US evaluates fungicide fluoxapiprolin for use on vegetables and grapes

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on Tuesday (13) a registration proposal for the active ingredient fluoxapiprolin (fluoxapiprolin), a broad-spectrum fungicide. The substance can be used in crops of brassicas (head and stem), bulb vegetables, cucurbits, fruit vegetables, grapes, leafy vegetables, petiole vegetables and potatoes.

According to the EPA, fluoxapiprolin poses no risk to human health or the environment when applied according to label instructions. The substance represents an alternative for controlling diseases such as downy mildew, late blight, and phytophthora rot. The proposal includes the registration of a technical product and a formulated end-use product.

The new active ingredient could be integrated into integrated pest management (IPM) programs and expand farmers' options for combating fungal diseases. The agency also released health and environmental risk assessments, concluding that there are no impacts to endangered species, as required by the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

The EPA will not require new data for risk analysis. After the public comment period, the agency will decide whether the registration meets the criteria of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. If it does, the registration will be finalized.

In Brazil, fluoxapiprolin is already on the market (see here - Xivana Smart package insert).