California Growers Get New Bactericide, Fungicide

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California farmers have another bactericide and fungicide option with the approval of Instill fungicide. Instill, distributed by Sym-Agro, is a systemic copper product that is approved for use on nut trees, fruit trees, citrus, leafy vegetables, and berries.

Sym-Agro says that what makes Instill unique is its formulation makes the copper more active, so much lower doses of copper are required to provide the same level of disease control. Instill provides up to 21 days of residual control.

Sym-Agro says key benefits of Instill include:

  • Reduced phytotoxicity due to systemic/translocating technology
  • Tank mix options –due to lower pH
  • Complete plant protection from systemic movement
  • No visible residue on treated surfaces
  • Easy to handle – mixes easily and stays in solution
  • Rain-fastness
  • Reduced potential for russeting from copper residue on the plant surface

Instill’s systemic activity protects against, downy mildew, bacterial blight, fire blight, powdery mildew, botrytis, and rust. It helps reduce postharvest rots and can be used up to the day of harvest.

New Tool a Boost for Crop Protection in Challenging Vineyards

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On the steep slopes of California’s Napa Valley, labor shortages, as well as unique weather and soil conditions, combine to create significant challenges to viticulturalists charged with the health of the vineyards entrusted to them. Remote-controlled aircraft — drones — represent one technology showing considerable promise in allowing viticulturalists to overcome some of those challenges.

According to Brittany Pederson, Director of Viticulture at Renteria Vineyard Management LLC, “strong results” coming from trials she has conducted on various vineyard sites and at the University of California, Davis’ Oakville Experimental Vineyards earlier this decade led to her own use of drone technology in the vineyards she oversees. Pederson’s interest in the potential drones might have as a tool for viticulturalists has put her on the cutting edge of her industry in demonstrating the machines can play a significant part in advancing the state of the art she and her peers practice.

Vineyard Application
Pederson says her interest in remotely piloted aircraft was piqued when, about five years ago, she became aware of the research UC Davis presented in association with the Yamaha Motor Corporation. Yamaha was looking into the feasibility of applying chemical crop protection to grapevines using its RMAX remotely piloted agricultural spray vehicle. Seeing the drone displayed at a UC Davis “Grape Day” presentation for vineyard professionals, Pederson was intrigued.

“This small little helicopter was interesting to me, but it also seemed a little bit crazy. It goes against everything we’ve done in the past but, I thought, ‘I will prove it either way,’” she says. “As a viticulturist, I try to be a creative thinker, to find better ways to be efficient at what we’re doing, so I’m always interested in new things as I look at challenging issues and trying to figure out how to resolve them. How do we change? How do we work with new technologies to better achieve our goals? I thought the drones might hold real promise for my industry, so I decided to learn more.”

Pederson’s interest led to her eventually working closely with Yamaha as it fine-tuned its own approach to the use of drones in a vineyard setting.

“I designed some scientific trials with proper controls to allow a realistic assessment of the technology,” she says. “I went into it with no preconceptions about whether it would work or wouldn’t work.”

Promising Results
The results Pederson put forward have been good enough to encourage her to continue utilizing aerial drones, especially for the application of fungicides, and especially in areas where special challenges to traditional application protocols have posed challenges.

“Hillsides is where we struggle the most to get good coverage with the approaches we have traditionally used,” she says. “Those areas are where I’ve found it to be a great fit; there’s all sorts of variables, but where it’s difficult to spray or costly to spray, those are the areas we use the RMAX.”

Brad Anderson, Division Manager of Yamaha’s helicopter spraying operations, points out drones, while in the early years of use for spraying agrochemicals in the U.S., have an established history in much of the rest of the world.

“Japan has been using remotely piloted helicopters for aerial applications on crops (mostly rice), since 1991. The RMAX was originally introduced in Japan in 1997; in 2003 there was an update (which is called the RMAX Type IIG),” he says. “This is the original platform we received an exemption for to utilize in the U.S. In Japan, 40% of the rice grown is sprayed by a Yamaha remotely piloted helicopter.”

Pederson says the relationship with Yamaha has continued, as she has worked out how to best use the capabilities of drones to benefit her vineyards and as Yamaha has utilized her feedback to improve its own capabilities.

Site-Specific Use
For the present, at least, Pederson agrees with Anderson that the best fit for drones in the Napa Valley comes from their use in areas where terrain, or other factors, make it difficult to apply agrochemicals using traditional methods.

“The decision to use drones is site-specific,” she says. “There are three important questions I always ask when deciding whether to utilize a piece of equipment: ‘One, does it make sense for my team? Two, does it make sense economically? And three, does it work?’”

While pointing to reductions in soil compaction, increased worker safety, and quick response as benefits that drones bring to the table, she says they especially shine in replacing hand labor on steep slopes and other spots that are hard to get to.

“The ability to use them on difficult sites where otherwise I would have to have a backpack spray team is big to me,” she says. “Retaining a trained labor force is one of the most important parts of my job. Backpack spraying is one of the most daunting and difficult tasks to be had in a vineyard with steep slopes; the packs are heavy and the job is difficult even on level ground, much less when you have to hike up a steep hill. My workers don’t like it, and I don’t like having to make them do it. Avoiding that type of work is a number one factor for me and if it’s economical, that’s just another plus.”

New Fungicide Approved for Select California Crops

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Good news for growers in the Golden State, the California Department of Pesticide Regulations has approved another new crop protection tool to consider — Helmstar Plus SC — for use on selected crops.

According to product manufacturer HELM Agro US Inc., the new fungicide product features preventive and curative activity from two powerful modes of action, which quickly knocks down diseases and provides a residual barrier to inhibit newly forming diseases.

In California, the product is labeled for use on almonds, grapes, corn, barley, wheat, grasses grown for seed, and other crops.

As a premix, Helmstar Plus SC hosts Group 3 and Group 11 fungicides and is tank-mix compatible with a variety of crop protection products.

Restrictions Recommended on Chlorpyrifos in California

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The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced that it has recommended new interim restrictions on the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos, which is used on more than 800,000 acres and more than 60 crops in the state including tree nuts, grapes, citrus, vegetables, cotton, and alfalfa.

The new measures will provide increased protections from potential exposure to the pesticide while DPR completes a formal regulatory process to list chlorpyrifos as a “toxic air contaminant” and develops permanent restrictions on its use. The department is recommending that county agricultural commissioners (CAC’s) begin implementing the interim measures on Jan. 1.

“DPR has been working with growers for years to find alternatives to this pesticide while also taking action to curtail its use through the regulatory process,” said DPR Director Brian Leahy. “These interim measures represent a significant step in our ongoing effort to protect human health and the environment.”

The interim measures include:

  • Banning all aerial applications of chlorpyrifos.
  • Discontinuing its use on most crops. Chlorpyrifos will be restricted to “critical uses” on crops for which there are few if any alternative pesticides, as determined by the University of California Cooperative Extension. These critical uses are listed on DPR’s website.
  • Requiring a quarter-mile buffer zone during all allowed applications of the pesticide and for 24 hours afterward.
  • Requiring a 150-foot setback from houses, businesses, schools and other sensitive sites at all times, regardless of whether the site is occupied at the time of application.

According to DPR, use of the organophosphate has declined in use over the past decade as growers have chosen safer alternatives. Use of the pesticide has dropped by more than 50% from 2 million pounds in 2005 to just over 900,000 pounds in 2016.

In 2015, DPR designated chlorpyrifos a California restricted material, meaning that only trained, licensed professionals with a permit from a local county agricultural commissioner may use products containing the pesticide. In 2017, it was added to California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause reproductive harm.

In September 2018, following extensive scientific review and public comment, DPR proposed designating chlorpyrifos as a “toxic air contaminant,” which California law defines as an air pollutant that may cause or contribute to increases in serious illness or death, or that may pose a present or potential hazard to human health. A 45-day public comment period on the proposed designation closed on Nov. 9.

Following the designation of chlorpyrifos as a toxic air contaminant, DPR is required to consult with other state and local agencies – including the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the California Air Resources Board, CAC’s and local air districts – to determine what permanent mitigation measures are needed. This regulatory process could take up to two years to complete.

Visit the DPR website for information on chlorpyrifos and a complete list of recommended restrictions.

Biofungicide Gains Approval in California

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California approved the biofungicide AVIV for use in the state, its maker Sym-Agro announced earlier this week. The company says the crop protection tool for leafy greens growers is the industry’s first clear, non-staining Bacillus product on the market. It uses “ruggedized spores that grow and colonize on the foliage to build a protective physical barrier.”

It also offers a photo degredation and environmental protection.

“AVIV uses a patented manufacturing process to optimize the bioavailability of its active ingredient, a newly discovered strain of Bacillus subtilis IAB/BS03 with broad-spectrum disease control,” says Sym-Agro President Peter Bierma. “This process helps AVIV solubilize completely in the spray tank, eliminating the risk of clogged application equipment and leaving no visual deposit on treated crops.”

Here’s more information about the product from the news release announcing the new labeling:

“Field research has confirmed that AVIV’s spectrum of activity is wider than other Bacilluschoices, so growers don’t have to use different Bacillus for botrytis and powdery mildew.

“In addition, the increased bioavailability of AVIV’s active ingredient means low use rates – about 60% lower than other Bacillus-based fungicides – and AVIV costs less than competing bacillus products. For conventional growers, a 10 oz. use rate can economically be added to increase disease defense and provide solid resistance management.

“Studies show higher efficacies than standard Bacillus products, and AVIV can be tank mixed with a wide variety of other crop protection products, including bactericides such as copper.”

AVIV is pending registration in Florida. All other vegetable-growing states are registered.