New disease protection that sticks and stays

The tenacious sticking properties of new Daconil Weather Stik from Syngenta means that when the fungicide hits the turf leaf, it sticks and stays in place to give longer lasting disease protection - and it is rainfast in 1 hour. New Daconil Weather Stik will prove a vital element of turf manager's future fungicide programme

Turf managers will have an outstanding opportunity to control key autumn diseases this season - even in the most difficult spraying conditions. New Daconil Weather Stik (sic) ensures strong bonding of the powerful fungicide to the leaf surface - ensuring it will not be washed away by rain and giving longer lasting protection from disease.

Independent trials by STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) have consistently proven the high levels of disease control achieved by Daconil Weather Stik, with exceptional results on Fusarium Patch (Microdochium Patch), reports Syngenta Technical Manager for Turf, Simon Barnaby.

The trials have shown significantly higher levels of winter season disease control on treated greens from a Daconil Weather Stik programme, at 95 to 100% control from November to February, compared to iprodione where control dipped to as low as 45%.

"Assessments of turf quality showed Daconil Weather Stick increased turf quality by more than 40% over the course of the treatment, compared to just 5% improvement with iprodione," he said. "Come the spring, STRI assessed the Daconil Weather Stik treated greens as being 140% better than untreated, demonstrating the far greater persistence."

In 20 trials assessments, Daconil Weather Stick outperformed iprodione for control of Fusarium Patch by an average 17%, with instances of over 30% better control with the new product. "The trials confirm that turf managers can confidently expect Daconil Weather Stik to work more effectively than iprodione treatments," he adds.

Mr Barnaby attributes the success of Daconil Weather Stik to the formulation, where the chlorothalonil active ingredient particles have been very finely milled, and combined with carefully selected wetting, dispersing and sticking agents. "The effect is to give far superior and even coverage of the leaf surface, compared to other coarse milled products which can leave gaps on the leaf surface vulnerable to disease infection," he added.

New Daconil Weather Stik is assured as rainfast within an hour of application, or as soon as the spray has dried on the leaf. Once bonded to the leaf, the protectant active ingredient will not be washed off, even by a heavy rainstorm or irrigation. Other less effective formulations have been shown to be quickly washed off, leaving turf unprotected at a time of wet and warm conditions most conducive to disease.

Fitting into fungicide programmes

Mr Barnaby advises that Daconil Weather Stik will become an essential part of all Integrated Turf Management (ITM) fungicide programmes, since the active ingredient - chlorothalonil - has a crucial multi-site mode of action on turf disease pathogens that will minimise any chance of resistance building up throughout the entire programme. Daconil Weather Stik is the only chemical in the Phthalonitrile fungicide group, which is the only one officially classified with a low risk of resistance, meaning it can be relied on to keep delivering the highest levels of disease control time after time .

"Daconil Weather Stik targets fungal pathogens at a number of points. It inhibits the synthesis of essential amino compounds and enzymes, which gives the pathogen little or no chance of developing resistance. When used in conjunction with other Syngenta fungicides - Heritage and Banner Maxx - there are now three clearly different modes of activity, to enable turf managers to practice 'Rotation, Rotation, Rotation' for the most effective fungicide programmes."

Typically Mr Barnaby advocates turf managers will use Daconil Weather Stik in late autumn and early spring, primarily to avoid the damaging effects of Fusarium Patch (Microdochium nivale) and Red Thread, and as a mid-summer application to rotate the spray programme and target Anthracnose and Dollar Spot.

Timing for protection

The contact action of new Daconil Weather Stik provides long-lasting protection from disease infection, which is best applied when conditions are favourable for disease infection. Trials have also shown that its kick-back activity will also give early curative control of infection and can achieve very effective results when applied at the first signs of disease activity.

For the very best results, turf managers can use the interactive web sit www.greencast.co.uk for free local disease forecasts and advice on optimum spray timing.

"In practice, turf managers' spraying opportunities are dictated not only by the weather, but also by players' demands to get on the course or pitch; yet it is the same players that demand the highest quality playing surfaces," adds Mr Barnaby. "New Daconil Weather Stik has the physical attributes to make turf management easier, as well as the capability to deliver outstanding disease control."

Investment secures future supplies

The recent announcement that Syngenta had gained exclusive EU Annex 1 listing for its chlorothalonil products has assured supplies of new Daconil Weather Stik for the future, when other chlorothalonil products were due to be withdrawn from the end of August.

Syngenta Professional Products and Turf Manager, Simon Elsworth, added: "The needs of the UK turf industry and the exciting potential for new Daconil Weather Stik were instrumental in justifying the multi-million pound investment to achieve the EU Annex 1 registration; the cost of which few other companies have the capability to match.

"The investment continues our commitment to maintain products for the turf industry, as well as to introduce innovative products and improved formulations over the coming years."

Daconil Weather Stik is distributed in the UK and Ireland by The Scotts Company.

For further details on Daconil Weather Stik visit the web site: http://www.greencast.co.uk

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection and turf management. It ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2005 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further information is available at <www.syngenta.com>