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Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Tremor, any thoughts on which of these is a better systemic fungicide for pumpkin growers? There is quite a price difference. Also, how long would each last? Would there be more than one application per season or could you use both, say, 2 months apart?

8/13/2003 5:14:06 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No fungicide lasts 8 weeks. 5-7 days when a fungal pathogen is becoming resistant to a chemical class. Up to 28 days (in our dreams usually) with some of the new strobilurins and analides. As for which one? It's sort of like this: Subdue is a screwdriver. 3336 is a hammer. Daconil is a wrench. Each has it's own individual uses with Subdue being the most specialized & unique of those three. At the risk of giving us all headaches, I will share a link to all the classes of fungicide chemistries out there today. Please see:

http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_fungicides.html#anilide_fungicides

This won't tell us much about what they're used for unless the old chemistry degree is still fresh. But at least we'll see the different chemical families.

To answer the question as directly as possible assuming we could only have 1 of the 2 you mentioned. I think of the two, 3336 is more diverse & would cover more of the bases that we're concerned with.

I prefer Miclobutanil (Eagle & Nova) to 3336 all day.

Steve

8/13/2003 10:37:18 PM

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Thanks, Steve. So even the systemic fungicides don't last more then 28 days? I assume, then, that one should alternate systemics (to hit those pathogens that might have resistance) at least every 28 days. For some reason, I thought systemics had a longer life than contacts. Thanks again, Steve.

8/14/2003 10:50:38 AM

Montoursville, PA

I do not know if they all work the same but I think they do.
You place them. The plant uses some, leaching and time gets some so after thirty days the value of the original placement may be down 50%. At this point you may top dress by making another application at half the original strength.
Fill the system back up so to speak. In another thirty days you may do the same. That covers the growing season for most of us with excellent strenth available in the plant as well as in the ground. Your contact insecticide is used to support the systemic if needed. Merit was my choice of systemic. It is a good one. I have needed no contact product as of this day although I am ready if the need appears. I'm in North Central Pa.

8/14/2003 12:39:56 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Conatcts generally last longer. But the plants will outgrow the envelope that we applied to it. So newly expanding growth becomes unprotected. Picture the treated leaf as wearing a glove that cannot expand. Sunlight is the most likely thing to degrade a fingicide once it's applied. So all this "washed off in the rain" stuff is nonsense unless the residue hadn't dried prior to the rain. Sunny weather is even worse for our fungicides.

Quadris/Heritage & maybe Endure/Emerald are the only likely candidates for the "28 day club". But as we just learned, this would only apply to plants that haven't grown in 28 days. Around here the only plants that sit still for 4 weeks are those I've tossed onto the compost pile (or will very soon!)

Steve

8/14/2003 3:09:54 PM