Bayer announced at BTME 2017 that Headland Amenity would become a key partner to help bring the newly launched fungicide ‘Exteris Stressgard’ to the UK market.
Containing a brand new chemical group, the first in almost ten years, Exteris Stressgard will feature prominently as part of Headland’s disease control strategy from the summer.
This new SDHI formulation features the brand new active ingredient, Fluopyram, a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor that interferes with cell respiration, alongside a proven QoI partner, Trifloxystrobin.
Labelled for control of Microdochium Patch and Dollar Spot, Exteris Stressgard is effective when applied before, or at the very first signs of disease outbreak.
“It is likely moving forward that there will not be any contact, curative chemistry available for turf managers to treat established disease, so more than ever the emphasis must be on prevention,” said Andy Russell, Headland’s Sales and Marketing Director.
“A well thought through, integrated approach to preventative disease management, will become even more important to ensure clean surfaces.”
This integrated strategy should utilise different methods to manage disease pressure. Management of key factors such as nutrient inputs, canopy moisture levels and aeration can have a significant effect on disease incidence, and rotation of approved fungicides will reduce the chances of resistance build-up and maintain the efficacy of product applications.
Alongside fungicide application, strategies to affect the environment around the grass plant can have a positive effect on disease reduction.
Headland’s 20/20/30 tank mix of plant protectants and elicitors has been shown over the last ten years of STRI trials and field experience, to minimise disease levels when applied as a preventative programme.
Many Headland customers already use the non-pesticidal 20/20/30 programme as a strategy to limit disease alongside a preventative fungicide.
As a completely new chemical group Exteris Stressgard will become an excellent partner to this approach, helping to manage turf disease more efficiently.
