Timorex Gold, Broad-spectrum Biofungicide

Biofungicide Timorex Gold to Help Western Vegetable Growers Fight Disease Pressure

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Farm News Director

The U.S. EPA has approved Timorex Gold, a new broad-spectrum reduced-risk biopesticide that is already a leading biofungicide in Latin America to control black sigatoka, a leaf-spot fungal disease on bananas, for various domestic crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, as well as other berries, cucurbits, grapes, tree nuts, and lettuce.

Timorex Gold is well positioned for American crops because it is known to be effective on powdery mildew and Botrytis on strawberries and tomatoes, plus bacterial blight on tomatoes.

Sarah Reiter, country manager of STK Stockton, an innovative Israeli company that opened its U.S. headquarters in Davis, CA. “We are very excited about the products performance we are seeing in areas where it is registered,” said Reiter. “We are happy with the label the EPA granted us. We still await registration in California and anticipate it next year or possibly late this season.”

Reiter noted the highly effective active ingredient in Timorex Gold, the plant extract Meluleuca alternifolia, or tea tree oil, gives growers a powerful new tool to control both bacteria and fungi diseases. “We know growers do not have a lot of choices for bacterial control,” said Reiter, “so any new active ingredient is a good thing. This product has the added bonus of being a fungicide too.”

“Timorex Gold has been established as a primary control product for sigatoka because it performs so well,” Reiter commented. “Growers use it because of its profile, and it’s easy to use. And while the product is a biopesticide, once the growers get it in their hands, they tend to forget it’s a biopesticide because it performs as if it is a synthetic material.”

“As an industry we have been looking for this for quite a long time,” Reiter reflected. “While biologics have been around for a century, historically, growers would have to give up some levels of control in order to implement them into a conventional program. We do not see that loss when using Timorex Gold against sigatoka disease.”

“Our expectation in the U.S. is that growers will see that same high level of performance when they use the product here,” Reiter said. “And since Timorex Gold is a biological, there is no concern for Maximum Residue Level (MRL) data because there is no residue on the crop. The product will have very short re-entry intervals (REIs) and preharvest intervals (PHIs), as well as flexible application intervals, a strength that growers like because it gives them a lot of flexibility to implement the product into their program when they need to instead of having to manage REIs and PHIs.”

In addition, Timorex Gold has a very low designation of FRAC 7¹, which means the product has a unique mode of action that can be used in alternate succession with other fungicide modes of action to prevent the development of resistance.

Concurrently, STK Stockton continues to invest heavily in its new technology pipeline with the intention of bringing more innovative biopesticides into different markets. As part of these efforts, the company has recently announced the appointment of Shay Shaanan as the new vice president R&D, leading the company’s activities. The former global development manager of the fungicides division at ADAMA (formerly Makhteshim Agan), Shaanan has over 15 years of experience in research and commercialization of crop protection products.

“Having Shay join our team marks another significant milestone in our growth strategy. It reflects our commitment to advance our technologies and provide the agriculture industry with new solutions for sustainable agriculture.” explained Guy Elitzur, CEO of STK Stockton. “Shay will lead our R&D and will be of enormous value in moving our company forward. Additionally, we will be looking for in-licensing partners, including bio companies in the U.S. to broaden our product offerings.” said Elitzur.

The products of Stockton will be sold under the Syngenta brand for Botrytis and Powdery Mildew in ornamentals globally. The biofungicide technology complements the comprehensive fungicide portfolio of Syngenta and will help to provide its customers with innovative sustainable tools for disease resistance management.

“We are very excited about this agreement,” Elitzur commented, “as Syngenta is the perfect partner for our new products in ornamentals.”

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¹FRAC is a Specialist Technical Group of CropLife International (CLI) that provides fungicide resistance management guidelines to prolong the effectiveness of “at risk” fungicides and to limit crop losses should resistance occur.

The main aims of FRAC are to:

Identify existing and potential resistance problems.
Identify existing and potential resistance problems.
Collate information and distribute it to those involved with
fungicide research, distribution, registration and use.
Provide guidelines and advice on the use of fungicides to reduce the risk of resistance developing, and to manage it should it occur
Recommend procedures for use in fungicide resistance studies.
Stimulate open liaison and collaboration with universities, government agencies, advisors, extension workers, distributors and farmers.

California Ag Today2021-05-12T11:05:54-07:00June 28th, 2016|

ADAMA Captan Gold ® 4L Now Registered in California

ADAMA Captan Gold ® 4L Fungicide Gets EPA “Go Ahead” for California Strawberries, Tree Fruits

ADAMA has received EPA approval for Captan Gold 4L liquid fungicide for use on strawberries, tree fruits and other specialty crops. A multi-site contact fungicide, Captan Gold 4L penetrates fungal spores, protecting high-value crops against tough diseases like anthracnose, botrytis (gray mold), brown rot and scab.

“ADAMA Captan Gold 4L is the only liquid captan with a ‘Caution’ signal word,” states the company’s national marketing leader Sara Zinck. “Backed by more than 50 years of captan manufacturing experience, Captan Gold 4L delivers excellent efficacy through its multi-site mode of action, making it a trusted partner in fungicide resistance management.”

Gray Mold on Strawberry, UC IPM

Captan Gold 4L on strawberries

For use on California strawberries, Captan Gold 4L is labeled for applications at 2 to 3 quarts per acre. Early applications at pre-bloom and bloom offer the best fruit protection from botrytis. Follow up applications can be applied at 7 to 14 day intervals up to harvest. Application rates are not to exceed 24 quarts per acre per crop cycle.

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ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd (formerly Makhteshim Agan Industries) is a leading global manufacturer of crop protection solutions. With a comprehensive range of high-quality, differentiated and effective products, ADAMA strives to provide accessible, easy-to-use solutions that simplify the user experience while improving crop yields.

For more information, call 866-406-6262 or visit Adama.com.

Featured photo: Strawberries, UC IPM

California Ag Today2016-05-31T19:28:14-07:00June 16th, 2015|

Nimitz Nematicide Now Registered In California Fruiting Vegetables

New Nematicide is A Game Changer for Vegetable Growers

ADAMA, a world leader in customer-focused agricultural solutions, announced today that NIMITZ nematicide received state registration in California for use on tomatoes, peppers, okra, eggplant, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupe and squash.

NIMITZ, a revolutionary product, delivers an unmatched combination of efficacy, simplicity and safety for control of plant-parasitic nematodes on commercial vegetables.

With its fast-acting and unique mode of action, NIMITZ raises industry standards. As a truer, more complete contact nematicide, it also fills a void in the absence of methyl bromide.

Power of simplicity

NIMITZ represents the first new chemical nematicide to be introduced in more than 20 years. The product’s label carries the least restrictive signal word – ‘Caution’.

In contrast to fumigant nematicides, NIMITZ simplifies nematode management by lessening complex handling practices and application restrictions. The result is no Fumigant Management Plans, no 24-hour field monitoring, no buffer zones, no re-entry interval (REI), no specialized equipment and minimal personal protective equipment (PPE).

“NIMITZ is a contact nematicide, not a fumigant,” says Herb Young, ADAMA brand leader. “And because of its residual activity, NIMITZ’s control of nematodes often exceeds the commercial standards. The distinct advantage over other nematicides is that it frees growers from complications, liabilities, and dangers associated with fumigants.”

A better solution

As a non-gas formulation, the active ingredient in NIMITZ is distributed through the soil and into contact with nematodes through irrigation or rainfall. Unlike older chemistries, there is no mandatory tarping or specialized machinery requirement. Applications may include broadcast or banding with mechanical incorporation or through drip-injection.

As a ‘true nematicide’, NIMITZ causes irreversible nematicidal activity which results in pest mortality within 48 hours of application, rather than temporary nematostatic (immobilizing) activity as seen with organophosphates and carbamate nematicides.

“NMITZ is lethal to nematodes. As a result, we see greatly improved root health all season which leads to yield enhancement,” says Young.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wrote in the Federal Docket on July 24, 2014 that, “Fluensulfone (NIMITZ) represents a safer alternative for nematode control with a new mode of action and a much simpler and straightforward product label.”

A secondary crop tier has been submitted to the EPA for future registration on potatoes, strawberries, carrots, tobacco and turf.

As new tool for California vegetable growers, NIMITZ has the potential to bring safety and simplicity to the nematode control arena which is constantly under increasing regulatory pressure.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:30:27-07:00March 16th, 2015|