Combining Velum Prime & Vydate 10G for PCN Control

Velum Prime (fluopyram) applied alone delivered similar yields to full-rate Vydate 10G (oxamyl), but the protection afforded from applying both products in sequence provided the greatest yield benefit and was also the most profitable for Produce Solutions.

Using plots of two rows, each 12 metres long, the company ran a trial on a Shropshire farm last season to compare the performance of Velum Prime and Vydate 10G when applied alone and in sequence in a commercial crop of Maris Piper.

Soil tests on the sandy loam site revealed the PCN species present to be exclusively Globodera pallida. Pre-planting testing for the trial area indicated initial egg counts of 27 eggs per gram of soil.

To ensure the results reflected commercial practices the trial used farm equipment, with Velum Prime applied on-planter and Vydate 10G applied at bed tilling. Plots were allocated at random and replicated four times.

The treatment comprising full rates of Velum Prime and Vydate 10G gave the greatest yield response and the best financial return, but none of the treatments in this trial achieved a statistically significant net reduction in PCN levels as measured by Pf/Pi counts (PCN egg count following harvest divided by the initial egg count).

As the table shows, in the plots directly comparing the yield protection benefits of Velum Prime with Vydate 10G, the former delivered a higher yield by 0.5 t/ha. Applying the two products in sequence however, resulted in a significantly higher yield, which perhaps reflects the level of PCN pressure facing the crop.

Gross yield, mean tuber size and dry matter content depending on treatment