Ascenza launches Cuprital 700(（Dicopper chloride trihydroxide) to combat citrus canker in Brazil

  Ascenza's multisite fungicide and fungicide product Cuprital 700, a Dicopper chloride trihydroxide (Cu+2e) based protectant, has been registered in Brazil for use against citrus canker caused by the subspecies Xanudomonas citri, reducing the risk of resistance to the pathogen that causes citrus canker.

Although citrus canker is not a systemic disease and does not exist in the xylem or phloem of the crop, it still causes great losses to Brazilian citrus. Citrus canker can cause local lesions in fruits, branches and leaves, resulting in defoliation, which in severe cases may cause the fruit to fall before harvesting, and if not managed, may cause losses of more than 50%, even up to 80% in extreme cases. In addition, fruit infected with citrus canker can be banned from sale, seriously reducing the market value of the fruit.

Cuprital 700 has a concentration of Dicopper chloride trihydroxide of 1196.8g/L, equivalent to 700g/L of copper metal, which is the highest concentration of mineral in its series of products. The application dose and cost per hectare are greatly reduced, helping citrus growers with handling, metering and packaging. Because it is a liquid concentrated formulation, the product can be used as an efficient and easier to use control tool, or it can be mixed with a site-specific fungicide.

″Edgar Braz, a multinational agronomist and Ascenza's R&D and commercial representative, said: "Currently, one in five orchards in Brazil has citrus ulcers. Because of the climate, more and more orchards may be infected. In 2017, Brazilian legislation allowed for new management strategies rather than eradicating the phenomenon."

Copper is designed to protect tissues such as new fruits and buds from infection, and this protection is up to 80% effective in reducing citrus canker infection. In addition to being an essential element for citrus growth, copper is also key to protecting citrus from bacterial diseases. Copper oxide chloride forms an external protective layer that protects plants from pathogens and is durable.

Patricia Cesarino, an agronomist and marketing expert, said: "Cuprital 700 is effective in the control of citrus canker disease, and its instructions also give technical advice on the target bacteria. In addition to building windbreak trees around orchards, one strategy to combat citrus canker is to regularly apply copper (Cu), a measure that will reduce wind damage to trees. In addition to weather factors, seedlings of questionable origin and contaminated harvested materials should be handled with caution. The most important thing is to use high-tech tools such as Cuprital 700 on the market.