A multi-site contact fungicide for dollar spot control

Mike Agnew, Ph.D., is a senior field technical manager for Syngenta Turf and Landscape. Agnew is active in the development of many of Syngenta’s plant protectants, especially fungicides. He can be reached at michael.agnew@syngenta.com.

Photo: Syngenta

Q: Secure is new to the turf market. What makes it unique?

Secure (fluazinam) is a multi-site contact fungicide that inhibits fungal respiration at several sites in the respiration pathway. It is the first multi-site contact fungicide registered for dollar spot control since Daconil. Secure will be a very effective tank-mix partner with single-site fungicides for dollar spot control.

Q: Which diseases is Secure most effective in controlling?

Secure is very effective in controlling dollar spot on greens, tees, fairways and roughs. It is most effective on fairways, because the higher mowing height means more turf canopy is present to intercept the fungicide. And a lower mowing frequency on fairways means less fungicide is removed when mowing. Secure also will control DMI- and benzimidazole-resistant strains of dollar spot and is excellent on brown patch and on leaf spot diseases of
bermudagrass.

Q: What are situations where Secure is not a good fit in disease management programs?

Secure is effective on foliar diseases. As a contact fungicide, it is not effective on root diseases. Secure is excellent as a preventive fungicide and as a tank mix partner with a curative fungicide.

Q: Do you recommend Secure and Daconil be tank mixed?

We are currently investigating this potential use of Secure and Daconil. We need to clearly define the benefits before making any recommendations.

Q: What application strategy do you recommend with Secure?

For dollar spot control in cool season grasses we recommend Secure be applied prior to the turfgrass showing symptoms of dollar spot infection. Superintendents should apply Secure at 0.5 oz. per 1,000 sq. ft., tank mixed with a single-site fungicide every 14 days throughout the dollar spot season. Uniform coverage of the turfgrass canopy is critical, and research has shown that 1 to 2 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. of spray volume provides excellent dollar spot control. Following this program will result in excellent control of dollar spot in fall. A superintendent is limited to a total of 258 fl. oz. of Secure per acre per calendar year. Twelve applications at 0.5 fl. oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. are equal to 258 fl. oz. per acre.

An additional benefit of Secure is that while providing excellent dollar spot control, it also helps in dollar spot resistance management. Applications of Daconil that were formerly used for dollar spot control and resistance management can now be shifted to snow mold control applications while staying below the yearly Daconil application cap.

Q: Are there any precautions that should be taken when applying Secure?

Before using Secure for the first time, superintendents should carefully read the label and pay close attention to the precautions listed on the label. Those who used it last year should reread the label this year so the information is fresh in their minds.