The 2021 season is coming to an end, and potato farms, which this season for the first time used the innovative fungicide Zorvek® Encanthia, registered by the international research company Corteva Agriscience, are ready to share their opinion on the use of the drug. In this article, representatives of Latkin LLC, a full-cycle enterprise and one of the largest potato producers in the Nizhny Novgorod region, will talk about their experience in controlling potato diseases.
According to the FGBNU VNIIF, late blight and early blight are the most dangerous potato diseases not only in Russia, but also abroad.
More than 4 billion euros is estimated at the annual damage to global crop production from these infections and the cost of combating them.
For OOO Latkin, potatoes are the main crop in the crop rotation. The technology of its cultivation is at a high level: irrigation is applied, advanced high-performance agricultural machinery is used, working on precision farming systems; potato storage facilities equipped with automatic climate systems allow storing up to 40 thousand tons of products for almost a year without loss of taste and commercial qualities.
The farm continues to develop dynamically, increasing the area under potatoes almost every year. So, if at the beginning of the journey - in 2002 - plantings occupied 200 hectares, then in 2021, 1 hectares have already been allocated for potatoes. The main volume this season, up to 900 hectares, was occupied by the variety Gala, there were also planting varieties of Krona, Vega, Vineta. This is mainly ware potatoes, including for networks, but there is also a small
volume of potatoes for processing (for the production of vacuum-packed peeled potatoes), as well as seed material. All products are grown on irrigation, which, according to the chief agronomist of the enterprise, Alexei Chudokvasov, has become one of the main tools for the farm to increase the quantity and quality of the crop.
“The problem of late blight and early blight is very relevant for our region: heavy dews that begin in July seriously aggravate the phytosanitary situation in plantings. But fortunately, over the years of work in the industry, the economy has developed tactics to bring these infections under control, - says Alexei Chudokvasov. - It consists in a preventive approach and preventive treatments with systemic fungicides.”
Maria Kuznetsova, Head of the Department of Potato and Vegetable Crops Diseases of the All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology, also speaks about the colossal importance of the correct choice of the drug and the growing season of the crop for the treatment: “Many agricultural producers during the period of active potato growth, instead of using systemic preparations, use contact ones that do not protect the new growth. At the same time, there are very few drugs that can protect new growth during the period of active growth, both in the world and in Russia.”
“Against the background of a small number of systemic drugs registered in Russia for late blight and early blight of potatoes, the appearance of Zorvek® Enkantiya is a very long-awaited and significant event for the industry”, - considers the chief agronomist of Latkin LLC.
The new fungicide is based on the active ingredients famoxadone (300 g/l) and oxathiapiproline (30 g/l). Famoxadone is a cellular respiration inhibitor that blocks the work of ubiquinone in the third complex of the respiratory chain in the mitochondria of fungal cells. It is a contact component of the preparation, binds strongly to the cuticle and is stored in the waxy layer of the leaves. Oxathiapiproline, system component,
acts on oxysterol, a binding protein, the blocking of which first leads to a stop in the growth of the mycelium of the fungus and germ tubes of spores and subsequently to the death of the fungus. It has no cross-resistance with existing active ingredients.
Among the main advantages of the novelty is the resistance to washing off and the provision of protection during periods of intensive crop growth. The drug begins its action and has rain resistance after only 20 minutes after treatment.
After an hour, only 12-15% of the drug remains on the treated surface, more than 80% binds to the cuticle wax, 3-5% binds to the intercellular space, due to which the highest resistance to washing off is achieved.
Due to the systemic mobility of the active substance, a high degree of protection of the new growth of leaves of cultivated crops is ensured. Experiments carried out in a number of European countries have shown that the protective effect of Zorvek® Enkantiya in conditions of high infectious
background persists for 3-4 days longer compared to other drugs designed to control diseases caused by
oomycetes.
Zorvec® Enkantia has a pronounced antisporulant effect, i.e. the ability to prevent sporulation from an existing infection, which helps to avoid secondary infection, enhancing the overall protection of the plant.
This year, 160 hectares of irrigated areas occupied by the Gala variety were treated with a new fungicide from Corteva at the LLC Latkin enterprise. The treatment was carried out once in the phase of closing the tops with a norm of 0,5 l/ha. As part of the experience, two protection schemes were compared: in the second preparation, Zorvek® Enkantia was replaced by a systemic and contact fungicide based on mancozeb (640 g/l) and mefenoxam
(40 g/kg).
“Despite the fact that both options showed high efficiency in infection control, the area where Zorvek® Enkantia was worked on was greener at the time of desiccation, which was visually noticeable and confirmed by the NDVI index. Moreover, an increase in yield of 4 t/ha was also noted here - 50 t/ha against 46 t/ha in the control, which seems to be economically profitable within the season., - the agronomist of the enterprise shared the results.
“Zorvek® Enkantia is a very promising drug for potato growers, which is confirmed by the experience of our farm. In the next few years, we will continue to look closely at the drug and lay new experiments on different varieties and in different schemes in order to fully evaluate its potential, ” - concluded the expert.
OOO Korteva Agriscience Rus
344022, Rostov-on-Don,
st. Suvorova, 91, 6th floor
Site: corteva.ru
E-mail: cpp.russia@corteva.com