Luna Sensation

Product Profile

Important Information

Increases yield Luna Sensation is broad spectrum. It’s proven among growers in Europe and recommended for all major fungal leaf and fruit rot diseases, particularly powdery mildew and Botrytis.

Its active substances – new fluopyram and trifloxystrobin – offer a dual MoA (mode of action) with complementary activity and bioavailability on most stages of fungal growth. In addition, of course, that means resistance management is built in.

For maximum effectiveness, Luna Sensation is best used as a preventative treatment in an integrated disease control programme with current standards such as Teldor and Serenade ASO. In addition, Luna Sensation has just a one-day PHI (pre-harvest interval).

Extends quality Luna Sensation keeps fruit looking good throughout the food chain, especially until it reaches the consumer.

Problems solved

Powdery mildew Protected crops can be highly susceptible. Initially, powdery mildew attacks younger leaves, reducing yield potential. It can also be found on flowers and fruit and is most damaging during warm and humid weather without excess leaf wetness.

Botrytis Potentially affecting all parts of the plant above ground, Botrytis is most commonly seen as a fruit rot that causes losses during storage. It typically infects during flowering and flourishes in warm, humid conditions.

Soft rots in fruit Caused by Rhizopus and Mucor, soft rots mainly result in significant losses during storage but also on ripe fruit in the field. It is, however, very difficult to differentiate between the two diseases.

Other diseases

• Gnomonia leaf blotch

• Petiole blight

• Penicillium

Activity Spectrum

Powdery mildew: class-leading control Luna Sensation reduces disease on mature leaves and protects new growth.

Botrytis: proven reduction Luna Sensation delivers consistently strong performance.

Soft rots: valuable reduction Luna Sensation shows efficacy against Rhizopus and/or Mucor.

How fluopyram and trifloxystrobin work together

New fluopyram: the next-generation SDHI Fluopyram is a unique member of a new set of SDHIs. It’s in a different chemical group from all others, and so has different properties with a molecular shape that gives greater flexibility leading to a different spectrum of activity and resistance profile from all other SDHIs.

Spectrum of activity

• Protects fruit and leaves: most of active substance is on the surface

• Continuous penetration: small amounts of fungicide continue to penetrate the leaves

• Translaminar efficacy: protects non-treated surfaces

• Acropetal (upward) systemicity: redistributes the active into leaves via the xylem

Protects leaves against powdery mildew Applied before leaf infection, fluopyram inhibits germination and germ tube elongation. Applied after infection, it inhibits fungus growth on the leaf surface.

(Erisyphe necator in grapes)

Protects petals against Botrytis A protective application of fluopyram prevents spore germination and development and elongation of the germ tube.

(Botrytis cinerea in strawberries)

Trifloxystrobin: a new strobilurin for soft fruit New to soft fruit, trifloxystrobin uses strong contact and translaminar action to deliver robust, reliable control, leading to higher yields.

Spectrum of activity

• Lasting protection of fruit and leaves: high affinity to plant surface and absorption by waxy layers

• Continuous penetration: small amounts of fungicide continue to penetrate the leaves

• Translaminar efficacy and vapour re-distribution: protects non-treated surfaces

• Not systemic: therefore not transported in the vascular system

Strawberry (protected)

Luna Sensation is recommended for control of a wide range of fungal diseases on protected strawberries. For best disease control and yield benefit Luna Sensation should be applied as part of a protective programme starting from first flowering.

Diseases controlled

Application

Botrytis and fruit rots: spray as part of a protectant programme from first open flower (BBCH 60) until fruit harvest (BBCH 89), respecting a pre-harvest interval of 1 day. Apply with good coverage on flowers and fruits before spores germinate.

Powdery mildew: Apply as part of a protectant programme, no later than at first sign of disease.

Do not apply with adjuvants (e.g. penetrants or spreaders) or phosphonates/phosphites as their use can enhance uptake of active substances, which can, in some instances lead to phytotoxicity symptoms.

Bayer programmes with Luna Sensation are effective from the start and throughout your rotation. However, ideal application timings depend on disease levels, crop growth stage and other agronomic activities such as harvest timing. Discuss with your advisor to determine the best programme for your crop.

Pepper and chilli

Apply as part of a protectant programme, no later than at first sign of disease.

For indoor use on peppers and chilli the maximum spray concentration must not exceed 0.023 kg active substance per hectolitre (100 litres).

For use on peppers and chilli treatment must only be made under ‘permanent protection’ situations which provide full enclosure (including continuous top and side barriers down to below ground level) and which are present and maintained over a number of years.

Reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent access of birds, wild mammals and honey bees to treated crops.

To minimise airborne environmental exposure, vents, doors and other openings must be closed during and after application until the applied product has fully settled.

Cardoons, celeries, Florence fennels and crops belonging to the category ‘other stem vegetables’ cannot be allowed as succeeding crops.

The use of this product in recirculating water systems in a glasshouse may result in dilute pesticide waste that requires disposal.

EAMU – outdoor and indoor lettuce

The extension of authorisation for minor use (number 1179 of 2017) relates to Luna Sensation as a fungicide for the control of Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia minor, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and powdery mildew (golovinomyces cichoracearum) on outdoor and indoor lettuce.

The product can only be applied using hand-held equipment when the crops to be treated are grown under permanent protection with full enclosure. In this situation the aquatic buffer zone does not apply.

An aquatic zone of 14 metres must be observed in outdoor crops when treated with a hydraulic boom sprayer.

Neither the efficacy nor the phytotoxicity of the product for which the Extension of authorisation has been granted has been assessed and, as such, the user bears the risk in respect of failures concerning its efficacy and phytotoxicity. 

In vitro lab test, 6 replicates

Luna Sensation applied with direct exposure to 10x female adults (and nymphs of Orius) at 0.8 L/ha in 400 L/ha. Assessed 24 hours after exposure.

IOBC rating (lab test results):

1 Harmless (<30% mortality) 2 Slightly harmful (30-79% mortality) 3 Moderately harmful (80-99% mortality) 4 Harmful (>99% mortality)

Semi-field studies are also being carried out (results TBC):

• Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) cucumeris

• Amblyseius montdorensis

• Amblydromalus (Typhlodromalus) limonicus

Harriet Duncalfe

H & H Duncalfe, Maltmas Farm, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, are members of Berry Gardens, the UK’s leading berry and stone fruit production and marketing group.

“We’re very excited to have brand-new chemistry in Luna Sensation. With existing options fast disappearing, resistance is inevitable at some stage. New chemistry can help us combat this issue. Waste reduction is also an important topic and it’s very useful to have a new product that helps us avoid unnecessary waste throughout the chain.

Produce has to be perfect when it reaches the consumer. That’s why, as well as tapping into industry trials, we’ve conducted our own. In these, Luna Sensation has been particularly impressive under high-pressure conditions, giving an excellent visual finish and improved shelf-life.

Powdery mildew and Botrytis are both important problems in protected strawberries. We carried out an eight-day cold storage trial and saw no Botrytis develop – a remarkable result that confirms Luna Sensation’s ability to increase marketable yield.

The weather can increase disease pressure and we don’t just spray for the sake of it. In our experience, using Luna Sensation as part of a programme improves quality for our customers and the consumer. It’s also very gratifying to see the value that Luna Sensation has brought to growers through the AHDB/DEFRA HortLINK SCEPTRE project.”

Chris Batchelor

Wallings Nursery, Lawford, Manningtree, Essex, is a commercial grower of strawberries in polytunnels and glasshouses. They are part of the Fresca Group.

“At Wallings Nursery, we grow 60-day varieties such as Centenary and Sonata, which are susceptible to powdery mildew. We tend to plant in August and harvest from October, pushing the crop right up to Christmas.

Our advisor, Kevin Workman of Agrii, encouraged us to trial Luna Sensation and we found it arrested powdery mildew very well, with a second treatment later in the season.

We’d normally expect to see post-harvest soft rots caused by Rhizopus and Mucor, but saw no evidence of either. Botrytis is less of a problem, as our plants are off the ground with good airflow.

Luna Sensation also suits us because it has a short harvest interval, an advantage that few treatments offer. In fact, it’s good to see something new for everyone – a very promising product with broad-spectrum efficacy from a new chemistry group.

Our advisor likes it: he says it’s marvellous!”

Tom Deards

A.J and C.I Snell, Harewood End, Hereford, incorporates Pencoyd Court Farm which produces high-quality fresh berries over 450 acres of Herefordshire countryside. The company grows for Berry Gardens.

“The introduction of Luna Sensation is highly welcome, as it promises to add to our armoury for powdery mildew and Botrytis. We need to control both these potentially devastating fungal diseases, especially in our ever-bearer strawberry crops, where the harvest interval is tight and the disease window is wide.

In 2015, we hosted a Bayer replicated trial on our farm and Jonathan Blackman, Horticultural Technical Manager at Hutchinsons, noted Luna Sensation’s excellent control of powdery mildew in particular.

In addition, Luna Sensation gave class-leading control of Botrytis compared to products already on the market. This was demonstrated clearly in shelf-life tests carried out by Bayer at ambient temperatures.

Following the trial, and with Jonathan’s advice, we’re confident that Luna Sensation will give us robust powdery mildew and Botrytis control. It can be incorporated into our existing fungicide programme, which includes the Bayer biofungicide, Serenade ASO.

All our fungicides must be compatible with the IPM programmes we use to control important strawberry pests such as Two-spotted Spider Mite and Western Flower Thrips. Luna Sensation falls into that category; this gives us even more reassurance of its value to us.”