Contents
The process of growing crops requires constant attention. This is due to the needs of plants in light, moisture and nutrients. But often gardeners still have to deal with infections of fungal origin, which bring a lot of trouble. It is not always possible to immediately cope with the disease, so gardeners prefer to take preventive measures. Great help in this matter is provided by modern preparations that can protect plants from pathogenic microflora. These agents include fungicides. In this article, we will consider the action and detailed instructions for using the Luna Tranquility fungicide. This is an innovative development of Bayer for farmers or private traders.
With the help of the drug it is easy to control the spread of fungal diseases of vegetable and fruit crops – spots, scab, rust, rot diseases. To better understand the benefits of not only Luna Tranquility, but also the products of the entire Luna® family, let’s take a closer look at fungicides.
Classification and properties of fungicides
Fungicides are designed to prevent and treat fungal diseases on plants. “Fungicide” is translated as a compound word consisting of two parts – mushroom (“fungus”) and kill (“caedo”). Substances with fungicidal action are:
- chemical origin (inorganic);
- biological origin (organic).
The first group includes compounds of such elements as manganese, potassium, iron, nickel, mercury, copper, sulfur. In the second group, there are no heavy metals among the components, therefore, over time, it decomposes due to the action of living microorganisms. Organic fungicides have a significant advantage over synthetic ones in terms of environmental friendliness and ease of preparation. In addition, biological preparations are well combined with many other pesticides, and chemical ones cannot always be combined with preparations of another group. The disadvantage of biological fungicidal compounds is the rapid decomposition time. After a few days, they are already destroyed, there are no traces of their use in the soil.
Fungicides are divided according to the method of exposure. They serve for:
- Prevention or protection of plants. Such drugs prevent infection of the culture with pathogens.
- Treatment. This group destroys fungi already in the phase of infection of plants.
But there are combined preparations that combine both types of effects on pathogenic fungi. Such broad-spectrum fungicides include the drug “Moon Tranquility”.
Description and properties of the drug
According to its intended purpose, the Luna fungicide is used to control a very wide range of fungal diseases. It is used in areas where vegetable, fruit and berry and even ornamental plants are grown. It has not only a preventive, but also a curative effect.
In the instructions for the use of the pesticide “Luna” it is noted that the drug belongs to the fungicides of systemic action. This means that its use is advisable both during the period of an already developed infection, and to prevent the onset of the disease. The advantages of systemic drugs from contact ones can be distinguished by their mode of action on pathogens:
Means of contact action remain on the surface of the plant, their action is based on the defeat of pathogens upon contact. If it rains after treatment, the effect of the contact preparation is reduced. Systemic, which include the drug “Moon Tranquility”, penetrate the plant. Then they move from the treatment area and work in remote locations, destroying the pathogenic infection.
When using systemic drugs, frequent treatments are not required. Therefore, the number of applications is reduced compared to contact. This is indicated in the instructions attached to the fungicide “Moon Tranquility”. If you perform treatments in the recommended phase of plant development, then fungal diseases will bypass your site.
Advantages and disadvantages of a systemic drug
Based on the instructions for use and reviews of Luna Tranquility, you can make a list of the benefits of a systemic fungicide:
- Actively affects fungi of different classes, for example, deuteromycetes (Deuteromycóta), ascomycetes (Ascomycota), basidiomycetes (Basidiomycota) and nematodes.
- The active substance (pirimetanil) has a high activity in the gas phase.
- Due to the fact that the fungicide contains two active ingredients, pathogens do not get used to its action. This is very important, because fungicides have to be changed during the growing season to get a good effect.
- The drug contributes to the destruction of various types of rot when laying crops for storage.
- Has no phytotoxic effect on plants.
- Proper use of the fungicide increases the yield and keeping quality of crops.
- The toxicity class does not pose a threat to humans and domestic animals.
These advantages are based on the fact that the two active ingredients of the drug complement each other, although they have different effects. Fluopyram (125 g/l) blocks the process of cellular respiration in pathogens, and pyrimethanil (375 g/l) blocks the synthesis of methianine (a sulfur-containing amino acid).
Application
The instructions for use indicate that spraying of crops with Luna Tranquility should be carried out during the growing season. The consumption rate of the material and the number of treatments are calculated depending on the degree of damage to plants by fungi. Preventive measures are allowed to be carried out only when the ambient temperature is +10ºС and above. A second procedure is prescribed no earlier than 2 weeks later.
To prepare a working solution, Luna Tranquility is diluted in a large volume of water according to the instructions for use of the fungicide.
Used in the fight against:
- alternariosis;
- powdery mildew;
- gray rot;
- storage rots.
The degree of action of the fungicide in the fight against various diseases is well demonstrated by the following diagram:
The properties of the “Moon” allow the use of the drug in cooler conditions than other fungicides. In their reviews of the fungicide, gardeners write that this makes it possible to use “Moon Tranquility” for early and late plant treatments.
In the instructions for use, it is recommended to select the dosage of “Moon Tranquility” depending on the type of culture disease:
Disease | Consumption rate of working solution (l/ha) |
Alternaria and powdery mildew | 0,6 – 0,8 |
Rot white and gray | 1,0 – 1,2 |
Moniliosis and fruit scab | 0,8 – 1,0 |
Preventive treatments with a frequency of 2 weeks | 400 – 1000 (according to the instructions for different crops) |
The table shows that the effectiveness of the drug is high even at low dosages.
According to farmers, the fungicides of the Luna® family, in particular Tranquility, are characterized by a new mechanism of action on pathogenic microorganisms. This characteristic makes the preparations very useful for the protection of plants and already harvested crops. The product is stored for 3 years.
Overview video:
Varieties
In addition to Tranquility, the Luna® family of drugs is represented by other fungicides.
Luna Sensation is a fungicide that is used to control a range of diseases in fruit species.
Refers to systemic translaminar drugs. Produced in the form of a suspension of saturated concentration. The active ingredients of the fungicide are Fluopyram (250 g/l) and Trifloxystrobin (250 g/l). Both block the respiration of cellular mitochondria of the pathogen and destroy the enzymatic complexes of cells. Fluopyram acts on complex II, and Trifloxystrobin on complex III.
Luna Sensation works great against pathogens in stone fruit and pome crops and is able to protect the garden from a wide range of diseases. The instructions for use of the Luna Sensation fungicide clearly and easily describe the dosage of the plant protection product:
culture | Disease | Consumption, l/ha | Processing (number and waiting time) |
Apple trees | Monilial rot, powdery mildew, scab, storage diseases | 0,3 – 0,35 | 2 times 20 days |
peaches | Fruit rot, monilial burn, powdery mildew, leaf curl. | 0,25 – 0,35 | 3 times 30 days |
Stone | Fruit rot, cocomycosis, monilial burn | 0,25 – 0,35 | 2 times 20 days |
Strawberries and strawberries | Types of spots, gray rot | 0,6 – 0,8 | 2 times 20 days |
Benefits of “Luna Sensation”:
- innovative mechanism of drug action;
- a wide range of pathogens, the action of which is blocked by the drug;
- a significant increase in crop yields with fungicide treatments;
lack of pathogen resistance.
Another representative of the same family of fungicides – Luna Experience.
Contains a similar active ingredient – Fluopyram. To prevent the resistance of fungi to the drug and expand its range of action, the developers added tebuconazole as the second active ingredient. It works to destroy the synthesis of ergosterol for cell membranes, which significantly reduces the ability of pathogens to resist the action of the fungicide. The drug belongs to the means of combined full systemicity, with its help it is possible to qualitatively treat the affected plants. But Luna Experience still shows its best results with timely preventive treatments before the onset of the mass development of diseases.
To date, the Luna Experience fungicide has surpassed all available drugs of similar action for vegetable crops. Another advantage is a high degree of security. It is used even in areas with close proximity to beekeeping farms.
Fungicide Luna® Experience is the best preparation for tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, carrots and any other vegetables.
The listed crops are susceptible to alternariosis and powdery mildew, as well as specific diseases of their species. For example, carrots can be easily saved from white rot and phomosis, cucumber from ascochitosis and anthracnose, cabbage from ring spot, tomatoes from cylinrosporia and cladosporiosis, lkua from stemfilium, rust, botrythium spot. With the timely use of Luna Experience, losses from fungal infections will be minimal.
Another important ability of the fungicide is an excellent presentation of crops. Carrots grow uniform in size, onions do not have a violation of the integumentary scales. The same indicators are maintained during storage of vegetables. Luna® family fungicides provide protection to plants throughout the growing period from sowing to consumption.
To protect the body from possible poisoning, it is required to use personal protective equipment.