Qualls Agricultural Laboratory Inc., Ephrata, WA

Potato planting wrapped up in mid-May, and trials at the Ephrata, WA Grow More^TM Experience site are beginning to see signs of disease pressure.

When planting the test fields, the soil was inoculated with Rhizoctonia solani, a devastating disease that causes weakened plants, stunted growth and yield loss in potatoes. Along with testing several competitor products, we are testing the performance of Syngenta products like CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Potato insecticide/fungicide seed treatment and Elatus® fungicide.

Rhizoctonia potato stem damage (left) compared to a healthy stem (right)

Crop growth and trial development are still in the early stages at the Ephrata site, but Rhizoctonia has already started damaging potato plots. Syngenta plots have shown strong emergence and healthy root systems, primarily in the trial with CruiserMaxx Vibrance Potato seed treatment followed by an in-furrow application of Elatus fungicide.

CruiserMaxx Vibrance Potato insecticide/fungicide seed treatment at 0.5 fl oz/cwt followed by an in-furrow application of Elatus fungicide at 7.7 oz wt/a create conditions for robust root growth and disease control.

CruiserMaxx Vibrance Potato provides enhanced protection against seedborne Rhizoctonia. Elatus provides enhanced, early-season control of soilborne diseases in potatoes and control of all groups of Rhizoctonia. The trial shows consistent control all around, with clean, white stolons indicating a disease-free potato plant.

If you’re in the Ephrata, WA, area, contact your Syngenta representative to visit the Grow More Experience site in person. You’ll see demonstrations of Syngenta products compared to untreated and competitor products and can talk through crop management and best practices.

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All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

Product performance assumes disease presence.

Performance assessments are based upon results or analysis of public information, field observations and/or Syngenta evaluations.