrifos 480 EC
chlorpyrifos
1B
Quadris F / Abound / Azoxy
azoxystrobin
11
Reason 500 SC
fenamidone
11
Ridomil Gold 480 SL / EC
metalaxyl-m
4
Senator PSPT
thiophanate-methyl
1
X
Serenade SOIL (in-furrow)
Based on the soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis
44
X
Solan MX / Condor MZ / Mancoplus
mancozeb
M
X
Thimet 15-G
phorate
1B
Titan ST
chlothianidin
4A
X
X
N
Y
X
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Y
X X3
X
X X
X X X
X X X X X
Seed piece treatment
Flea beetle
N
X
Y
Penncozeb 80 WP / Dithane M-45 8%
X
N
N
X
7
N
Y
Y
X
sedaxane
Y
Y
X
Vibrance Potato
N
X
X
X
Y
X
X
7
Y
X
X
X
Y
N
X
4
X
Y
N
X
4 + 28
X
Y
X
thiamethoxam
X
Y N
Y
X
X
Y Y
X
Minecto Duo (in-furrow)
28
X
Y Y
X
Nipsit Inside
cyantraniliprole
X
X
thiamethoxam + cyantraniliprole
penthiopyrade
X
X
NA
Verimark (in-furrow and on seed pieces)
Application
X
4
Vertisan
Wireworm
Leafhopper
Aphids
Colorado potato beetle
Verticillium wilt
Common scab
Insect pest
Silver scurf
Rhizoctonia canker (black scurf)
Late blight
Pink rot
Seed piece decay and leak (Phythium spp.)
Common name (active ingredient)
Fusarium rot
Commercial name
Disease2
Group1
Seed piece treatment
X3
X
X3
X3 X
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
Y
N
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
N
1. Group: Classification of fungicides according to their mode of action. Products belonging to the same group have a similar mode of action. 2. Diseases / Insects: The treatment product is registered for control or suppression of the corresponding diseases in the table. 3. For treatment of the seed piece only. Y: Yes (applies for this type of application). N: No (does not apply for this type of application).
Potato Guide 2015
09
Signs of a recovery in the french-fry business While the rest of the agriculture sector nervously eyes the oil meltdown, the potato industry might actually be poised for a comeback By Gord Gilmour, Country Guide associate editor
Just one simple fact helps you understand the Canadian potato industry, and that’s just how big our crop is relative to domestic consumption. We Canucks consume just under 26 pounds of potatoes a year, but we produce about 10.2 billion pounds a year — 310 pounds for every man, woman and child in the country. As with most other Canadian agricultural commodities, that means a whole lot has to leave the country. A few pounds dribble out here and there as raw table potatoes or other specialty products like potato chips, but the 600-pound gorilla in the industry is the frozen french-fry market. Nearly 60 per cent of the potatoes produced in Canada are steampeeled, blanched, par-fried, flash frozen and packaged before finding their way to retail freezers and fast-food joints, almost all of them outside the country, says Ken MacIsaac, United Potato Growers of Canada general manager. “Canada is as reliant on exports today as ever, and mainly
10
we export to the U.S., where we backfill that market as they move their own crop offshore,” he says. The tale of how that market has first waxed, then waned, and now appears poised to grow again is an interesting microcosm of how two distinct but intertwined economies function.
Free trade and a low loonie The latest boom run for Canada’s french-fry industry has its roots in the late 1980s, with the inking of the original CanadaU.S. Free Trade Agreement, which all but eliminated tariffs between Canada and the U.S. A few years later the Canadian dollar began to decline precipitously, making Canadian fries cost-competitive with their U.S. counterparts. By the mid-’90s the dollar was trading between 70 and 75 cents U.S. and in 2002 reached an all-time
Potato Guide 2015
low of 62 cents. But rising oil prices took the loonie to an alltime high of $1.10 in 2007, and it traded somewhere between 95 cents and $1.05 until recently. When our dollar was in the weeds, Canadian exports were extremely competitive. When our dollar was high enough to make NDP leader Thomas Mulcair mutter darkly about Dutch disease, they were pretty hard up. Processed potato products were no exception and the high dollar has handed the industry more than a few lumps. Acreage and exports to the U.S. have fallen. Manitoba’s potato industry has been especially susceptible to the ups and downs. In 1988, the year the first free trade agreement took effect, the province produced just 42,500 acres. By 1994, with a 70-cent dollar, growers planted 54,500 acres, beginning a steady climb to an all-time high of 101,500 acres in 2003. But as the dollar began its rapid oil-fuelled ascent, acreage began to decline and in 2013 just 70,000 acres went into the ground, the lowest figure posted since 1996. This past season was even worse, with only 63,348 acres of spuds going into the ground. It’s meant a few years of tough sledding for growers, says Keystone Potato Producers Association general manager Dan Sawatzky. “I think it’s a fair assessment to say we have borne a lot of the pain here in Manitoba,” Sawatzky told Potato Guide. “Manitoba has definitely been hit the hardest in the past two years.”
in Washington, which is preventing the export of product out of the Columbia basin,” says MacIsaac of United Potato Growers. That could see domestic U.S. production rerouted to their own markets, shutting Canadian fries out. There’s also a new transportation option emerging that could expedite this alternative, says Sawatzky.
Signs of recovery? There may be early signs of hope. The U.S. recovery has taken hold and consumers have begun to spend again — including buying fries at quick-serve restaurants. Oil prices have plummeted, dragging down the Canadian dollar. Will this mean new opportunities for the Canadian french fry industry? “I would expect it would,” says Sawatzky. “It’s definitely going to be a bit of a fight for market share, and with the dollar at 85 cents, we’re more competitive.” While these macro trends are running in favour of the Canadian french-fry sector, there still remain other developments that justify keeping a close eye on. For one thing, U.S. processors have finally succeeded in sparking interest in fries in Asia — but now they’re running into trouble getting the product offshore in time to meet growing demand. “There’s been a bit of an issue with backlogs at the ports Chinese consumers have shown a real taste for North Americanstyle fries, particularly from Canadian varieties.
Potato Guide 2015
11
“ There’s a new organization called Railex that has a running rights agreement that lets them send 53-car-unit trains of frozen and refrigerated product from Washington state to New York.” — Dan Sawatzky, Keystone Potato Producers “There’s a new organization called Railex that has a running rights agreement that lets them send 53-car-unit trains of frozen and refrigerated product from Washington state to New York,” he says. “That will open up a transportation channel that wasn’t there before.” Sawatzky says KPPA and growers have been lobbying local processors to see if they can leverage the Winnipeg CentrePort logistics hub themselves to produce a Manitoba competitive advantage.
Offshore demand MacIsaac says the growth of the Chinese market is particularly exciting, since those consumers have shown a real taste for North American-style fries, particularly from the varieties of potatoes Canadian and U.S. growers produce. “China has definitely been the bright spot the past two or three quarters,” he says. Sawatzky says Manitoba growers will continue to find efficiency where they can, essentially aiming to keep them-
selves in the game longer. He noted the province has seen very strong growth in potato yields. “We have been increasing yields at a faster rate than any other jurisdiction in North America,” he says. “We’ve been seeing increases of eight cwt an acre and the industry average has been somewhere between three and five cwt an acre.” He mainly credits that growth to growers who are really beginning to finely hone their irrigation management to local growing conditions. Another key area of work will be funding research in all areas of potato production in the province, with particular attention to identifying new varieties that may work better for the local climate than the industry standard Russet Burbank variety. “It is the most widely grown variety in North America, but it might not be the best suited to our local growing conditions,” he says. “Anything that would identify and promote the acceptance of better-suited varieties would be an advantage.”
After peaking at 101,500 acres in 2003, Manitoba potato acreage dropped to only 63,348 acres in 2014.
12
Potato Guide 2015
Mycorrhizal fungi a potential yield booster in potatoes A relative newcomer to the fields, the benefits are hard to ignore By Ralph Pearce, Country Guide Production Editor
An intensively farmed crop such as potatoes always demands diligence in production. In addition to irrigation and finding suitable rotation crops, growers are constantly looking for an upper hand in dealing with nutrient issues and measures aimed at improving soil health and overall production. That might be where there’s an intriguing fit for a relatively new inoculant that reinforces root development and nutrient uptake through the introduction of mycorrhizal fungi. The existence of mycorrizhal fungi and their relationship to healthy soils are certainly nothing new. Farmers who are dedicated to no till are often the most familiar with the benefits of mycorrhizae, a network of filaments that colonize a plant’s root system and enable it to draw on sources of nutrients and water to which it might not otherwise have access. It also stimulates plant growth and can help accelerate root development. The use of this inoculant helps bridge that gap in root development and nutrient and water access and does so in
Potato Guide 2015
fairly short order, compared to the longer-term process that comes with no-till farming. Katelyn Bruinsma, sales representative with Premier Tech Agriculture, has worked with six growers across Ontario, introducing the company’s MykePro Potato L liquid inoculants. The first MykePro products were introduced in 2002 for horticultural and landscaping sectors. From there, a product line was introduced for row-crop agriculture in 2008 and a liquid formulation for potatoes followed in 2011, with a reformulation launched in 2012. Bruinsma says mycorrhizae are naturally occurring fungi which help plant development. The MykePro products provide a specific strain of the fungi which enables that plant to derive the most benefit by placing it at the right time in the right place at the right concentration. “Mycorrhizae are important for soil health and contribute to creating a better, more conductive environment around the root zone for the good biology to grow, and that in turn helps
13
generate better soil health,” says Bruinsma. “The mycorrhizae actually need a host plant to live off of — they work in symbiosis together, so the fungi live within the plant root hairs and they feed off of each other. If the plant dies, then the chance of survival decreases for those mycorrhizal fungi.” The inoculant comes in a jug capable of treating 10 acres of
potatoes. It can be tank mixed with a liquid fungicide application at planting. Placed next to the seed, it enhances existing mycorrhizal strains and places the most beneficial strain next to the potato. The only stipulation is that like most inoculants with a living biotic culture, MykePro Potato L should be used within six hours of mixing in the tank.
A side-by-side comparison shows the difference between potatoes from untreated plants (l) and treated plants (r). Photo courtesy of Premier Tech Agriculture.
14
Potato Guide 2015
Any conditions? The inoculant can be used in any soil type, and can actually help the potato root system overcome different challenges associated with different soils. The use of inoculants is geared to increasing the root system, therefore increasing the overall surface area of that system for nutrient and water absorption. In muck soils, the nutrients are tied up more, so having that mycorrhizal fungi there can help access those nutrients. “In sandier soils, they don’t hold as many nutrients and water as well because sandier soils dry out quicker,” says Bruinsma. “So having a larger root system and mycorrhizal network in the soil can allow the plant to access more of that water and more of the nutrients.” The use of MykePro Potato L has shown positive and consistent results during a four-year period tested in four different regions — the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario and Maine. Data from more than 200 trials indicate an average yield increase of 29.5 cwt/acre or 9.8 per cent. One of the growers Bruinsma works with saw yield increases in some of his fields in 2013, “just enough to spark his interest and try it again.” In 2014 he increased his treated acres and saw a large increase in yield — 14.5 per cent on average.
Easy to see From Jeremy Rood’s perspective, there’s no “hard-sell” on the use of mycorrhizal fungi or the MykePro inoculant — or its benefits. He operates Grand Bend Produce, with a farm, packaging plant and headquarters located just outside of Grand Bend, Ont. In all, he farms on a little less than 1,000 acres, with other fields located near Komoka, Mount Brydges, Strathroy, Exeter and Thedford. So when Rood says he’s seen significant success, it’s across a fairly broad area. “We didn’t have success on every single variety that we tried it on (in 2013), but on at least 50 per cent we had success with it.” says Rood. “The varieties that weren’t successful, they weren’t any worse than the check, so it didn’t do any harm. But this past year (2014), we’ve had great success with it — every single variety demonstrated yield gain, and the crop was a bit earlier as well because of it. You could tell right off the bat with one of the first fields we planted we did the last 10 acres with it, and you could see right down the row around mid-season, right before flowering, they were four or five inches higher than those parts grown without the mycorrhizae.” The plants were also a darker shade of green and appeared to be healthier overall. When Rood would pull a treated plant, he says it was apparent how much stronger the root system was, compared to an untreated plant. And in spite of the fact that his crops are irrigated, the plants fared much better with the faster growth. “The crop was ready a week sooner, the size was there, and with the plants being that much bigger that much faster, it also helped out in the long run because it shaded out the weeds and it shaded out the ground so we didn’t have as much evaporation,” he says.
Potato Guide 2015
15
A confident grower doesn’t need to boast. And neither do we. In this business, it’s not about what you say – it’s about what you do. And Titan® Emesto™ seed-piece treatment sure delivers. It’ll help protect your crop against the broadest spectrum of insects and against all major seed-borne diseases, including rhizoctonia, silver scurf, and fusarium – even current resistant strains. When you can see that your coverage is this good, confidence comes naturally. Visit TitanEmesto.ca and see what confidence can do for you.
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Emesto™ and Titan® are trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.