Routine 200 SC Fungicide from Bayer for banana leaf disease control

A completely new concept in the control of banana leaf diseases is now available to growers with the introduction of Routine 200 SC Fungicide from Bayer.

Routine is a new plant defence activator that is registered for the control of two key leaf diseases in bananas, yellow Sigatoka (or leaf spot) and common leaf speckle. Key to the concept behind Routine is that it acts by mimicking salicylic acid in the plant, so that the natural chemical pathways the plant uses to defend itself are activated.

As Nick Matthews, Bayer Market Development Agronomist in Far North Queensland, explains, this effect does not damage the plant; rather it establishes Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR), which is not washed away by rainfall and is boosted with each Routine application.

“Changes in the plant means the response is more readily accessible for the next disease attack, so after treatment the plant is effectively in alert mode and at the next disease attack SAR is established much faster,” Nick says.

“In addition, each subsequent application trains the plant, with the response being both faster and stronger.”

The introduction of Routine is significant because it adds a new and novel fungicide control option into the Australian banana market that helps growers protect their crops against leaf spot and speckle.aa