Emesto Prime fungicide registered for in furrow use to control black scurf in potatoes

Newly registered in 2024 by Bayer Crop Science as an in-furrow treatment specifically designed to control black scurf disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani in potatoes.

Emesto® Prime fungicide introduces a novel chemical option to the New Zealand potato industry. Emesto Prime contains penflufen, an SDHI fungicide classified under Fungicide Group 7, which is currently unique for potato use in New Zealand.

Key Features and Benefits

Emesto Prime is a rhizoctonia specialist that offers several advantages:

• It has minimal foliar translocation, meaning the active ingredient remains concentrated around the roots where Rhizoctonia solani attacks, enhancing its effectiveness.
• The fungicide supports quicker emergence of potato plants, which is critical for reducing disease risk. Trials in New Zealand(1) demonstrated that Emesto Prime significantly improved emergence compared to untreated plots and performed comparably to industry-standard treatments.
• It is compatible with existing in-furrow application methods, requiring no additional equipment purchases or modifications, making it user-friendly for growers.

Usage and Resistance Management

Emesto Prime’s robust new chemistry offers a significant boost to resistance management efforts. Emesto Prime can be integrated into crop protection programs by rotating with products from different chemical groups. This rotation strategy helps prevent the development of resistant disease populations, thereby protecting the efficacy of all fungicides involved.

Emesto Prime has an application rate range of 4.0 mL to 5.5 mL/100 m of row. When choosing a rate, growers should consider the potential rhizoctonia disease pressure of the planting site and adopt a rate accordingly.