New potent SDHI chemistry has probably arrived at a welcome time for growers, suggests Scottish Agronomy director Andrew Gilchrist.

AscraXpro (prothioconazole + bixafen + fluopyram) and Elatus Era (prothioconazole + benzovindiflupyr) have gained approval for this spring, meaning growers now have even more SDHI co-forms to choose from. 2016 might not have been the best year for highlighting fungicide differences but his hunch is that they may offer some additional potency. He sees them as good T2 options. Extra potency, he says, has a place, particularly in his part of the world.

Disease risk in Scotland is being compounded by variety choices, with many of the most popular varieties having poor Septoria ratings, and as a double whammy are often being drilled before October.

What he likes about Ascra is its potential potency. Its Septoria activity is as good as it gets, he says. “It’s got two classes of SDHI, our best Septoria azole and you can add in CTL. In terms of resistance we can’t be doing any more.”

To find out more about AscraXpro www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk/ascra