Sugarbeet Herbicides, Fungicides Okayed in US

FARGO - Mar 18/04 - SNS -- North Dakota's agriculture department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have approved an herbicide and a fungicide for use on sugarbeets this year.

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson issued a special local needs (SLN) registration for Dual MagnumŪ, allowing pre-emergent and pre-plant applications of the herbicide in sugarbeet fields.

"The current EPA registration for this product only allows lay-by treatments with Dual MagnumŪ that are usually performed together with cultivation after crop emergence," Johnson said. "This SLN registration allows treatment earlier in the growing season."

Johnson said the SLN registration was justified because no effective herbicides are registered for pre-emergent and pre-plant use on sugarbeets that effectively control weeds such as waterhemp and Powell amaranth.

Meanwhile, the EPA approved a specific emergency exemption for EminentŪ, allowing North Dakota sugarbeet growers to use the fungicide to control Cercospora on their crop.

"Cercospora leafspot is the most serious disease problem encountered by sugarbeet producers in North Dakota, and can have a devastating effect on sugarbeet yields," said Johnson, who requested the exemption.

Johnson said the action was needed because Cercospora has developed a resistance to some previously effective fungicides.

"Other fungicides registered for sugarbeets are effective in controlling Cercospora, but without an alternative mode of action, Cercospora will likely develop a resistance to these fungicides in the near future," Johnson said. "I requested this exemption so that EminentŪ can compliment other fungicides in a resistance management plan."

The exemption allows up to two ground, aerial or chemigation applications of EminentŪ at a rate of 13 fluid ounces of product per acre. Applicators must follow all directions, restrictions and precautions on the product label and exemption use directions and have a copy of the exemption use directions in their possession during application. A 24-hour restricted entry interval and a 14-day pre-harvest interval must be observed.

A maximum of 250,000 acres of sugarbeets may be treated under this exemption which expires Sept. 30, 2004.

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