On November 19, the horticultural industry learned some positive news from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) regarding the revised re-evaluation of mancozeb. It is a multi-site contact fungicide used in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. 

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada has determined that continued registration of products containing mancozeb is acceptable with additional risk mitigation measures. An evaluation of available scientific information found that the registrant supported uses of mancozeb products (ground and aerial foliar application to potatoes; ground foliar application on apples, onions, sugar beets, ginseng, field cucumbers, field tomatoes, grapes, pumpkin, squash, and melon (including cantaloupe but excluding watermelon and in-furrow application to onions) meet current standards for protection of human health and the environment and have value when used according to the revised conditions of registration which includes new mitigation measures.

Risk mitigation measures will be required. 

Some uses, formulations and application methods will be cancelled including: 

-  All seed treatments (including potato seed piece treatment), greenhouse uses (in other words, tobacco, tomatoes), use on pears, carrots, celery, lettuce, watermelon, lentils, wheat, alfalfa grown for seed, as well as ornamentals and forestry uses

-  All applications using any hand-held equipment.

-  All end-use (commercial class) wettable powder or dust formulations.

This decision is welcomed by the horticultural industry because this crop protection product is valued in an integrated pest management program. Growers have the ability to rotate between chemistries to prevent resistance.

“Back in the fall of 2018, all field uses were proposed for cancellation,” says Chris Duyvelshoff, crop protection advisor for the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association.  “While the loss and reduced use of mancozeb will create challenges on several crops, overall the decision represents a huge improvement from the original proposal. Some uses of mancozeb were maintained on several key crops, and this will strongly aid in disease control and pathogen resistance management.”

 For details of the PMRA’s re-evaluation decision, link here:  https://bit.ly/3nKyxSp

Source:  Pest Management Regulatory Agency November 19, 2020