New Active in the Pipeline for Disease Control

Blueberry growers could soon have a new active ingredient for disease control.

OSU IR-4 Specialty Crop Pesticide Registration Leader Dani Lightle updates participants in the 2022 Oregon Blueberry Field Day on pesticide registrations in blueberries.

Speaking at the Oregon Blueberry Field Day July 20 in Aurora, Oregon State University IR-4 Specialty Crops Pesticide Registration Leader Dani Lightle said EPA is expected to provide a tolerance for the material pyraziflumid sometime over the winter. The material, which will be marketed as Parade by Nichino America, could be available for use as early as next year, she said.

“I am not sure what Nichino intends to offer, in terms of what they say this will control, but it will be a new active ingredient that will be available possibly next year,” Lightle said.

The material has been registered for use in Japan since 2018 as a broad-spectrum fungicide for vegetable, fruit and turf.

The EPA also has established a tolerance for the Nichino insect growth regulator Courier, Lightle said, and the company is now looking for efficacy data.

“I’ve offered to help produce that data for next field season if they don’t have any,” she said. “So, I might be reaching out to see if anyone has a scale issue so we can use that product and get that data generated.”

Courier, registered in a dozen or so crops, is listed as effective against mealybugs and other Hemipteran pests, including leafhoppers, planthoppers and scales. The product inhibits chitin biosynthesis, suppresses oviposition of adults and reduces viability of eggs, according to company literature.

Lightle also provided information on a special local needs (SLN) label for UVASYS Dual-Release sulfur dioxide pads to be used in blueberries for export only.

“This is being marketed for botrytis control for berries that are being shipped overseas,” Lightle said.

“The SLN label very specifically lists which countries are allowed to have this product used,” she added. “But then they have a huge caveat that those countries could change their import requirements at any point in time.

“So, you really need to be in touch with your packer,” she said.