Grapegrowers in cooler climate regions are starting to switch from using powdered sulphur fungicide to a new liquid option particularly early season to provide protection against powdery mildew.

Thiopron is a unique, easy-to-use, advanced liquid sulphur formulation from UPL offering greater coverage and adherence to leaves, better rainfastness and faster activation under cooler temperatures.

The Group M2 multisite fungicide features a built-in, superior adjuvant, Xanthane, which helps to spread and stick the sulphur particles on the leaf surface.

Typical water-dispersible granule (WG) sulphur products contain mixed size particles varying from 2-5 micron, whereas Thiopron’s suspended concentrate (SC) formulation contains a smaller, uniform particle size of 1.2 microns, which aids improved conversion of the particles into a vapour.

The SC formulation, containing 825g per litre of sulphur, also allows excellent dispersion and suspensibility, making it easy to use, handle and store.

Charlotte Youngman, a junior agronomist working with the experienced Rod Hancl at Nutrien Bridgewater in the greater Hobart area of Tasmania, says many growers in the state’s southern region had switched from wettable sulphur to Thiopron for their first two to four sprays of the season.

The store supports growers through the Coal River Valley, Derwent Valley and East Coast areas up to Swansea in the southern region, where powdery mildew is more of a factor due to the conditions.

Originally from Launceston, Charlotte says they were introduced to Thiopron by Ashlin Rodman from UPL and they were impressed with its characteristics.

“It activates at lower temperatures than the wettable sulphur, so it’s able to work a lot better in the colder climate,” Charlotte says.

“Coming out of winter in Tasmania, temperatures sit a lot colder, especially in the south, and you want to have that protection.”

Rod says wettable sulphur relied more on contact during cooler temperatures, so Thiopron offers a distinct advantage in these conditions.

He says wettable sulphur products also didn’t incorporate a ‘sticker’, whereas the Xanthane adjuvant in Thiopron provides better rain-fastness and longer protection, allowing a longer interval between sprays.

“It stays on the plant for a lot longer. We normally spray at 10 to 14-day intervals, but with Thiopron, we probably have some protection leftover from previous sprays,” Rod says.

Charlotte says the smaller micron helped to cover the leaf better and the Xanthane sticker is so good growers have to spend a little more time cleaning their spray tanks.

“It works better and sticks better, and we can get quite a bit of rain in spring, so growers have been happy to switch for their early season sprays,” she says.

“The wettable sulphurs also require good agitation and some growers have older equipment, which doesn’t have that agitation, so they are happy with it being in solution with Thiopron as an SC, because they don’t have to worry about it.”

Rod says the dust from the wettable sulphur products can be problematic for operators as well, so the improved handling with Thiopron was another benefit that pleased growers.

Charlotte says, importantly, the cost of Thiopron also was highly competitive for growers.

When used early season, lower water rates are required and, hence, lower rates of Thiopron are used.

Rod says water rates can start at 400L per hectare at the start of the season and increase to 1000L/ha later, when he says wettable sulphur products would still be applied.

Thiopron is applied at 200-600 millilitres per 100L of water, and is compatible with other treatments.

Charlotte says Thiopron also was being used in cooler growing regions of South Australia and would suit southern Victoria, where conditions were similar.

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Sunday, 20th March 2033

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