Establishment is a critical time for brassica crops because plant density determines potential yield, and it is also the time plants are most vulnerable. AGRICOTE Brassica improves establishment by protecting crops from insects and fungal diseases, and by supplying molybdenum for plant health.

 

Nysius control

 

AGRICOTE Brassica gives excellent control of Nysius. Data supporting this 
comes from a trial run by AgResearch. Dynamo summer turnip seed was sownand Nysius was added when seedlings
were just emerging, then again 7 days later.
All three seed treatments tested gave very good control of Nysius damage compared

to sowing bare seed (see graph). Under the  high insect pressure in the trial, AGRICOTE Brassica greatly reduced the number of damaged plants from 50% (bare seed) down to only 11%.

 

Damaged seedlings after 2 separate

7 day periods of Nysius attack*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Springtail control

AGRICOTE Brassica gives excellent
control of springtails. In an AgResearch trial Dynamo summer turnip seed was sown into pots and springtails were added when seedlings were just emerging (which is when most springtail damage occurs).

 

Damage and scarred seedlings after 7 days of springtail attack*

 

The results show AGRICOTE Brassica provided a high level of springtail control. It greatly reduced the number of plants damaged from 98% (bare seed) down to 34%, and reduced the feeding scars from 41% (bare seed) down to 7%. Feeding scars can later result in stem break in kales or rapes.

 

Aphid control

AGRICOTE Brassica gives excellent protection against aphids. In an AgResearch trial, Dynamo summer turnip seed was sown into pots. Twenty aphids were added to each pot 8, 15 and 22 days after emergence. At the end of the trial plants were visually scored for damage on a 1-3 scale.

 

Plant health scores and live aphid numbers after three separate 7 day periods of aphid attack*

 

Combined results from the three aphid feeding periods show plants had only a low level of plant damage when AGRICOTE Brassica was used. This treatment also killed all aphids.

 

Fungal pathogens

AGRICOTE Brassica contains fungicide to protect establishing seedlings from ‘damping off’, a disease complex caused by soil-borne Fusarium and/or Pythium fungi in the North Island, and Rhizoctonia in the South Island. Damping off can lead to poor, patchy crop establishment.

The fungi are present in most NZ soils, and build up in successive crops, so they are worse in second year or subsequent crops.

Newly sown brassica seedlings are most susceptible to damping off. Typically they wilt and die, showing small lesions at or below soil level. Plants may initially survive Rhizoctonia, but later may turn purple and die due to ‘wire stem’ damage. .

 

Molybdenum

AGRICOTE Brassica contains the trace element molybdenum required for brassica growth and development.

 

Sowing rate

AGRICOTE Brassica treatment results in a 5% weight increase. Normal sowing rates apply as a 5% reduction in the amount of seed sown is offset by the increased success in establishment.