TWO LONG-awaited new fungicides to control a broad spectrum of diseases in wheat and barley were officially unveiled by Bayer CropScience on Wednesday (Jan 6) at the London Stock Exchange.

A range of products containing combinations of the “advanced” triazole prothioconazole will be available for growers to use this season, announced the firm‘s head of marketing, Steve Patterson.

This includes a co-formulation with the firm‘s fluoxastrobin, a new strobilurin compound, he said.

“This new chemistry will make a significant difference to growers in every environment from barley growers in the north of Scotland to the wheat heartlands in East Anglia,” he suggested.

Prothioconazole, to be marketed as Proline, was described by SAC‘s principal crop consultant Keith Dawson as the next big step forward for the fungicide market.

“It offers an unparalleled spectrum of activity in barley.”

Wheat growers will look to use the product at the first main fungicide timing to take advantage of its all round stem-based and foliar disease activity, added ProCam‘s technical director David Ellerton.

“It could have a major impact on the market at that timing.”

Pricing information has yet to be finalized, but Proline is likely to be priced at a premium above triazole market leader Opus (epoxiconazole), according to Bayer‘s Alison Daniels.