Effects of Application Method and Rate on Control of Sclerotinia Blight of Peanut with Iprodione and Fluazinam1

Abstract

Abstract Two trials with iprodione and three trials with fluazinam were conducted to assess the effects of application method and rate on the control of Sclerotinia blight of peanut with fungicide. In order to concentrate the fungicides near the crown area where the disease causes the most damage, applications were made through a canopy opener with a single nozzle centered over the row to achieve a 30.5-cm-wide band (canopy opener), and through a single nozzle centered over the row to achieve a 46-cm-wide band (band). Broadcast applications were compared to these methods at rates of 0, 0.28, 0.56, and 1.12 kg/ha on the susceptible cultivar Okrun. Sclerotinia blight was severe, with > 70% disease incidence and < 2000 kg/ha yield for the untreated controls in each trial. Linear reductions in area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), but not final disease incidence, with iprodione rate were significant (P < 0.05) for all methods of application. However, the rate of decrease did not differ among application methods. Linear increases in yield with rate of iprodione were greater for canopy opener compared to the band or broadcast applications. Only a 50% reduction in AUDPC and a maximum yield of < 2700 kg/ha was achieved with iprodione using the best method. At the maximum rate of 1.12 kg/ha, fluazinam provided > 75% disease control and > 4000 kg/ha yield for all application methods. Differences in disease control and yield among application methods only occurred at the 0.28 and 0.56 kg/ha rates of fluazinam. Reductions in AUDPC with fluazinam rate were quadratic for all application methods, but AUDPC values were less for the canopy opener and band methods at 0.28 and 0.56 kg/ha compared to the broadcast methods. The yield response to rate for broadcast applications of fluazinam was linear. However, predicted yield responses to fluazinam rate were quadratic for the band and canopy opener methods and approached the maximum response at 0.84 kg/ha. Targeting fungicide applications using the band and/or canopy opener methods was beneficial for fluazinam at reduced rates. Disease control with iprodione was not adequate regardless of application method.