Effect of Adjuvants on the Therapeutic Activity of Dimethomorph in Controlling Vine Downy Mildew. II. Adjuvant Mixtures,Outdoor-Hardened Vines and One-Pack Formulations

Previous investigations have shown that certain C₁₂–C₁₈ alcohol ethoxylates with between 5 and 20 moles ethylene oxide gave large enhancements to the therapeutic activity of emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and wettable power (WP) formulations of dimethomorph in controlling two-day-old infections of downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola, Berl. & deT) on glasshouse propagated vines (Vitis vinifera, L.). In a continuation of that work it has been shown that similar enhancements could also be obtained on vines that had been grown under outdoor conditions for two to three weeks before treatment (outdoor-hardened vines) and it is concluded that the treatments would therefore be effective on field vines. Mixtures of either ammonium sulfate or the silicone ethoxylate, ‘Silwet’ L77, with the best alcohol ethoxylates, ‘Genapol’ C050 or ‘Genapol’ C080, produced slight antagonism of the action of the ‘Genapols’ and therefore were of no benefit. Trials with one-pack formulations prepared containing the ‘Genapol’ adjuvants produced good dose response curves from which estimated doses for 90% fungal control (ED₉₀ values) could be calculated by Logit analysis. These one-pack formulations were significantly more effective than the standard EC formulation (ED₉₀=335 g AI ha^?1, glasshouse vines and 445 g AI ha^?1, outdoor hardened vines) with optimum enhancements with those formulations containing an adjuvant: dimethomorph ratio of either 9:1 on glasshouse vines (ED₉₀= 13 g AI ha^?1) or 6:1 on outdoor-hardened vines (ED₉₀=30 g AI ha^?1). This last result was significantly better than that obtained with a commercial formulation of cymoxanil, ‘Fytospore’, (ED₉₀=86 g AI ha^?1) and encouraged the recommendation that these one-pack formulations should be examined in field trials.