Eric Tedford
Excellent questions, so I’d like to provide a bit more detail for you. There are several different publications that reference CO2 assimilation, and this parameter can be measured in different ways. We measure CO2 assimilation either by looking at fixation of radioactive carbon in the plant following exposure to 14CO2 (radioactively labeled carbon dioxide) in a sealed unit or by monitoring atmospheric CO2 depletion from a cuvette sealed around a leaf of a treated plant using an IRGA (infra red gas analyser). The method we most often use is the 14CO2 method. Untreated plants were sprayed with water and their response compared with plants sprayed with either a triazole at the recommended field rate or a Syngenta strobilurin fungicide. The result: assimilation of CO2 and fixation in the plant was significantly increased in fungicide-treated plants.

When it comes to the strobilurin greening effect, we have seen that the length of time the plant stays green depends on the crop. In reference to this work (completed on wheat), plants treated with a Syngenta strobilurin fungicide program remained green for up to 8.2 days longer than did the untreated control plants.

Typically in corn, we do not see more ears on the plant; however, we often see an increase in the size of the ear (length and girth). Our tests have also shown that strobilurin fungicides do improve the quality of the grain. With corn we see improvements in kernel size. With wheat we often see an improvement in seed quality. Thank you for the response and I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.
4:11 PM Aug 21st

Anonymous
I don't know.
2:07 PM Aug 20th

Anonymous
How was CO2 assimilation measured? How many weeks (days?) longer do the plants remain green compared to the control? Do the plants put on more ears? Is the quality of the grain improved?

12:33 PM Aug 19th

Anonymous
How was CO2 assimilation measured? How many weeks (days?) longer do the plants remain green compared to the control? Do the plants put on more ears? Is the quality of the grain improved?

9:45 AM Aug 19th