Three university researchers share why the latest Syngenta fungicides will shake things up in the turf industry
Bringing new products to market is a marathon, not a sprint. It can take years of thoughtful experimentation, careful planning and diligent research. But some products are worth the wait.
This summer, Syngenta is launching three new fungicides: Posterity XT, Posterity Forte and Ascernity.
If the initial feedback from researchers is any indication, the new fungicides in the lineup could give industry standards a run for their money.
GET TO KNOW THE NEW FUNGICIDES:
Ascernity |
Posterity XT |
Posterity Forte |
Reliable and consistent control
Ascernity fungicide is a robust combination of SOLATENOL (benzovindiflupyr), an advanced SDHI technology in golf effective against large patch, brown patch and anthracnose — and difenoconazole, the cooling DMI, to prevent and control more than 20 diseases in cool- and warm-season turf with no heat restrictions.
Mike Richardson, Ph.D., professor at the University of Arkansas, has been studying large patch for more than a decade, with a focus on SOLATENOL since the fall of 2014.
“One of the things we’ve seen over the decade-plus that we’ve been working on this disease is that even the better fungicides, the ones we’ve considered to be industry standards, they can be inconsistent,” says Richardson.
“We’ve seen consistent results with Ascernity year in and year out and that’s one of the most important things for superintendents that are trying to manage this disease,” he explains. “They just can’t have failures and breakdowns with their fungicide programs. That’s where Ascernity shined in our trials.”
Hear Mike Richardson, Ph.D., share his experience with Ascernity. (Video: Golfdom Staff)
Like Richardson, Jim Baird, Ph.D., a turfgrass specialist at the University of California, Riverside, began testing Ascernity around 2014 or 2015 and was also impressed with the results.
After repeating the trial, the team realized the product was doing more than combat diseases.
“This is really the first time I’ve ever really seen additional plant health benefits from fungicides,” says Baird. “With Ascernity, it was not only combative against anthracnose and rapid blight, it also restored turf health.”
Watch the video to learn about the tests Jim Baird, Ph.D., ran on Ascernity. (Video: Golfdom Staff)
The Swiss Army knife of fungicides
Building off the success of Posterity, Posterity XT combines three leading active ingredients, including ADEPIDYN technology (pydiflumetofen). It is labeled for broad-spectrum control of more than 25 cool-season turf diseases — including dollar spot, brown patch, fairy ring and summer patch — and has shown to be effective for up to 28 days.
“Posterity XT combines a couple of actives that everyone knows: propiconazole and azoxystrobin — basically the components of Headway, and we know with Headway we’re going to get great control of root-infecting diseases. Then you throw in the ADEPIDYN, the active ingredient from Posterity,” says Paul Koch, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “So now we put all three of these products together and we expect to get control of just about any disease you’re going to see in the Midwest.”
Koch has been testing Posterity XT on dollar spot for the last several years, but it was the 2019 trial that really stood out.
For most of the year, dollar spot pressure was low to moderate. But then August rolled around and it exploded. In the untreated area, a 3 ft. by 5 ft. plot, there were 142 dollar spots. In the plot treated with Posterity XT, there were zero.
“You can’t do any better than that,” says Koch. “We’re looking at the highest pressure, the most severe conditions for dollar spot, and Posterity XT performed exceptionally well.”
See what Paul Koch, Ph.D., thinks of Posterity XT. (Video: Golfdom Staff)
University of Wisconsin-Madison trial
Left: Non-treated control plot shows multiple dollar spots.
Right: Clean after being treated with Posterity XT on 14-day intervals.
(Photo: Paul Koch, Ph.D.)
Improving on Posterity
Syngenta is also releasing Posterity Forte, a new fungicide for controlling spring dead spot and take-all root rot for warm-season turf, and extended control of dollar spot plus brown patch and leaf spot control for cool-season turf.
“We’re building on the success of Posterity on spring dead spot that we’ve had and creating a broader-spectrum product that is more useful for superintendents,” says Lane Tredway, Ph.D., technical services manager for turf at Syngenta.
Compared to Posterity XT, Posterity Forte contains a higher ratio of ADEPIDYN to azoxystrobin and propiconazole, resulting in a product that is safer for use on warm-season grasses and enables golf course superintendents to control spring dead spot and take-all root rot with one product.
“What Posterity Forte gives us is a little bit better and more consistent control from what we’re seeing with spring dead spot,” says Tredway. “It’s a really good formulation and those active ingredients are performing at their best.”
Lane Tredway, Ph.D., explains what you can expect from Posterity Forte. (Video: Golfdom Staff)
All three of these products will be launched later in 2020 and available for purchase during the upcoming GreenTrust 365 early order period.
More information can be found at GreenCastOnline.com/Golf.
Serious about resistance management
Another significant benefit of all three of these brands is managing resistant populations.
“You have built-in resistance management with Posterity XT,” says Koch. “You don’t have to worry about rotating as frequently, you’ve already got it built in.”
With dollar spot, resistant populations are increasing in all chemical classes. Which is why the topic has been growing in urgency from educational institutions to chemical companies alike.
“It’s time we get really serious about resistance management with SDHIs,” says Tredway. “We need to take action on that before it becomes so widespread that it’s too late.”
To find a season-long program to control diseases and manage resistance, visit GreenCastOnline.com/Programs.
This page was produced by North Coast Media’s content marketing staff in collaboration with Syngenta. NCM Content Marketing connects marketers to audiences and delivers industry trends, business tips and product information. The Golfdom editorial staff did not create this content.
Header photo: Jim Baird, Ph.D.