Growers in the Lockyer Valley have joined agronomists from across Queensland and New South Wales at Elders Gatton Field Day for a powerful demonstration of Verpixo Adavelt active in the control of challenging ascomycete pathogens.
Verpixo Adavelt active is a highly effective new mode of action which will help farmers achieve healthy and abundant yields while strengthening resistance management strategies.
Corteva Agriscience horticulture marketing manager Nick Koch said the Gatton Field Day was a valuable opportunity to show Verpixo Adavelt active’s efficacy and versatility ahead of it becoming commercially available in October.
“This is many years of research and development and a commitment to horticulture coming to fruition with the great assistance of the Elders team including Greg Teske and Maree Crawford,” Mr Koch said.
“At the Gatton field site they demonstrated Verpixo in leafy veg, cucurbits and fruiting veg and showed its efficacy on sclerotinia, powdery mildew, Alternaria and botrytis.
“Greg and Maree did a fantastic job and it’s great to see the technical capability of Elders supporting local farmers and their commitment to helping them have access to new technology.”
Verpixo Adavelt active has now been registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for use in strawberries, fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables and cucurbits, with registration for vines and bananas expected in 2024.
Diseases controlled include grey mould (botrytis), powdery mildew, target spot, yellow sigatoka, gummy stem blight, anthracnose, septoria, and sclerotinia rot.
Corteva territory sales manager Adam Harber said the trial site showed how Verpixo would suit many horticultural programs.
“It delivers a broad-spectrum solution with no cross-resistance with other fungicides used for ascomycete pathogens so this will allow growers to think strategically about resistance management,” Mr Harber said.
“In many cases existing chemistries are under threat of resistance so this will redefine custom fungicide programs to sustain healthier crops, better yields and greater value.”
Verpixo is the first-ever picolinamide fungicide that offers a novel solution for managing key diseases over a wide range of crops.
The unique structure of Verpixo, based on a naturally occurring compound found in soil bacteria, enables picolinamide activity across a broad spectrum of diseases and builds upon a family of chemistry first established by Corteva with the discovery of Inatreq active for use in cereal crops and banana.
Where pathogen resistance to SDHIs, strobilurins and triazoles is a concern, Mr Harber said Verpixo offers a powerful solution.
“The new mode of action, along with a short harvest withholding periods and low toxicity, gives growers the flexibility to successfully manage diseases in crop strategically throughout the year.”
Mr Koch said, “Growers inspire us to innovate with purpose. We share this journey and want to help them navigate the complexity of plant disease by focussing on solutions. In this case, it’s tough ascomycetes pathogens.
“To succeed we need to develop more flexible tools that support land stewardship and simplify crop management.
“This breakthrough solution is designed to meet those needs and give growers the freedom to grow.”
