The reputation of Corteva Agriscience’s unique Group 21 fungicide Verpixo® Adavelt® active as a powerful solution for broad-spectrum control of ascomycete diseases has been further enhanced with additional crop registrations approved by the APVMA.
Verpixo has become a go-to choice for vine and vegetable growers looking for a new mode of action and greater flexibility in resistance management programs, to combat damaging diseases such as botrytis, powdery mildew, alternaria, and septoria.
Verpixo has been proven to have no known cross-resistance to other fungicide groups. It is IPM-friendly and can be used across a wide range of crops at multiple growth stages.
In August 2024, the fungicide was approved by the APVMA for additional diseases in the following:
- cucurbits – powdery mildew and gummy stem blight
- fruiting vegetables – powdery mildew, target spot, anthracnose and botrytis
- leafy vegetables – sclerotinia, septoria, botrytis and anthracnose.
In addition, a new crop registration now exists in wine grapes and table grapes for control of botrytis and powdery mildew.
Corteva Agriscience Territory Manager for Central Queensland and Wide Bay Burnett, Matt Kunde, said with existing chemistries under threat of resistance, Verpixo “redefines” custom fungicide programs.
“It gives growers the flexibility to successfully manage diseases strategically throughout the year,” Mr Kunde said.
“Being a single Group 21, Verpixo is stand-alone. It can be added to the existing disease control programs to lengthen the life of existing mode of action products. Alternatively, farmers can substitute it where products are not working well, to provide a strong new treatment to maximise production."
He explained that Verpixo is:
- naturally inspired
- broad spectrum
- safe to crops
- safe to beneficial insects.
It has a short pre-harvest interval of one day for most crops. Flexible timing and tank mixes are possible, and it has a rain-fast period of three hours.
Premium quality vineyards to benefit
The new mode of action is keenly sought in the viticulture industry, particularly in vineyards in high rainfall zones susceptible to botrytis and powdery mildew.
Corteva Agriscience Customer Technology Specialist, Chris Brown, said Verpixo provided growers with a strong preventative alternative to products they had been using for many years.
“The timing is flexible if they’re applying Verpixo to control botrytis,” Mr Brown said.
“The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) approved two applications up to E-L 31, berries pea size, and this is a major bonus for vignerons as a lot of alternate control chemistries are limited to E-L 25 and E-L 29.
“Timing is critical to protect grapes from botrytis in potential infection sites at inflorescence, so the E-L 31 positioning for Verpixo is important. It’s the final chance to put covers on the berries before the bunch closes, and it will give wineries everywhere a lot more flexibility in their spray program.”
Trials show product versatility
In January 2024, following APVMA approval for use in strawberries, fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables and cucurbits, Verplexio was released for commercial use. Corteva Principal Biologist, Rob Annetts, said that Verpixo had since become the “Rolls Royce treatment” for powdery mildew, with control achieved at rates of 1.25 to 1.5 litres per ha.
“Verpixo builds on new chemistry first established by Corteva Agriscience, with some tweaks, to provide better UV stability, broader spectrum and a lower use rate to make it ideally suited to Australian conditions,” Mr Annetts said.
“It’s a very useful tool as a rotation partner where pathogen resistance to SDHIs, strobilurins and triazoles is a concern.”
Ongoing replicated trials testing Verpixo on gummy stem blight in watermelons, rockmelons, honeydew and pumpkins in Queensland and Western Australia (WA) have produced impressive results, achieving suppression at rates of 1.5 litres per ha that still allow growers to get a crop off.
Verpixo proved to have very good efficacy against anthracnose and grey mould in 11 trials on tomatoes, capsicums, eggplants and chillies in Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and WA, at rates of 1.5 litres per ha in the field and 150ml per 100L in the glasshouse.
Originally registered to control sclerotinia on leafy vegetables at 1.5 litres per ha, Verpixo has since produced excellent results on grey mould, septoria and anthracnose in 16 trials in Queensland and WA.
APVMA-approved new label changes for Verpixo can be found on the Corteva Agriscience website.
This article was written by Corteva Agriscience for Seasons magazine.
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