SPONSORED | Stop sclerotinia before it starts

Stop sclerotinia before it starts

Since implementing MIRAVIS® Prime fungicide from Syngenta in their lettuce spray program the Musolino family have substantially reduced crop losses due to sclerotinia. 

“On some blocks and at some times of the year we were losing up to 30% of our iceberg lettuce crop to sclerotinia. Since we started using MIRAVIS® Prime we don’t lose much at all,” said Mr Musolino. 

The Musolino family farm in Virginia, South Australia is run by Paul Musolino, his brother Steve and their dad Frank, who was the South Australian 2024 Ausveg grower of the year. They farm around 50 hectares, growing iceberg lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli with sales to supermarket chains and direct to the produce markets. 

“We have been using MIRAVIS® Prime for sclerotinia since it was first registered in 2021 and we’re really happy with the control we get,” said Paul.

“We trialled it in that first season and worked out we needed to put it on a bit earlier to get on top of the sclerotinia before it starts.”

“Since then, we’ve been putting the first application of MIRAVIS® Prime on about two weeks after transplanting to make sure we get that early protection. We do a maximum of two applications of MIRAVIS® Prime per planting each year and rotate with other products as well.”

“We plant our lettuce from January to August and harvest from March through to October/November so we’re growing through winter when conditions are best [worst] for sclerotinia”.

Photo 1. Paul Musolino was losing up to 30% of [his] iceberg lettuce crop to sclerotinia [before] he started using MIRAVIS® Prime. \

Syngenta Technical Services Lead Horticulture Dr Brandy Rawnsley said sclerotinia is a soilborne disease so it’s important to stop the disease before it starts and target applications to when conditions are conducive to disease development.  

 “With sclerotinia, infection can happen early in the crop, but you don’t see the symptoms until later when the crop collapses,” said Dr Rawnsley.  

 “That early application is key to take advantage of the two powerful actives in MIRAVIS® Prime. Fludioxinil (Group 12) is a surface protectant and pydiflumetofen (Group 7) works internally, going quickly into the waxy layer of plants and slowly moving into the leaf tissue by translaminar movement.”

“The two modes of action attack fungi at multiple sites for optimum protection and help delay the onset of fungicide resistance.”

“MIRAVIS® Prime provides residual activity for up to 14 days. A second application can be made when conditions are favourable for sclerotinia in those autumn and winter months.”

It is important for growers to follow label directions and do not apply more than two applications of MIRVAIS® Prime per crop. It’s best to use preventatively in areas and times of the year when sclerotinia is expected. 

Photo 2. Brandy Rawnsley at GrowMore, 2020 in Virginia, SA where MIRAVIS® Prime fungicide was featured. 

Independent agronomist Domenic Cavallaro with Cavallaro Horticultural Services has also seen good results using MIRAVIS® Prime in the fungicide program of another iceberg lettuce grower. 

“This grower has high disease pressure from sclerotinia. They are using MIRAVIS® Prime soon after transplanting to get that early protection and then a second application later in the season,” said Mr Cavallaro.

“Being able to replace single chemistry products in a spray program with the dual chemistry in MIRAVIS® Prime is really important for resistance management.”

“MIRAVIS® Prime is a key part of their disease management program in rotation with other fungicides and also biological products.”

“The technical advice and back up that Syngenta offer growers and agronomists is extremely valuable. Their product stewardship is outstanding.”

MIRAVIS® Prime fungicide has a three-day withholding period when used on lettuce and leaf vegetables, meaning it is safe to use close to harvest and can help protect crops against late season disease. 

“The three-day withholding period is really handy and makes it really easy to work around harvesting,” said Mr Musolino.

“It’s really easy to mix up and we also tank mix with foliar fertilisers and insecticides sometimes too.” 

“We definitely wouldn’t be getting the results we’re getting with sclerotinia if we weren’t using MIRAVIS® Prime in our fungicide program.”

For more information, please contact your local Syngenta representative, Neil Bauer on 0409 780 241, or visit syngenta.com.au/miravis-prime

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