Comparison of New Fungicides for Management of Downy Mildew of Broccoli in 2001

Downy mildew of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage is caused by the fungus Peronospora parasitica. Cool moist environmental conditions favor the development of downy mildew on these crops. Several potential new fungicides were evaluated for control of this disease on broccoli in 2001. The final severity of downy mildew in this trial was moderate. Significant reduction in disease severity compared to nontreated plants was achieved by application of available compounds such as Aliette, Bravo, Maneb, Serenade and Trilogy. The nonregistered chemistries Acrobat, Actigard, Curzate, Flint, BAS 500, DPX-KP481 and Quadris also were active against broccoli downy mildew. Actigard was the superior treatment in this trial, as plants treated with this compound were almost free of disease. The future registration and subsequent availability of one or more of these new chemistries for broccoli and related crops could enhance the overall level of disease control as well as help minimize the risk of development of resistance to fungicides used to manage downy mildew