A little disease at the start of a season can threaten a field’s economic viability by season’s end — when a small percentage of blemishes can wreak havoc on a potato grower’s potential payout.
Syngenta said its Vibrance Ultra Potato seed treatment gives growers the disease-fighting strength they need to start the season strong. Vibrance Ultra Potato recently received EPA approval for use in potatoes. This all-in-one liquid formulation provides broad-spectrum protection against key seed- and soil-borne diseases, including control of seed-borne late blight and silver scurf seed decay, and suppression of pink rot.
“The uniqueness of this product is the three active ingredients that work individually and complementary for disease and resistance management,” said Kiran (Spud Doctor) Shetty, Syngenta's technical development lead for potatoes. Shetty said Vibrance Ultra Potato gives growers confidence that they can control the most challenging potato diseases during cutting and treating as well as post-planting.
“If you struggle in the early part of the season, there’s very little chance you can finish the crop well,” Shetty said. “Start strong, grow strong and finish strong. New products such as Vibrance Ultra [Potato] give us that strong start.”
Controlling disease, Shetty points out, is essential to earning potential income incentives for grade, consistent tuber size and minimal defects. Many diseases pose risks to that opportunity. “Broad spectrum is the key word when we’re talking about Vibrance Ultra [Potato],” Shetty said.
The three active ingredients in Vibrance Ultra Potato deliver control of multiple diseases while also bolstering resistance management because each provides a different mode of action.
- Mandipropamid, FRAC Group 40, protects against the infection or spread of seed-borne late blight during the cutting or handling of potato seed pieces. Mandipropamid also suppresses pink rot, which can be carried through daughter tubers.
- Difenconazole, FRAC Group 3, protects against Fusarium dry rot seed decay.
- Sedaxane, FRAC Group 7, is active against seed-borne silver scurf seed decay, and seedling blight and damping off caused by Rhizoctonia species.
The company said delivering control through three different modes of action is essential for long-term effectiveness. “When we introduce these products they are meant to last for some time,” Shetty said. “Our goal is to maintain the product so growers have these valuable tools for years to come.”
