Syngenta takes action with new fungicide

It was an exciting morning for Syngenta as the company announced a major shake up in their product line, as well as the first of their new products, to turf media.

Bob Goglia, brand manager for Syngenta, announced that the company will be unveiling seven new products in the next 12 to 18 months. The first product would be an old product with a new twist -- Daconil Action.

Daconil Action combines the active ingredient in Daconil fungicide with acibenzolar-S-methyl, a turf protein booster. The company says the new Daconil Action will offer superintendents enhanced disease control and improved turf quality.

"Daconil has been a foundation for turf disease control for 30 years," Goglia said. "Daconil Action combines with a turf protection booster, helping the plant stay healthy and defend itself naturally."

Acibenzolar-S-methyl (also known as acibenzolar) belongs to a product category called Host Plant Defense Induction, established by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC), in Group P. Once absorbed, acibenzolar stimulates the natural defense response or the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) of the turfgrass by activating the production of PR proteins.

"The product is a true plant health enhancer," Goglia stated. "It is recognized as a turf health product by the scientific community."

"The acibenzolar -- combined with Daconil fungicide's direct activity on disease pathogens -- is what gives Daconil Action its boosted performance," said Mike Agnew, technical manager, Syngenta. "Acibenzolar bridges the gap between genetic resistance and conventional disease control. Its SAR effect works with Daconil to reduce disease infection."

Features and benefits of Daconil Action include:

• Only turf health product in the U.S. recognized by FRAC as having an active ingredient that produces an SAR effect
• Multi-site mode of action to attack pathogens at several biochemical sites, preventing disease resistance
• Effectively controls diseases such as dollar spot, anthracnose, brown patch, gray leaf spot, stem rust, yellow patch as well as others and suppresses Pythium blight and bacterial wilt
• Protein-boost effect improves ability to handle drought, increases phytosynthetic capacity, reduces incidence of dollar spot and other disease, and enhances root growth and development
• Built-in surfactant system provides residual control of 14-21 days when used at recommended rates
• Labeled for control on golf courses, sod farms, professional and collegiate athletic fields and lawns around commercial buildings
  

The product will be available Oct. 1st, 2011, Goglia said. The product is already registered in 40 states, with more on the way.

Goglia then detailed the roll-out plan for Syngenta in the next 18 months. He said there would be one or two new products announced at the Golf Industry Show in Las Vegas (late February 2012); another one or two products in mid- to late-summer 2012; and one or two more new products in late 2012/early 2013.

"You'll be seeing a lot more products based on turf health and turf safety," he said.