The unique patented Lallemand Plant Care biological fungicide Prestop, which provides effective control of a wide variety of plant pathogens in high value crops, including protected salads, outdoor lettuce, soft fruit and ornamentals, is to be exclusively marketed in the UK and Ireland by ICL and its distributors.
Prestop helps to control a number of damping-off, root and base rot diseases as well as aerial diseases in crops caused by pathogens including Botrytis, Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia Fusarium and Didymella.
“Prestop is an exciting and strategic addition to ICL’s expanding plant protection range,” says ICL specialty agriculture manager for UK and Ireland Scott Garnett. “This biological fungicide is set to play an extremely valuable role in helping control fungal diseases in high value specialty crops in the future.
“With multiple modes of action it has the potential to improve resistance management. Application methods are flexible and Prestop is compatible with biological and integrated pest management programmes. What is more, with no residue, there is no harvest interval.”
Containing the mycelia and spores of the naturally occurring soil fungus Gliocladium catenulatum Strain J1446, Prestop provides a number of very useful disease control benefits through multiple modes of action. These include as a hyperparasite - through the production of enzymes causing the breakdown of plant pathogen cells walls - and by depriving pathogenic fungi of living space and nourishments by colonizing the surface of roots and aerial plant parts. In turn, these functions are supported indirectly when stimulation of the plants’ own natural defence systems take place.
To optimise control, it is recommended Prestop is used in a protectant programme before infection occurs.
For more information
ICL specialty agriculture
Scott Garnett
T: 07584 324778
Lallemand Plant Care
Andrew Gough
T: 07833 368759