BASF’s new SDHI fungicide active ingredient, Xemium, had strong preventative and curative properties, the firm’s Martin Semar said at the British Crop Production Council’s Crop World conference.

In variety/fungicide interaction trials with NIAB TAG, an Xemium plus epoxiconazole programme had contributed to an average yield response of 0.9t/ha across all the varieties at three sites compared with the triazole fungicide alone, he said.

Formulation was also important in the product’s performance. Demonstrating the product’s ability to stick to the leaf rather than bouncing away after a droplet struck, he said double the amount of Xemium was retained on the leaf compared with a conventional formulation.

“We’ve also seen continued systemic movement up the leaf from the original deposit even after 14 days after application.”

But any protection in new leaves after application was from the fungicide being splashed on to the new leaves rather than from movement within the plant, he added.

Xemium has been tested in 20 crops against 60 disease worldwide, with a target registration date in the UK in cereals of 2012.