The benefits of using Maize Fungicide

In addition, the physiological benefits delivered by some active ingredients (e.g. pyraclostrobin) can significantly improve both the yield and quality of maize.

Based on experience gained from a significant area of treated maize crops, over a number of seasons, Wynnstay agronomists are increasingly recommending the use of fungicide on maize. Products such as Vivid® 200 from BASF which contains pyraclostrobin have been found to increase yield even in the absence of disease and increase crop output and quality.

Eyespot is the most frequently occurring maize disease in the UK, but Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB) seems to be on the increase with the recent warmer summers.

With a few exceptions, many of the maize varieties currently available have a relatively low rating for eyespot tolerance and this increases the potential for disease epidemics to occur.

Given the right weather conditions, maize eyespot can spread from a single spot infection to killing a whole leaf in less than two weeks, which can result in over 50% yield loss in severe situations.

With a high proportion of susceptible varieties and potentially good disease conditions, it is advised to apply a fungicide to protect the crop.

In addition to disease control, Vivid® 200 (pyraclostrobin) can significantly improve both the yield and quality of maize due to its fungicidal and physiological effects, such as:

• Improved rooting
• Improved drought tolerance and recovery after drought stress
• Increased photosynthesis
• Increased crop yield and/or quality (e.g. cob size, starch content)

Information supplied by BASF from 80 large-scale unreplicated farm tramline trials in 2010-2012 demonstrated that the application of Vivid® 200

• 5% increase in fresh yield (t/ha)
• 8% increase in DM yield (t/ha)
• 9% increase in ME (MJ/ha)
• 9% increase in biogas production (m3/ha)
• UK trials (MGA trials, Carmarthen 2017-2021) show an average increase in DM yield of 4.5%