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The Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has approved the active substance isoflucypram and simultaneously granted authorisation for Vimoy, the first product to contain the new fungicide active substance.

Isoflucypram is the first fungicide active substance to be approved by CRD post-Brexit making British growers the first in Europe - and only the second worldwide after New Zealand - to gain access to Bayer's latest innovation in disease control.

Rosalind O'Hare, Bayer campaign manager for combinable fungicides, says: "Isoflucypram - which will be marketed as Iblon - is a groundbreaking new fungicide that delivers unrivalled broad-spectrum activity against the main foliar diseases of wheat, including yellow rust, septoria tritici and brown rust, while providing useful activity against stem-based diseases such as eyespot."

Vimoy will be available in a co-pack with Proline (prothioconazole) marketed as 'ion iblon'.  Bayer says the inclusion of Proline supports its broad-spectrum activity while adding a second mode of action to ensure sound resistance management.

Iblon is the latest in a line of Bayer fungicide innovations that includes active substances such as tebuconazole, prothioconazole and fluopyram.

SEE ALSO: Cereals 2023: Will iblon provide a balanced solution to septoria and yellow rust control?

"Bayer has drawn on more than 40 years of research and development expertise in the creation of isoflucypram.  Our scientists employed a deliberate design process that skilfully integrated specific elements to create a broad-spectrum fungicide with many advantages," Mrs O'Hare says.

"A significant factor in its performance is the N-cyclopropyl ring at the centre of molecule's structure.  This addition enhances the intrinsic activity and supports its broad-spectrum effectiveness," she adds.

"Importantly, it has demonstrated strong persistent protection and curative activity against both septoria and yellow rust and is active at all stages of the pathogen lifecycle.

"In addition to septoria and yellow rust, Iblon also delivers excellent protection against brown rust and useful activity against both the W and R types of eyespot. In combination with Proline its activity against eyespot is further improved and its spectrum of activity extended to include susarium and mildew," Mrs O'Hare says.

What agronomists are saying about Iblon

The approval of Iblon has been welcomed by crop protection professionals.

ADAS researcher Jonathan Blake said the flexibility to use Iblon against either rust or septoria depending on the season, will be appreciated by growers.

"Iblon is excellent on both yellow and brown rust and very good on septoria," Mr Blake says.  "It is a more active SDHI on septoria than existing standards, and the flexibility it will add to programmes will make it a valuable addition at either the T1 or T2 timing."

SEE ALSO: Are fungicides still working

Frontier Agriculture crop production technical lead Dr Paul Fogg says:

"It is great to have innovation, which helps to keep the job moving forwards.  What really stood out this year was that it was a season of two halves, septoria early on and then yellow rust.  The broad-spectrum activity of Iblon came to the fore as part of a programme.  It is not an ‘either/or' product.  It has always performed at a good level but this year on varieties that need a high level of input, Iblon looked to be a real stand out solution for growers ahead of the 2024 season."

Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) committee member Patrick Stephenson, who observed Iblon's performance in treatment trials, said it would bring both efficacy and stewardship benefits to growers.

"Iblon brings another frontline piece of chemistry to the fungicide armoury that we can utilise in disease control strategies.  Its authorisation will help us maintain efficacy and provide additional protection to all our chemistry options," Mr Stephenson says.

Iblon at a glance

• Iblon has been available to growers in New Zealand since 2019 where it has since been applied to more than the half the wheat area annually
• Iblon will be limited to a single application per year per crop of wheat
• Isoflucypram is an SDHI fungicide (mode of action group 7) belonging to a new sub-group, the N-cyclopropyl-N-Benzyl-pyrazole-carboxamides

Source: Bayer