Sugar yield is directly related to light interception by the crop and is therefore maximised by ensuring a healthy disease-free crop.

Opera is the ideal fungicide choice for use in sugar beet crops. It contains the well proven active ingredients epoxiconazole and pyraclostrobin, which offer excellent protective and systemic activity against all the major foliar diseases affecting sugar beet (powdery mildew, rust, Ramularia and Cercospora). Also, should Stemphylium occur, it provides greater control than all other products currently approved for use in the UK.

Opera also has the added benefit of enhancing root yield and quality even in the absence of disease as a result of its physiological, or AgCelence, effects, which result in a greener canopy and improved leaf retention.

Recommendations

• In low to moderate disease pressure situations apply Opera at 0.75 l/ha for preventative disease control and a cost-effective physiological yield boost
• If disease pressure is high apply 1 litre of Opera per hectare as a two spray programme
• Ensure good plant leaf coverage through correct nozzle choice and water volumes of 200 l/ha
• 1st application from early to mid-July (for the control of powdery mildew)
• 2nd application should be made 3 – 4 weeks later to provide continued disease control (against mildew and to target rust)

Opera generates increased root yield and margin

Untreated	Opera 1.0 l/ha

Stemphylium

First identified in the Netherlands in 2007 and is now widespread across the country. The first case in UK sugar beet was identified last year.

The disease is favoured by humid conditions and often starts as a patch in a field. Initial symptoms of small, discrete, irregular yellow spots (0.5-2 mm across) can be confused with nutrient deficiency. As the disease develops the spots begin to die from the centre to form brown spots (1-3 mm across). Heavily infested leaves die and more yellow spots appear on new leaves following new infections (spores are wind-dispersed). Progressive leaf loss follows through Aug-Sept with subsequent yield loss. Yield loss in NL trials (IRS 2008-2013) ranged from 9 – 51%.

No products on BBRO disease charts have a recommendation for control. Dutch trials have shown that Opera offers the best incidental control.

BBRO disease chart

Active (triazole)	Active (strobilurin)	Active (other)	Example product	Efficacy in IRS trials (-/+/++/+++)	Harvest interval
Cyproconazole			Centaur	No information	14
Cyproconazole	Trifloxystrobin		Escolta	(-) / +	21
		Quinoxyfen	Fortress	No information	28
Epoxiconazole	Pyraclostrobin		Opera	++ (+)	28
Cyproconazole	Azoxystrobin		Priori Xtra	No information	36
Difenoconazole		Fenpropidin	Spyrale	+	28

 

Stemphylium in NL 2012

Benefits of Opera in sugar beet

• Excellent control of rust, powdery mildew, Cercospora and Ramularia
• Good activity against Stemphylium
• Curative and long-lasting activity
• Enhances green leaf retention
• Increases root yield and quality even in the absence of disease

Approved use of Opera in sugar beet

Crop	Maximum individual dose	Maximum number of treatments	Latest time of application
Sugar beet	1 litre product / ha	2	4 weeks before harvest

For further information, please contact your local BASF Agronomy Manager or the BASF Technical Services Hotline: 0845 602 2553.

Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Opera contains pyraclostrobin and epoxiconazole, Spyrale contains difenoconazole + fenpropidin, Escolta contains cyproconazole + trifloxystrobin. Centaur contains cyproconazole. Fortress contains quinoxyfen. Priori Xtra contains cyproconazole and azoxystrobin. Opera is a registered trademark of BASF, Spyrale and Priori Xtra are registered trademarks of Syngenta, Escolta and Centaur are registered trademarks of Bayer Cropscience. Fortress is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences UK.