Foliar fungicide activity and seed treatment options for wheat

This information will help you match fungicides to the primary disease risk(s) in wheat. Use it alongside our fungicide performance results and resistance management guidance to help maintain control within and across seasons.

Match fungicides to the primary disease risk – this depends mainly on variety, sowing date, location and local weather
Mixtures and alternations of fungicides, with different modes of action, from different fungicide groups, are often most effective and reduce the likelihood that fungicide resistance will develop in pathogens
Resistance poses a significant threat to the performance of fungicides and resistance management must be taken into account when planning fungicide programmes
Fungicides are tested by AHDB in specific performance trials and in other research projects targeting specific diseases
Performance ratings are indicative and are dependent on dose and timing
A score indicates that a product has been tested by AHDB but this does not guarantee label approval
Other active ingredients may also be registered for the control of these diseases
Always check the label before use

Fungicide performance for wheat, barley and oilseed rape

The Fungicide Resistance Action Group (FRAG-UK)

Fungicide activity rating for major wheat diseases

Reviewed March 2024

Chemical group	Active ingredient	Eyespot	Mildew	Septoria tritici	Yellow rust	Brown rust	Ear blight#
Dithiocarbamate	mancozeb***	-	-	[2]	[1]	[1]	[1]
Imidazole	prochloraz (poraz)	L	L	1	[1]	[1]	-
Phthalimides	folpet***	-	-	2	[1]	[1]	-
Inorganic	sulphur	-	L	[2]	-	-	-
SDHIs	benzovindiflupyr**	-	-	2	4	4	-
	fluxapyroxad**	-	L	2	3	4	-
	isoflucypram**	-	-	[4]	[3]	[4]	-
SDHI + other $	benzovindiflupyr + prothioconazole	-	-	[3]	5	5	4
	bixafen + fluopyram + prothioconazole	L	L	4	4	5	4
	bixafen + prothioconazole	L	L	[3]	4	5	4
	fluxapyroxad + metconazole	L	L	[3]	4	5	3
	fluxapyroxad + mefentrifluconazole	-	L	5	4	5	-
	fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin	-	L	[2]	4	5	-
QiI	fenpicoxamid	-	-	5	2	3	-
QiI + other $	fenpicoxamid + prothioconazole	-	L	5	4	4	4
Strobilurin (QoI)	azoxystrobin	-	-	1	3	4	-
	pyraclostrobin	-	-	1	4	5	-
	trifloxystrobin	-	-	[1]	[2]	[2]	-
Strobilurin mixtures $	fluoxastrobin + prothioconazole	L	L	2	4	5	3
Triazole***	flutriafol*	-	L	[1]	[2]	[2]	-
	metconazole	-	L	[2]	[4]	4	3
	prothioconazole	L	L	2	4	2	3
	mefentrifluconazole	-	L	[4]	3	4	[1]
	tebuconazole	-	L	[1]	[4]	4	3
	bromuconazole + tebuconazole	-	L	L	-	L	[4]

5 = Highest control level

1 = Lowest control level

L = Label claim of activity where products have not been tested by AHDB

[] based on limited or old data.

$ Different products may contain different loadings and formulations which may impact on control level.

* Flutriafol due to be withdrawn on 31 August 2024

** Significant resistance risk. Always use SDHI fungicides in mixture with at least one fungicide from an alternative mode of action group which has efficacy against the target pathogen(s)

*** Key products may have significant differences between performance in protectant and eradicant situations, scores shown are for protectant situations.

Ear blight caused by Fusarium culmorum or Fusarium graminearum. Performance against Microdochium species may differ.

Details of products tested in the AHDB fungicide performance project are available via ahdb.org.uk/fungicide-performance

Wheat seed treatment options

Reviewed March 2024

Active ingredient(s)	Product	Company	Crop	Microdochium Seedling blight*	Fusarium seedling blights*	Septoria seedling blight*	Loose smut*	Bunt	Take-all	Blue mould	Yellow rust	Septoria tritici	Brown rust	Aphids/ BYDV	Wireworm	Slugs	Wheat bulb fly
fludioxonil, tebuconazole	Fountain	Certis	Winter	X	X		X	X
fludioxonil	Beret Gold	Syngenta	Winter Spring	X	X	X		X
fludioxonil	Prepper	Certis	Winter Spring	X	X	X		X
difenconazole, fludioxonil	Celest Extra	Syngenta	Winter	X	X	X		X
difenconazole, fludioxonil, tebuconazole	Celest Trio	Syngenta	Winter	X	X	X		X
difenconazole, fludioxonil	Difend Extra	Certis	Winter	X	X			X
silthiofam	Latitude	Certis	Winter Spring						X
ipconazole	Rancona 15ME	Arysta	Winter Spring	X	X			X
ipconazole, imazalil	Rancona i-MIX	Arysta	Winter Spring	X	X			X
prothioconazole, tebuconazole	Redigo Pro	Bayer	Winter Spring	X	X		X	X		X
sedaxane, fludioxonil	Vibrance Duo	Syngenta	Winter	X	X	X	X	X
cypermethrin	Signal	Arysta	Winter Spring												X		X

*Seedborne disease

X = Label recommendation. Control may only be partial, please refer to product label.

No label recommendations for the control of yellow rust, septoria tritici, brown rust, aphids/BYDV or slugs.

Disposal and spills of treated seed

If not handled correctly, treated seed may pose a risk to wildlife and the environment. Spills are most often associated with filling, (poor) calibration and moving the seed drill. Always:

Minimise spill risks
Apply via qualified operators
Use calibrated equipment
Follow product labels
Fill drills from as low a height as possible
Deal with spills immediately (ideally, use a spill kit)
Ensure undrilled seed is disposed of properly*

It is best to avoid the need to retain treated seed after drilling. However, if required, store it in dry conditions away from temperature extremes. If this is done, the germination should be sufficient for the following year.

*Unrequired treated seed can be sown to a ‘sacrificial’ area of land and subsequently removed by cultivation or spraying. If this is not appropriate, dispose of via a licenced waste contractor.

HSE

Pesticide database

Essential information on all plant protection products (with on-label authorisations)

Topics:

Wheat Diseases

Sectors:

Cereals & Oilseeds

Tags:

fungicide fungicides fungicide performance fungicide activity fungicide resistance fungicide dose fungicide futures septoria tritici yellow rust brown rust head blight cereal disease management wheat disease management