Features Production Research
Emergency use registration for white mold in carrots

August 15, 2008, Guelph, Ont. –
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an emergency use registration for Scholar 50WP
(fludioxonil) for control of white mold (Sclerotinia) on stored carrots
in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and
Ontario.

August 15, 2008, Guelph, Ont. – The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an emergency use registration for Scholar 50WP (fludioxonil) for control of white mold (Sclerotinia) on stored carrots in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Ontario.

Scholar WP is already labeled in Canada for control of post-harvest diseases on pome fruit and stone fruit. A complete minor use submission is underway with the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC–PMC) minor use program to seek eventual, full registration of Scholar for white mold control on stored carrots in Canada.

White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) is a serious disease of carrots and many other crops around the world. In Canada, white mold is considered to be one of the major limiting factors to the successful long-term storage of carrots. In recent years, growers in Eastern Canada have reported losses of 50 to 100 per cent. Since the loss of the fungicide Benlate several years ago, carrot growers have had no post-harvest fungicide treatments to reduce losses to this disease.

Scholar fungicide was identified as a viable solution to help manage while mold of stored carrots. There have been no new products registered in Canada for white mold management on stored carrots in many years and control failures continue to increase.

The emergency use registration of Scholar 50WP fungicide will help in the interim to manage white mold on stored carrots, however management of white mold still requires a comprehensive IPM and resistance management program with access to all available tools and strategies. The following is provided as general information only. Users should consult the complete label before using Scholar 50WP.

Scholar 50WP fungicide can be used for control of white mold on stored carrots in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island until December 31st, 2008 only. Scholar 50WP can be applied once as a post-harvest dip or drench immediately before storage. Mix 227 g of product in 378 L water. This amount can treat up to 90,000 kg of carrots.

It is important to note that Scholar cannot be used on carrots intended for export.

For copies of the emergency use label, visit Syngenta Crop Protection Canada.

Jim Chaput is the minor use coordinator for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He is based in Guelph, Ont.