Switch® 62.5 WG fungicide has received federal approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for new crop usages on vegetables and herbs. Switch is registered for use on beans (dry and succulent), berries (loganberry and all cultivars), herbs (dried and fresh), leafy vegetables (except brassica and spinach) and swiss chard. State registration for these crops is pending in California.

In addition, the EPA also approved a change to the rotational crop restrictions. It is now a 30-day or less plant-back-interval on crops not registered for use with Switch, instead of one year. “The plant-back-interval will provide growers with increased flexibility when it comes to making their planting decisions,” said David Laird, fungicide brand manager for Syngenta.

New application techniques have also been approved for strawberries, onions and garlic. The EPA approved the use of dip application on strawberries and in-furrow application on onions and garlic.

“The registration of Switch on leafy vegetables, except brassica and spinach, is welcome news for growers,” said Laird. “Leafy vegetable growers now have an important new tool for disease control, which will help increase quality and yield, resulting in a boost to the growers’ bottom line.” 

Switch is a prepack mixture of two active ingredients, cyprodinil and fludioxonil. Cyprodinil has systemic action and is taken up into the cuticle and waxy layers of leaves and fruits and distributed to other parts of the plant. Fludioxonil, the residual component of Switch, stays on the leaf and fruit surfaces to provide contact activity. Switch attacks pathogens at four different stages in the pathogen life-cycle, providing long-lasting disease control.

Switch provides growers with effective disease control in an environmentally compatible, easy-to-use formulation. Switch has demonstrated no cross-resistance among pathogen strains, allowing it to fit well in integrated pest management programs. It is compatible with most commonly used fungicides and insecticides. For more information about Switch fungicide, contact your local Syngenta sales representative or visit Syngenta at www.syngentacropprotection.com or www.farmassist.com.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2005 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).

Switch® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.