Main Objectives
Objective 1. Carry out trials (in collaboration with British Sugar) in the three beet growing regions to compare the effect of triazoles, strobilurins and other approved fungicides, applied at different stages of crop growth, on disease control and yield and quality in early and late harvested plots. Objective 2. Compare reduced rates and mixtures of triazoles and other fungicides to establish the most cost-effective treatments for disease control.
Latest Report
Outcomes / Key Message For Growers And Industry
1. Application of triazole and strobilurin fungicides in early June, before canopy closure, increased susceptibility to disease and reduced yields compared with untreated controls or Fortress.
2. With normal, late-July fungicide applications, there was no evidence of an interaction with harvest date, i.e. that some treatments were better suited to early or late harvests.
3. Full rate applications of fungicides increased yields in the presence of disease whereas half-rate applications did not.
4. Cabaret (cyproconazole) showed poor persistence against powdery mildew.
5. Fortress (quinoxyfen) gave poor control of rust.
6. Mixtures gave yield increases equivalent to, but not significantly better than their components applied at full rates.
