Synergistic Effect of Amisulbrom 5.63% + Zoxamide 11.25% SC in Downy Mildew Control in Grapes

Downy mildew (c.o. Plasmopara viticola) is an important fungal disease affecting grapevines, leading to severe yield losses globally. The increasing dependence on fungicides for managing the disease has raised concerns regarding the development of resistance in pathogen populations. Hence, there is an incessant need for new fungicides or their combination to manage downy mildew effectively. Fungicides utilized in the control of P. viticola exhibit a range of modes of action, which can be both broad-spectrum as well a specific to the pathogen. The efficacy of novel fungicide Amisulbrom 5.63% + Zoxamide 11.25% SC against downy mildew of grapes was evaluated for two seasons at Nashik district, Maharashtra, India and it was found that the fungicide @ 1000 ml/ha was effective in reducing the disease. Further the phytotoxicity was not observed in the test chemical- treated plots of grapevine @ 1000 and 1250 ml/ha. The yield of grape berries was also high in the aforementioned dose as compared to the untreated control. The study faced challenges due to variable environmental conditions that promoted rapid downy mildew spread and made it difficult to maintain uniform disease pressure. Nevertheless, it establishes the field efficacy and safety of Amisulbrom + Zoxamide against P. viticola, while also confirming its yield-enhancing potential without phytotoxic effects.