BASF offers local pipfruit growers a suite of products including fungicides to provide effective control of black spot, powdery mildew and other diseases, herbicides for understory weed management, and an outstanding plant growth regulator for suppressing vegetative shoot growth.
The newest star performer in the fungicide range is the outstanding Belanty®, powered by the innovative active ingredient mefentrifluconazole.
Tim Herman, Senior Technical Services Specialist - Crop Protection for BASF New Zealand Ltd, says: “Belanty belongs to the DMI group of fungicides with the Group 3 mode of action (MoA). Like some other DMIs it has great reach-back activity, but it is also a solid, durable protectant that prevents infection of treated foliage and fruitlets after application. What sets Belanty apart is its uniquely adaptable ‘isopropanol-azole’ molecule. By changing shape to fit the altered target site in mutated pathogens, it can control disease strains that have become less sensitive to older DMIs.”
Another BASF pipfruit fungicide is Sercadis® (fluxapyroxad, MoA Group 7), a well-established SDHI fungicide to help control black spot over the critical green tip to post-flowering period when ascospores are typically released.
Tim notes: “A key attribute of Sercadis over other currently available SDHIs is that it can be used up to 21 days after petal-fall or until the fruitlets reach 25 mm in diameter.
“All DMI and SDHI fungicides are single-site fungicides, meaning they act on a specific location in a pathogen’s life cycle. This increases the risk of pathogen populations developing resistance to fungicides in these two groups. For this reason, they should always be applied in combination with fungicides from another MoA group.”
Two other fungicides in the BASF portfolio, Polyram® DF (metiram, MoA Group M3) and Delan® WG (dithianon, MoA Group M9), are great options to use as tank-mix partners because they impede pathogens by acting at multiple sites in their growth. “Polyram DF and Delan WG are reliable stalwarts of many pipfruit fungicide programmes.”
Pristine® (boscalid + pyraclostrobin, MoA Groups 7 and 11) is primarily used to control powdery mildew and often applied during flowering. It’s no longer used for black spot control because of resistance to the strobilurin group.
“The plant growth regulator Regalis® Xtra (prohexadione-calcium) is regarded by many as having set the standard in reducing unproductive shoot growth while not impeding fruit-set or fruit growth. This helps open the canopy to allow better penetration of sprays as well as sunlight. Time spent pruning in winter may be reduced by 35 percent. No water conditioners are required with Regalis Xtra.”
When it comes to weed control in the orchard, the BASF herbicides Sharpen® (saflufenacil, MoA Group 14) and Buster® (glufosinate, MoA Group 10) may be added to glyphosate (MoA Group 9) as a spike to help broaden the spectrum of weed control. As a contact herbicide, Buster is a safer option than systemic alternatives for use around young trees once the bark has lignified.
Within the BASF range, there are plenty of great options to help protect your crops and boost their productivity. As always, it's essential to follow label directions and avoid overuse of any single solution.
Find out more about any of these BASF products by talking with your local Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural Representative.
ACVM registration numbers: Belanty® #009798, Buster® #003064, Delan® #003507, Pristine® #P007595, Regalis® Xtra #008734, Sercadis® #P008977, Sharpen® #008391. Read registered label before use.