Apple and pear growers will have a new QoI fungicide to control powdery mildew and scab this year; Flint (trifloxystrobin) from Bayer.
This new introduction is timely as growers were about to be left with just two QoI containing products following the demise of Maccani (pyraclostrobin + dithianon). FRAC guidelines for QoIs require them to be applied only in mixture and Bayer’s campaign manager for horticulture Tim Lacey says Flint will make a very strong tank-mix partner.
“It is the strongest QoI fungicide in apples and pears offering broad-spectrum protection against scab and powdery mildew aided by some technical advantages; excellent rainfastness, surface redistribution by vapour action and long lasting efficacy. These three characteristics will give confidence in interval safety even during growth.
“Additional effects of Flint have been noted on other diseases including Stemphylium in pears and its QoI physiological effects are typically seen to benefit rosette leaf quality and calcium balance and may even help reduce bitter pit.”
Important information on the product label includes; maximum individual dose 150 g product/ha; maximum number of treatments 4 per crop; and latest time of application 14 days before harvest. All varieties of apple and pear may be treated with Flint and it should be applied at 7-10 day intervals in mixture with other fungicides with a different mode of action.
Bayer expects its timing of use to be focused around the flowering period and early fruit development, so mainly from late April to June. Mr Lacey explains that it is used widely on the continent at these timings. “Growers there are very confident in it and Flint has become their standard in scab and powdery mildew programmes.”
