A new Alternaria and powdery mildew fungicide for use in carrots has been given UK approval, manufacturer Syngenta has confirmed.

Amistar Top, which contains azoxystrobin and difenoconazole, is being recommended at 1.0litre/ha, equivalent to 0.8litres/ha of Amistar and 125g/ha of difenoconazole, the company said.

Difenoconazole is a completely new fungicide for UK carrot growers, Syngenta’s Jon Ogborn explained. “With our experience and trials results, we believe growers will achieve the best Alternaria control by starting the fungicide programme with Amistar Top at the onset of canopy development, to give persistent broad-spectrum protection.”

A second application towards the end of the fungicide programme would protect from disease infection and provide valuable green-leaf extension, he added. And interspersing the programme with a non-strobilurin fungicide would provide strong protection against powdery mildew as well as Alternaria and yield threatening Cercospora