EPA Approval Good News For Spud Lovers

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved a new fungicide seed treatment to control disease on potatoes.

The New Zealand potato industry is valued at approximately $1 billion annually, according to Potatoes New Zealand.

Syngenta Crop Protection Limited applied to introduce Vibrance Premium, a fungicide containing 40 g/L sedaxane and 50 g/L fludioxonil.

Vibrance Premium can be applied to seed tubers before planting. It will control black scurf, silver scurf, black dot, fusarium dry rot, and gangrene and suppress common scab.

Sedaxane is a new active ingredient to Aotearoa New Zealand. Fludioxonil is approved for use in New Zealand in other products for the control of Rhizoctonia (black scurf and stem canker) and silver scurf. Vibrance Premium is a new mixture of the two active ingredients.

Syngenta Crop Protection Limited says combining the two active ingredients into one formulation will effectively control a broader spectrum of soil-borne, seed-borne, and storage disease in potatoes.

The EPA carried out human health and environmental risk assessments for the fungicide. The risks to human health and the environment are low and any risks can be managed with controls.

Vibrance Premium has been approved for use in Australia and Europe.

EPA Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth made the decision to approve Vibrance Premium in New Zealand which followed a rigorous-evidence based assessment.

The fungicide can only be used and handled by professional operators and not by the general public.

As the substance is intended for agricultural use, it will also need approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries before it can be used in New Zealand.

Read more about the decision - https://www.epa.govt.nz/assets/FileAPI/hsno-ar/APP204260/APP204260-Decision.pdf

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