Timorex Gold alternative in controlling Black Sigatoka

The commercial banana production requires an excessive amount of agrochemicals to control the plant pathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis which is the cause of the Black Sigatoka disease.

Black Sigatoka is considered the most damaging and costly disease of banana and plantain. The control of this disease accounts for about 30% of the total production costs and about 40% yield loss on plantain and even greater losses may occur on export banana as a result of premature ripening, during transportation and storage,  when control measures fails.

Even in very well organized and managed plantation numerous, up to weekly fungicide applications, are necessary to control the disease with all risks for laborers in the plantations and the environment. Excessive use of chemical compounds has lead to the appearance of resistant fungal strains to these compounds, thus increased chemical applications have been required over the past years to obtain satisfactory control of Black Sigatoka also leading to increased control costs.  
Chemical control of Black Sigatoka is achieved with the alternation of protectant and systemic fungicides. Systemic fungicides are usually applied in combination or alternation with broad-spectrum, protectant fungicides in order to delay or manage fungicide resistance to M. fijiensis.

Over the past decade efforts have been made to reduce environmental impact caused by the use of the traditional fungicides in banana. The challenge being to find environmentally-friendly, safe control measures which effectively control Black Sigatoka and are liable to encounter resistance problems while securing food production.

Timorex Gold is a good alternative to controlling Black Sigatoka in banana. It non residual features leads to the reduction of conventional chemical load in banana plantations caused by the intensive use of chemical fungicides under conventional programs while maintaining a similar control level as well as criteria for crop production quality such as; number of leaves produced, number of leaves at harvesting, number of bunches bagged per hectare, yield, banana appearance and is not affecting the organoleptic and physico-chemical properties of the banana giving the consumer a tasty and nutritious fruit.
The reduction in chemical load could lead to a reduction of more than 50% the chemical load.

Timorex Gold presents both prophylactic and eradicant (stages 1-4) activity against Black Sigatoka thus makes Timorex Gold an excellent tool for black Sigatoka control management.

Timorex Gold could be used alone or mixed with other traditional agrochemicals used for the control of Black Sigatoka. Due to Timorex Gold Multi-site mode of action as well as being a multi component product the development of resistance of Black Sigatoka to Timorex Gold is unlikely to happen. The unique control features of Timorex Gold positioning it as a preferred choice solution for Black Sigatoka resistance management.  

Timorex Gold active substance is distilled from the foliage and terminal branches of the Australian bush, Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia). The Tea Tree extract is classified as a low risk substance by the new EU regulation, dated 1.9.2008, on pesticide residues Reg. (EC) NO. 396/2005 and defined as "No MRL Required".
Timorex Gold active substance was approved by the European Union to be included in the EU positive list Annex 1 under Directive 91/414 EEC for pesticide registration.
Timorex Gold is already registered in most of the banana growing countries.
Timorex Gold addresses the banana growers requirements for efficacy ease for use and cost. The Timorex Gold formulation presents excellent sustainability, two year storage stability, safety to workers and selectivity to non target organism, non residual, late season/pre-harvest option and its composition is also suitable and accepted by the organic international bodies as effective Non Chemical option for control of Black Sigatoka in organic banana.

For more information please visit www.TimorexGold.com
Or email info@stockton-ag.com