Vegelab reformulates fungicide to increase efficacy, eliminate phytotoxicity

Vegelab announced on Wednesday that it has reformulated its popular fungicide Mildew Control, in order to increase efficacy and remove the possibility of its causing phytotoxicity to the flowers of strawberries.

Powdery mildew is a problem often found on strawberry plants. If left unchecked, it can cause leaves to turn yellow and eventually die and fall off. This exposes the fruit to sunburn, making the crops unmarketable.

Mildew Control is an all-natural fungicide composed of plant extracts that is effective against downy mildew, powdery mildew and other mildew diseases. These mildews are harmful to plants and known to significantly reduce crop yield. Mildew Control has a two-fold effect on crops -- retarding spore germination and germ tube growth and destroying pathogen cells.

Mildew Control uses natural extracts of geranium plants -- which greatly reduce the product’s environmental impact -- as the active ingredient to reach the highest level of efficacy. Thymol, a naturally occurring biocide, creates a protective film over the plant cuticle, leaving the tissue intact. It prevents pathogen spores from attaching to the cell, developing further, and causing damage to the plant and fruit. Fungal growth cycles begin with spore germination at the plant surface. After attaching to the surface, germ tubes begin to grow, feeding off of nutrients from the plant cell. In order to interrupt this cycle, thymol is used.