Key Points
- A range of two and three spray fungicide programmes (including three new fungicides) were tested on autumn sown barley cv. Optic and the less susceptible variety Tavern.
- In south Canterbury late Ramularia, which came in 6 weeks after the last spray, was the main disease, whilst in mid Canterbury Optic suffered from both leaf rust and scald.
- Despite little visual disease for most of the season, all fungicide treatments created significant yield and $ margin advantages (0.90 – 1.58 t/ha & $19-285/ha respectively).
- Straight Proline and Opus (2 spray programmes) were amongst the most cost effective programmes, with Proline giving the most consistent results over the last two seasons.
- In Tavern, for the second year running, there was no $ benefit to adding strobilurin to Proline. Mixing Proline and Protek gave better control of Ramularia and resulted in the highest margin over chemical cost.
- In Optic (leaf rust and scald) there was less difference between Opus and Proline and clear advantages to an early GS26 fungicide (i.e. 3 sprays) and mixing with strobilurins, Proline mixed with Acanto produced the best $ margins for the second year running.