OHP offers 1—2 punch for downy mildew

Downy mildew is rearing its ugly head on more crops than ever. Not only is it still problematic on crops like roses and snapdragons, now downy mildew has appeared on crops such as coleus and impatiens.

Downy mildew spores like a cool, moist environment. If the spores germinate, the end result is a distorted plant with blighted leaves. In severe infestations, the undersides of leaves become fuzzy with downy mildew spores.

To prevent downy mildew, preventative actions such as scouting, sanitation, and adjusting the environment to lower humidity and dry leaf surfaces are the best control options.

If you apply fungicides preventatively, consider OHP’s 1-2 punch – Aliette® and FenStop™.

Aliette can be applied every 14 days and FenStop can be applied once every 28 days. A rotation might look like this:

• Day 1 – Aliette at 1.25 to 4 pounds per 100 gal. water as a foliar spray;
• Day 15 -- FenStop at 7 fl. oz. per 100 gal. water as a foliar spray;
• Day 30 – Aliette at 1.25 to 4 pounds per 100 gal. water as a foliar spray In times of high pressure, growers may have to spray more frequently with other fungicides labeled for downy mildew.