Patent Description:
The fungus of the genus Phakopsora is known to infect legumes. Two most prominent strains of the genus are Phakopsorapachyrhizi and Phakopsora meibomiae. Soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi is the most damaging disease affecting the yield of leguminous plants causing widespread damage to crops and depleting yield from <NUM> to <NUM>% if not treated in time. Commonly known as Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), Phakopsora pachyrhizi infections must be detected early and treated early so as to prevent the geographic spread of the disease, which is airborne and causes severe loss of yield. The disease spreads through spores called urediniospores which are carried through the environs, resulting in wide spread damage. The disease earlier restricted to Asia and Australia has spread to Africa and in the past two decades, spread to South and North America. The first detection in the Americas was in <NUM> in South America; from there it spread to North America where it was first detected in <NUM>.

Phakopsora pachyrhizi is known to infect over <NUM> legumes including commercially important edible beans as well as kudzu. The additional host crops serve as a reservoir for spores which can settle over the winter on the host crops and then spread in warmer weather. Early detection and treatment of Phakopsora is very essential to prevent the spread of disease and the loss of yield. Fungicides typically recommended for the treatment of this disease include Qo inhibitors (Quinone outside inhibitors), DM inhibitors (demethylation inhibitor), SDH Inhibitors (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors). These fungicides when applied alone provided some control but, resistance was quickly observed, specifically in DM inhibitors (<NPL>)). Combination of Qo and DM inhibitors are also known in the art for the treatment of the disease, however, the treatment is not effective in controlling the disease and improving yields at the same time. Also, resistance to DM inhibitors effectively renders such combination compositions useless as the ASR strains can effectively overcome the effects of DM inhibitors. <NPL>) taught the use of combination of stroilurins (Qo inhibitors) and triazoles (DM inhibitors) for the treatment of ASR, the control of the disease was found to be favorable; however, yield was significantly low, and some combinations showed lower disease control and significantly poor yield. Older studies have demonstrated the use of multi-site inhibitor fungicides such as chloronitriles and dithiocarbamate for the treatment of Soybean Rust; however, none of the multi-site inhibitor fungicides were successful in the control of the disease or the increase in yield.

The most important factor in Soybean Rust is the loss of foliage that results in the loss of nutrients and decrease in the overall yield of the crop. Numerous papers have been published that demonstrate moderate increase in yield with the application of fungicides. However, there is a need for a method of treatment that demonstrates improved yields along with preventive and/or curative capabilities in the treatment of Soybean Rust.

Compositions comprising the single actives used in the treatment of ASR have demonstrated very little control as compared to combinations, however, the cost and concentrations of such combination fungicides used in the treatment of ASR is significantly higher. There is therefore a need in the art for a method of treatment that provides excellent control over Asian Soybean Rust in host plants, as well as provides high yields, maintain nutrition and quality of the plants.

<NPL>, recommended the use of triadimefon, thiabendazole, chlorothalonil and certain ethylenebis-dithiocarbamates for the control of soybean rust. The protection offered by triadimefon was inconsistent, in comparison to mancozeb, although it successfully prevented yield losses. However, triadimefon required frequent applications at <NUM>-<NUM> day intervals, starting from the flowering stage in order to retain its effectiveness. Thiabendazole was found to be less effective than certain ethylenebis-dithiocarbamates, and further was found effective only when used with oxycarboxin. Thiabendazole was also found to be phytotoxic. Chlorothalonil offered equal or worse rust control vis-à-vis the other fungicides recommended in this paper.

The use of ethylenebis-dithiocarbamates such as mancozeb, zineb or maneb alone has been found effective for the control of soybean rust when applied <NUM> to <NUM> days apart, provided the first application was made three weeks after planting and continued as late as till the flowering stage. Moreover, not all the studied showed yield increase due to the individual applications of ethylenebis-dithiocarbamates.

Oxycarboxin was found less effective than ethylenebis-dithiocarbamates, was found inconsistent in rust control and yield protection varied with the particular study. Oxycarboxin is also required to be applied when lesions first appear and then at <NUM>-intervals for effective control, which is expensive and inconvenient.

Azoxystrobin is another fungicide, which has been recommended for soybean rust control. However, it is known in the art that a single late application of azoxystrobin does not control soybean rust or protect yield losses.

A recent survey by the present applicant found that a limited number of about <NUM>-<NUM> fungicides were approved to be used for the control of soybean rust, which are:.

Thus, additional fungicides are needed for soybean rust control due to economic reasons as well as for resistance management strategies. However, the choice of fungicides for soybean is not straightforward.

Soybean is not usually treated with foliar fungicides. Therefore, the choice of a protective foliar fungicide leaves open the question of its application methods or the effect of the particular selected fungicide on the crop. The pathogen for soybean rust is usually found on the lower leaves of the plant where the lesion numbers increases as the inoculum builds up. As the plant begins to flower, this inoculum builds up increases and the infection moves up the plant as the lower leaves die off and drop. The crop needs protection from flowering stage to the pod fill stage, during which the plant canopy is very dense. The dense canopy is an effective barrier to penetration of fungicides applied over the top of the canopy. Therefore, foliar fungicides are not preferred during this stage of fungicidal control, or even the systemic fungicides that do not move down the plant system present a problem.

<CIT> discloses a method for controlling harmful fungi by applying a combination of a strobilurin fungicide with an ethylene modulator. It was found that the host plants are damaged to a lesser extent than after the treatment with a customary fungicide. Specifically, this patent teaches a combination of pyraclostrobin with prohexadione-Ca in weight ratio of from <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM>.

<CIT> teaches a method for controlling Asian soybean rust. The method comprises treating a glyphosate tolerant soybean plant propagation material with a fungicide selected from flutriafol, triticonazole, tebuconazole, ipconazole, epoxyconazole, orysastrobin, prothioconazole, fluoxastrobin, azoxystrobin, furametpyr, cyproconazole and subsequently with glyphosate.

<CIT> discloses for controlling rust infections in leguminous plants by using orysastrobin or a mixture of orysastrobin with azoles, acylalanines, amine derivatives, anilinopyrimidines, dicarboximides, dithiocarbmates, heterocyclic compounds, phenylpyrroles, cinnamides and analogs thereof.

<CIT> discloses a method for controlling Asian soybean rust by applying a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide.

<CIT> describes mixtures comprising an insecticidal compound selected from fipronil and ethiprole; a fungicidal compound selected from azoles, strobilurins, carboxamides, heterocylic compounds, carbamates, and other active compounds, and optionally one or two further fungicidal compounds.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose compositions comprising mancozeb and a strobilurin.

<CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose compositions comprising mancozeb and a conazole.

<CIT> discloses compositions comprising picoxystrobin and a triazole.

There is a need in the art for a fungicidal method of control of soybean rust that takes into account the economics of fungicide application, the timing and number of sprays and lastly, the choice of the fungicide for an effective control. These issues present a considerable challenge to an agronomist.

Moreover, the single fungicide treatment regimen for Asian Soybean Rust (ASR) has many drawbacks. Azoxystrobin was one of the first of the Qo inhibitors to be used for the treatment of soybean rust individually and it provided good control. However, according to FRAC guidelines, Azoxystrobin should be used more as a preventive fungicide rather than a curative fungicide. The risk of resistance to Qo inhibitors is also very high. Another drawback is that even at the lowest labeled rate of use product, Qo inhibitor fungicide still costs the highest.

Alternatively, DM Inhibitors have shown good efficacy towards ASR, however, recent findings have suggested that Phakopsora pachyrhizi is capable of developing resistance to DM inhibitors.

Combinations of Qo inhibitors and DM inhibitors are currently registered in the Americas have demonstrated <NUM> to <NUM>% control of ASR. However, the control efficacy mixtures of DM inhibitors with Qo inhibitors have reduced in the past seasons. Also, there is no great increase in yield and no decrease in the stress on the plant due to pest pressure.

Use of SDH inhibitors is also recommended for soybean rust control. However, single fungicides such as Boscalid offer only a moderate control of ASR.

Dithiocarbamates, and mancozeb in particular, was one of the first fungicides to be used for the treatment of ASR. Over the years many trials have been conducted on the use of Mancozeb alone for the treatment of ASR. However, the efficacy of mancozeb alone towards soybean rust control requires further research.

The present invention aims to overcome the problems in the prior art, namely, the need for a method of treatment that will not render Phakopsora resistant to actives, improve yield substantially and at reduced concentrations of actives, as well as reduced costs.

The present invention, described hereinafter, achieves at least one of the following objects of the invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fungicidal combination to prevent and/or treat Phakopsora pachyrhizi and/or Phakopsora meibomiae infection in a host plant.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungicidal combination for treating Soybean Rust in a host plant that boosts the nutrient level in the plants and improves the quality of the plants.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungicidal combination for treating Soybean Rust in a host plant such that the quantities of fungicides used in the treatment is greatly reduced.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungicidal combination for treating soybean rust in a host plant wherein the fungicides used provides a synergistic control of soybean rust.

The present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb and a systemic fungicide, wherein the systemic fungicide is a combination of (i) a strobilurin fungicide; and (ii) a conazole fungicide;
wherein:.

It has surprisingly been found that the use of a contact protective dithiocarbamate fungicide along with at least one systemic fungicide effectively penetrates the dense canopy barrier of the infected leguminous plant while simultaneously not allowing the rust pathogen to move up the plant foliage. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the contact protective dithiocarbmate fungicide component of the combination effectively penetrates the dense plant foliage, while the systemic fungicide component effectively prevents the rust pathogen from infecting the remaining portion of the plant effectively reducing the susceptibility of the plant towards the infection. This synergistic complementation was not seen when either the foliar protective fungicide or the systemic fungicide were individually used in isolation, but was observed when the two fungicides were used in conjunction. This synergistic complementation between the contact preventive dithiocarbamate fungicide and a systemic fungicide for the treatment and control of Phakopsora species of fungicides was unexpected and surprising.

The multi-site contact fungicide of the present invention inhibits fungal growth through multiple sites of action and has contact and preventive activity. The multi-site contact fungicide mancozeb is a dithiocarbamate fungicide.

The dithiocarbamate fungicide of the present invention contains a dithiocarbamate molecular moiety and is mancozeb.

The term contact fungicide as used herein for the dithiocarbamate fungicide denotes a fungicide that remains at the site where it is applied but does not travel within the plant. Typically, these fungicides do not show any post-infection activity.

In an embodiment, the contact dithiocarbamate fungicide may be applied repeatedly at the site of the infection at pre-determined time intervals.

The term "systemic fungicide" as used herein shall denote a fungicide that is absorbed into the plant tissue and possesses at least some amount of an after-infection activity. Preferably, the systemic fungicide of the present invention is capable of moving freely throughout the plant. However, the term "systemic fungicide" is intended herein to include the upwardly systemic fungicide as well as the locally systemic fungicide.

The QoI inhibitors useful in the present invention effect the inhibition of complex III: cytochrome bc1 (ubiquinol oxidase) at Qo site i.e. cyt b gene.

The strobilurin fungicide is selected from azoxystrobin, picoxystrobin and trifloxystrobin.

The DMI inhibitor is a conazole fungicide selected from cyproconazole, prothioconazole, and tebuconazole.

The systemic fungicide of the present invention is a combination of a quinone outside inhibitor and a demethylation inhibitor.

The dithiocarbamate is mancozeb. The strobilurin fungicide is selected from trifloxystrobin, picoxystrobin, and azoxystrobin, while the conazole fungicide is selected from prothioconazole, tebuconazole, and cyproconazole.

It has been found that a combination of a multi-site contact fungicide, preferably a dithiocarbamate fungicide, along with a systemic fungicide selected from at least one Qo inhibitor (Quinone outside inhibitors), at least one Qi (quinone inside) inhibitor, at least one DM inhibitor (demethylation inhibitor) or at least one SDH Inhibitor (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors) leads to an unexpected and surprisingly good control of Soybean Rust as compared to other fungicides reported in the art.

Surprisingly, it has been found that mancozeb acts as a synergist to improve disease control and plant health of a host legume plant infected with soybean rust when applied concurrently or subsequently to at least two fungicides selected from Qo inhibitors (Quinone outside inhibitors) as defined herein, and DM inhibitors (demethylation inhibitor) as defined herein. The present inventors believe that these combinations have never been hitherto reported in the art and many of their surprising properties never been envisaged. These combinations were found to possess surprisingly improved efficacy of enhanced disease control of Asian Soybean Rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi and/or Phakopsora meibomiae infections. These combinations were also found to improve the quality of the plant by decreasing stress and improving nutrition levels, thereby increasing the yield of the plant that was infected with a fungicidal infection, especially with the soybean rust infection.

These combinations were also found especially effective against corynespora, anthracnose, cercospora, leaf spot, rhizoctonia and sclerotinia families of fungi apart from their superior efficacy against phakopsora family of fungi.

Thus, the present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb and a systemic fungicide, wherein the systemic fungicide is a combination of (i) a strobilurin fungicide; and (ii) a conazole fungicide;
wherein:.

In one embodiment, the preferred strobilurin is trifloxystrobin and the preferred conazole is prothioconazole. Thus, in this embodiment, the present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb; trifloxystrobin and prothioconazole.

In one embodiment, the preferred strobilurin is picoxystrobin and the preferred conazole is tebuconazole. Thus, in this embodiment, the present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb; picoxystrobin and tebuconazole.

In one embodiment, the preferred strobilurin is picoxystrobin and the preferred conazole is cyproconazole. Thus, in this embodiment, the present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb; picoxystrobin and cyproconazole.

In one embodiment, the preferred strobilurin is azoxystrobin and the preferred conazole is cyproconazole. Thus, in this embodiment, the present invention provides a fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb; azoxystrobin and cyproconazole.

It was thus found that the addition of a dithiocarbamate fungicide to a combination of at least a demethylation inhibitor and a quinone outside inhibitor greatly increased the activity of the systemic fungicides over the expected disease control and expected yield.

In an embodiment, the application of the dithiocarbamate fungicide may be prior, subsequent or concurrent to the application of the systemic fungicide. When the systemic fungicide is applied subsequently to the dithiocarbamate fungicide, such sequential application of the systemic fungicide may be within <NUM> hours to <NUM> weeks of the application of the dithiocarbamate fungicide. In the case of concurrent application, the dithiocarbamate may be tank mixed with other actives or per-formulated mixtures may be conveniently used. The addition of mancozeb to existing combination products greatly increased the efficacy of the known combinations, thereby acting as a synergist, improving the rate of disease control and improving the overall health of the plant.

The amount of dithiocarbamate to be applied may range from <NUM>/ha to <NUM>/ha , preferred being <NUM>/ha to <NUM>/ha.

In an embodiment, the dithiocarbamate may be applied in an effective amount so as to act as a synergist to the systemic fungicides of the present invention. However, the appropriate amounts of the fungicides used in the present invention, whether multi-site contact fungicides or systemic fungicides, is not particularly limiting and may be conveniently chosen by a skilled artisan.

The combinations of the present invention may be applied by spraying the suggested tank mixes, or the individual fungicides may be formulated as a kit-of-parts containing various components that may be mixed as instructed prior to spraying.

In an embodiment, the fungicides or the combinations thereof contemplated according to the present invention may be pre-formulated and may be in the form of Water Dispersible Granules (WDG), Wettable Powders, Suspension Concentrates, Emulsifiable Concentrate, Suspoemulsions, Capsule Suspensions etc. However, the choice of any preferred formulation type is not particularly limiting.

Adjuvants and ancillary ingredients may be used to formulate such pre formulated compositions and may employ wetters, adhesives, dispersants or surfactants and, if appropriate solvent or oil and other agriculturally acceptable additives.

In an embodiment, the present invention thus provides a composition comprising any of the fungicidal combinations such as herein described along with agriculturally acceptable excipients.

It is readily understood that the combinations of the present invention may be used on all host plants that are infected by both Phakopsora pachyrhizi and/or Phakopsora meibomiae. Such exemplary host plants may include soybean, Fenugreek, Kidney beans, Pinto beans, Fava or Broadbeans, Lima beans, Mung beans, Winged or Goa beans, Black-eyed Pea, Cowpea or Yard-long Bean, Green peas, Pigeon Pea, Swordbean, Urd or Black-gram etc..

As will be demonstrated in the examples, the addition of a multi-site contact fungicide to a systemic fungicide(s) for the treatment of ASR, greatly improved the disease control as well as improved yield. The lower the mixture performance in the rust control, the greater the additional benefit of the multi-site contact fungicide was seen.

The combination of the present invention improves the existing disease control to an unexpectedly high degree and surprisingly improves the yield obtained. The combination of the present invention also allows for greater resistance control and decreases the amount of the actives used.

These and other advantages of the invention may become more apparent from the examples set forth herein below. These examples are provided merely as illustrations of the invention and are not intended to be construed as a limitation thereof.

A study was conducted to determine the fungitoxicity of the multi-site contact fungicide, a dithiocarbamate fungicide mancozeb to Phakopsora pachyrhizi causal agent of Asian soybean rust (ASR) and the contribution of its incorporation to mixtures of strobilurin and triazole fungicides [demethylation inhibitor (DMI) + quinone outside inhibitor (Qol)]. Experiments were conducted in the field in nine locations where fungitoxicity of mancozeb to soybean rust was determined. Two doses were tested (<NUM> and <NUM> / ha in various application numbers for mancozeb. The effect of mancozeb (<NUM> / ha) incorporated to commercial mixtures was also tested. The tests were conducted on soybean cultivar Monsoy <NUM> RR. A commercially available mancozeb <NUM> WDG (wettable granules) formulation was used for applying mancozeb. The combination mixtures were used as follows:.

The ternary mixture B(<NUM>) does not illustrate the present subject-matter as claimed.

The percentage control of these experimental trials were noted and tabulated as hereunder:.

Claim 1:
A fungicidal combination comprising mancozeb and a systemic fungicide, wherein the systemic fungicide is a combination of (i) a strobilurin fungicide; and (ii) a conazole fungicide;
wherein:
(i) the strobilurin fungicide is trifloxystrobin and the conazole fungicide is prothioconazole; or
(ii) the strobilurin fungicide is picoxystrobin and the conazole fungicide is tebuconazole; or
(iii) the strobilurin fungicide is picoxystrobin and the conazole fungicide is cyproconazole; or
(iv) the strobilurin fungicide is azoxystrobin and the conazole fungicide is cyproconazole.