Control of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Foliar and Soil-Borne Diseases Using Bixafen Plus Flutriafol

Aim: Evaluate bixafen plus flutriafol when used in various fungicide programs for peanut foliar and soilborne disease control and yield response when using Georgia M-13 and Georgia 09B peanutvarieties.

Study Design: Randomized complete block.

Place and Duration of Study: Field studies were conducted from 2018 through 2020 in south-central Texas near Yoakum (29.276o N, -97.123o W).

Methodology: Fungicides were applied with a CO2-propellant sprayer. The spray boom was equipped with three D2-23 hollow-cone spray nozzles per row with the middle nozzle centered over each plant in the row and another nozzle located as such to spray on each side of the plant to provide thorough coverage with a spray volume was 187 L ha-1. All studies included a non-treated control and a comparison treatment of chlorothalonil only at 1.26 kg ha-1. Each plot consisted of four rows spaced 97 cm apart and 7.9 m long.

Results: The primary foliar disease was early leaf spot, caused by Cercospora arachidicola S. Hori. Bixafen + flutriafol applied twice in a 4 to 5 fungicide spray program in combination with chlorothalonil provided early leaf spot control as good as or better than the standard of chlorothalonil alone or chlorothalonil + azoxystrobin plus benzovindiflupyr. Fungicide treatments which included bixafen + flutriafol reduced southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. disease incidence up to 85%. The level of soilborne and foliar disease control exhibited with each fungicide program influenced peanut yield response as those programs which provided the best control also produced the highest yield.

Conclusion: These studies show the ability of bixafen plus flutriafol to provide control of foliar and soilborne diseases found in southwest peanut production.