USE OF THE SUCCINATE DEHYDROGENASE INHIBITOR PYDIFLUMETOFEN FOR CONTROLLING CLAVICEPS PURPUREA AND REDUCING SCLEROTIA IN CEREALS

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen, for controlling Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants, plant parts thereof, plant propagation material or the soil in which cereal plants are grown or intended to be grown, to a method for treating plants or plant parts for controlling Claviceps purpurea and to a method for treating seed for controlling Claviceps purpurea in the seed and in the plants which grow from the seed, by treating the seed with the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen.

Claims

1. A product comprising a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen for control of Claviceps purpurea and/or reduction of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants.

2. The product according to claim 1, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment to cereal plants.

3. The product according to claim 1, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment to cereal plants on or after BBCH 50.

4. The product according to claim 1, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment at a rate of 50 to 300 g per hectare.

5. The product according to claim 1, wherein the cereal plant is selected from the group consisting of spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants.

6. The product according to claim 1, wherein the cereal plant is hybrid wheat.

7. The product according to claim 1, wherein Pydiflumetofen is employed in combination with a further active fungicidal ingredient.

8. The product according to claim 1, wherein Pydiflumetofen is employed in combination with at least one active fungicidal ingredient selected from the group consisting of Prothioconazole, Isoflucypam, Fluxapyroxad, Fluopyram, Mefentrifluconazole, Ipfentrifluconazole, Propiconazole and Tebuconazole.

9. A fungicidal composition comprising Pydiflumetofen which when applied accomplishes an application rate of 50 to 150 g/ha, and Propiconazole resulting an application rate of 50 to 125 g/ha.

10. A method for control of Claviceps purpurea and/or reduction of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants comprising applying to an an area in need thereof, a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment to cereal plants.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment to cereal plants on or after BBCH 50.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied as a foliar treatment at a rate of 50 to 300 g per hectare.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the cereal plant is selected from the group consisting of spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein Pydiflumetofen is employed in combination with at least one active fungicidal ingredient selected from the group consisting of Prothioconazole, Isoflucypam, Fluxapyroxad, Fluopyram, Mefentrifluconazole, Ipfentrifluconazole, Propiconazole and Tebuconazole.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein Pydiflumetofen is applied at an application rate of 50 to 150 g/ha, and Propiconazole is applied at an application rate of 50 to 125 g/ha.

Description

[0009] The present invention accordingly provides for the use of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen for control of Claviceps purpurea and/or for reduction of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea. In another embodiment the use of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor Pydiflumetofen in hybrid wheat production methods for control of Claviceps purpurea and/or for reduction of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea is described.

[0010] Pydiflumetofen, which has the chemical name N-{[3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]ethyl}-2-trifluoromethylbenzamide and is a compound according to formula (I)

##STR00002##

[0011] and suitable processes for preparation thereof, proceeding from commercially available starting materials, are described in WO-A 2010/063700. Pydiflumetofen exists in two isomeric form, an R-isomer and a S-isomer. The term Pydiflumetofen encompasses all tautomers, isomers or enantiomers of Pydiflumetofen, in particular the R-isomer and the S-isomer.

[0012] In the context of the present invention, “control of Claviceps purpurea” means a significant reduction in infestation by Claviceps purpurea, compared with the untreated plant, preferably a significant reduction (by 40-79%), compared with the untreated plant (0% infection reduction); more preferably, the infection by Claviceps purpurea is entirely suppressed (by 70-100%). The control may be curative, i.e. for treatment of recently infected plants, or protective, for protection of plants which have not yet been infected.

[0013] In the context of the present invention, “reduction of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea” or “control of Claviceps purpurea” means a significant reduction in the number of sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea, compared with the untreated plant, preferably a significant reduction (by 40-79%), compared with the untreated plant (0% infection reduction); more preferably, the infection by Claviceps purpurea is entirely suppressed (by 70-100%). The amount of sclerotia can be measured either pre-harvest or post harvest in the grain. The control may be curative, i.e. for treatment of recently infected plants, or protective, for protection of plants which have not yet been infected.

[0014] In the context of the present invention, a plant is preferably understood to mean a plant at or after the stage of leaf development (at or after BBCH stage 10 according to the BBCH monograph from the German Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, 2nd edition, 2001). In the context of the present invention, the term “plant” is also understood to mean seed or seedlings.

[0015] Cereals are defined to be cultivated crops of the Poaceae. In particular, cereals are selected from the group of rye, oat, barley, triticale, wheat (spring wheat or winter wheat), durum. More preferred including barley, rye, triticale, spring wheat, hybrid spring wheat, durum, or hybrid winter wheat.

[0016] In one embodiment, wheat is selected to be winter wheat or spring wheat or durum wheat.

[0017] In one embodiment, wheat is selected to be hybrid spring wheat, durum, or hybrid winter wheat.

[0018] Uses

[0019] The treatment of the plants and plant parts with Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen is carried out directly or by acting on the environment, habitat or storage space using customary treatment methods, for example by dipping, spraying, atomizing, misting, evaporating, dusting, fogging, scattering, foaming, painting on, spreading, injecting, drenching, trickle irrigation and, in the case of propagation material, in particular in the case of seed, furthermore by the dry seed treatment method, the wet seed treatment method, the slurry treatment method, by encrusting, by coating with one or more coats and the like. It is furthermore possible to apply the active substances by the ultra-low volume method or to inject the active substance preparation or the active substance itself into the soil.

[0020] A preferred direct treatment of the plants is the leaf application treatment, i.e. Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen are applied to the foliage, it being possible for the treatment timing and application rate to be matched to the infection pressure of the Claviceps purpurea in question.

[0021] In the case of systemically active compounds, Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen reach the plants via the root system. In this case, the treatment of the plants is affected by allowing Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen to act on the environment of the plant. This can be done for example by drenching, incorporating in the soil or into the nutrient solution, i.e. the location of the plant (for example the soil or hydroponic systems) is impregnated with a liquid form of Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen, or by soil application, i.e. the Pydiflumetofen or compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen are incorporated into the location of the plants in solid form (for example in the form of granules).

[0022] More particularly, the inventive use exhibits the advantages described on cereal plants, plant parts thereof, plant propagation material or the soil in which cereal plants are grown or intended to be grown in spray application using compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen.

[0023] Combinations of Pydiflumetofen, with substances including insecticides, fungicides and bactericides, fertilizers, growth regulators, can likewise find use in the control of plant diseases in the context of the present invention. The combined use of Pydiflumetofen, with hybrid crops, especially of hybrid wheat, is additionally likewise possible.

[0024] The use of Pydiflumetofen is effected preferably with a dosage between 0.01 and 3 kg of Pydiflumetofen/ha, more preferably between 0.05 and 2 kg of Pydiflumetofen/ha, more preferably between 0.1 and 1 kg of Pydiflumetofen/ha, and most preferably between 50 and 300 g/of Pydiflumetofen ha. A dosage of 60 to 250 g of Pydiflumetofen/ha is also disclosed. In another embodiment the dosage is between 60 and 200 g of Pydiflumetofen/ha, mostly preferred 50, 75, 100 or 150 grams of Pydiflumetofen per ha.

[0025] Formulations

[0026] In one embodiment, fungicidal compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen are described which further comprise agriculturally suitable auxiliaries, solvents, carriers, surfactants or extenders.

[0027] According to the invention, a carrier is a natural or synthetic, organic or inorganic substance with which the active ingredients are mixed or combined for better applicability, in particular for application to plants or plant parts or seed. The carrier, which may be solid or liquid, is generally inert and should be suitable for use in agriculture.

[0028] Useful solid carriers include: for example ammonium salts and natural rock flours, such as kaolins, clays, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite or diatomaceous earth, and synthetic rock flours, such as finely divided silica, alumina and silicates; useful solid carriers for granules include: for example, crushed and fractionated natural rocks such as calcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite and dolomite, and also synthetic granules of inorganic and organic flours, and granules of organic material such as paper, sawdust, coconut shells, maize cobs and tobacco stalks; useful emulsifiers and/or foam-formers include: for example non-ionic and anionic emulsifiers, such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers, for example alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, alkylsulphonates, alkyl sulphates, arylsulphonates and also protein hydrolysates; suitable dispersants are nonionic and/or ionic substances, for example from the classes of the alcohol-POE and/or -POP ethers, acid and/or POP POE esters, alkylaryl and/or POP POE ethers, fat and/or POP POE adducts, POE- and/or POP-polyol derivatives, POE- and/or POP-sorbitan or -sugar adducts, alkyl or aryl sulphates, alkyl- or arylsulphonates and alkyl or aryl phosphates or the corresponding PO-ether adducts. Additionally suitable are oligo- or polymers, for example those derived from vinylic monomers, from acrylic acid, from EO and/or PO alone or in combination with, for example, (poly)alcohols or (poly)amines. It is also possible to use lignin and its sulphonic acid derivatives, unmodified and modified celluloses, aromatic and/or aliphatic sulphonic acids and also their adducts with formaldehyde.

[0029] Pydiflumetofen can be converted to the customary formulations, such as solutions, emulsions, emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, water- and oil-based suspensions, powders, dusts, pastes, soluble powders, soluble granules, granules for broadcasting, suspoemulsion concentrates, natural products impregnated with active ingredient, synthetic substances impregnated with active ingredient, fertilizers and also microencapsulations in polymeric substances.

[0030] Pydiflumetofen can be applied as such, in the form of its formulations or the use forms prepared therefrom, such as ready-to-use solutions, emulsions, water- or oil-based suspensions, powders, wettable powders, pastes, soluble powders, dusts, soluble granules, granules for broadcasting, suspoemulsion concentrates, natural products impregnated with active ingredient, synthetic substances impregnated with active ingredient, fertilizers and also microencapsulations in polymeric substances. Application is accomplished in a customary manner, for example by watering, spraying, atomizing, broadcasting, dusting, foaming, spreading-on and the like. It is also possible to deploy the active ingredients by the ultra-low volume method or to inject the active ingredient preparation/the active ingredient itself into the soil. It is also possible to treat the seed of the plants.

[0031] The formulations mentioned can be prepared in a manner known per se, for example by mixing the active ingredients with at least one customary extender, solvent or diluent, emulsifier, dispersant and/or binder or fixing agent, wetting agent, a water repellent, if appropriate siccatives and UV stabilizers and if appropriate dyes and pigments, antifoams, preservatives, secondary thickeners, stickers, gibberellins and also other processing auxiliaries.

[0032] The present invention includes not only formulations which are already ready for use and can be deployed with a suitable apparatus to the plant or the seed, but also commercial concentrates which have to be diluted with water prior to use.

[0033] Pydiflumetofen may be present as such or in its (commercial) formulations and in the use forms prepared from these formulations as a mixture with other (known) active ingredients, such as insecticides, attractants, sterilants, bactericides, acaricides, nematicides, fungicides, growth regulators, herbicides, fertilizers, safeners and/or semiochemicals.

[0034] The auxiliaries used may be those substances which are suitable for imparting particular properties to the composition itself or and/or to preparations derived therefrom (for example spray liquors, seed dressings), such as certain technical properties and/or also particular biological properties. Typical auxiliaries include: extenders, solvents and carriers.

[0035] Suitable extenders are, for example, water, polar and nonpolar organic chemical liquids, for example from the classes of the aromatic and nonaromatic hydrocarbons (such as paraffins, alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, chlorobenzenes), the alcohols and polyols (which may optionally also be substituted, etherified and/or esterified), the ketones (such as acetone, cyclohexanone), esters (including fats and oils) and (poly)ethers, the unsubstituted and substituted amines, amides, lactams (such as N-alkylpyrrolidones) and lactones, the sulphones and sulphoxides (such as dimethyl sulphoxide).

[0036] Liquefied gaseous extenders or carriers are understood to mean liquids which are gaseous at standard temperature and under standard pressure, for example aerosol propellants such as halohydrocarbons, or else butane, propane, nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

[0037] In the formulations it is possible to use tackifiers such as carboxymethylcellulose, natural and synthetic polymers in the form of powders, granules or latices, such as gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate, or else natural phospholipids such as cephalins and lecithins and synthetic phospholipids. Further additives may be mineral and vegetable oils.

[0038] If the extender used is water, it is also possible to use, for example, organic solvents as auxiliary solvents.

[0039] Useful liquid solvents are essentially: aromatics such as xylene, toluene or alkylnaphthalenes, chlorinated aromatics or chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as chlorobenzenes, chloroethylenes or methylene chloride, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane or paraffins, for example petroleum fractions, alcohols such as butanol or glycol and their ethers and esters, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or cyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents such as dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulphoxide, or else water.

[0040] Compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen may additionally comprise further components, for example surfactants. Suitable surfactants are emulsifiers and/or foam formers, dispersants or wetting agents having ionic or nonionic properties, or mixtures of these surfactants. Examples thereof are salts of polyacrylic acid, salts of lignosulphonic acid, salts of phenolsulphonic acid or naphthalenesulphonic acid, polycondensates of ethylene oxide with fatty alcohols or with fatty acids or with fatty amines, substituted phenols (preferably alkylphenols or arylphenols), salts of sulphosuccinic esters, taurine derivatives (preferably alkyl taurates), phosphoric esters of polyethoxylated alcohols or phenols, fatty esters of polyols, and derivatives of the compounds containing sulphates, sulphonates and phosphates, for example alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, alkylsulphonates, alkyl sulphates, arylsulphonates, protein hydrolysates, lignosulphite waste liquors and methylcellulose. The presence of a surfactant is necessary if one of the active ingredients and/or one of the inert carriers is insoluble in water and when application is effected in water. The proportion of surfactants is between 5 and 40 percent by weight of the inventive composition.

[0041] Further additives may be perfumes, mineral or vegetable, optionally modified oils, waxes and nutrients (including trace nutrients), such as salts of iron, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, molybdenum and zinc.

[0042] Additional components may be stabilizers, such as cold stabilizers, preservatives, antioxidants, light stabilizers, or other agents which improve chemical and/or physical stability.

[0043] If appropriate, other additional components may also be present, for example protective colloids, binders, adhesives, thickeners, thixotropic substances, penetrants, stabilizers, sequestering agents, complex formers. In general, the active ingredients can be combined with any solid or liquid additive commonly used for formulation purposes.

[0044] The formulations contain generally between 0.05 and 99% by weight, 0.01 and 98% by weight, preferably between 0.1 and 95% by weight, more preferably between 0.5 and 90% of active ingredient, even more preferably between 5 and 80% of active ingredient, and most preferably between 10 and 70 percent by weight.

[0045] In one embodiment formulations of Pydiflumetofen comprise 100 to 700 g/L Pydiflumetofen as an SC or FS formulation, preferably 150 to 600 g/L Pydiflumetofen as an EC or SC formulation.

[0046] The formulations described above may be used for control of Claviceps purpurea, in which the compositions comprising Pydiflumetofen are applied to cereal plants.

[0047] Plants

[0048] According to the invention all plants and plant parts can be treated. By plants is meant all plants and plant populations such as desirable and undesirable wild plants, cultivars and plant varieties (whether or not protectable by plant variety or plant breeder's rights). Cultivars and plant varieties can be plants obtained by conventional propagation and breeding methods which can be assisted or supplemented by one or more biotechnological methods such as by use of double haploids, protoplast fusion, random and directed mutagenesis, molecular or genetic markers or by bioengineering and genetic engineering methods. By plant parts is meant all above ground and below ground parts and organs of plants such as shoot, leaf, blossom and root, whereby for example leaves, needles, stems, branches, blossoms, fruiting bodies, fruits and seed as well as roots, corms and rhizomes are listed. Crops and vegetative and generative propagating material, for example cuttings, corms, rhizomes, runners, slips and seeds also belong to plant parts.

[0049] In one embodiment crop plants belonging to the plant family cereals are cereal plants.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment crop species, cultivars and varieties belonging to the cereal plants are rye (winter rye and spring rye), hybrid rye (winter hybrid rye and spring hybrid rye), oats, barley triticale, wheat (spring wheat or winter wheat), hybrid wheat (spring wheat or winter wheat), and durum. In another embodiment plants to be treated for reduction of ergot and reduction of Claviceps purpurea are parental lines or inbred line of hybrid spring wheat, triticale, or hybrid winter wheat.

[0051] In one aspect wheat plants or plant parts are hybrid wheat plants or plant parts. In another aspect spring wheat plants or plant parts are spring wheat hybrid plants or plant parts. In another aspect winter wheat plants or plant parts are winter hybrid plants or plant parts.

[0052] The term “growth stage” refers to the growth stages as defined by the BBCH Codes in “Growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous plants”, 2nd edition 2001, edited by Uwe Meier from the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. The BBCH codes are a well-established system for a uniform coding of phonologically similar growth stages of all mono- and dicotyledonous plant species.

[0053] The abbreviation BBCH derives from “Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemische Industrie”.

[0054] Some of these BBCH growth stages and BBCH codes for cereal plants are indicated in the following.

[0055] Growth stage 0: Germination

[0056] 00 Dry seed (caryopsis)

[0057] 01 Beginning of seed imbibition

[0058] 03 Seed imbibition complete

[0059] 05 Radicle emerged from caryopsis

[0060] 06 Radicle elongated, root hairs and/or side roots visible

[0061] 07 Coleoptile emerged from caryopsis

[0062] 09 Emergence: coleoptile penetrates soil surface (cracking stage)

[0063] Growth stage 1: Leaf development1

[0064] 10 First leaf through coleoptile

[0065] 11 First leaf unfolded

[0066] 12 2 leaves unfolded

[0067] 13 3 leaves unfolded

[0068] 1. Stages continuous till . . .

[0069] 19 9 or more leaves unfolded

[0070] Growth stage 2: Tillering

[0071] 20 No tillers

[0072] 21 Beginning of tillering: first tiller detectable

[0073] 22 2 tillers detectable

[0074] 23 3 tillers detectable

[0075] 2. Stages continuous till . . .

[0076] 29 End of tillering. Maximum no. of tillers detectable

[0077] Growth stage 3: Stem elongation

[0078] 30 Beginning of stem elongation: pseudostem and tillers erect,

[0079] first internode begins to elongate, top of inflorescence at least

[0080] 1 cm above tillering node

[0081] 31 First node at least 1 cm above tillering node

[0082] 32 Node 2 at least 2 cm above node 1

[0083] 33 Node 3 at least 2 cm above node 2

[0084] 3. Stages continuous till . . .

[0085] 37 Flag leaf just visible, still rolled

[0086] 39 Flag leaf stage: flag leaf fully unrolled, ligule just visible

[0087] Principal growth stage 4: Booting

[0088] 41 Early boot stage: flag leaf sheath extending

[0089] 43 Mid boot stage: flag leaf sheath just visibly swollen

[0090] 45 Late boot stage: flag leaf sheath swollen

[0091] 47 Flag leaf sheath opening

[0092] 49 First awns visible (in awned forms only)

[0093] Principal growth stage 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading

[0094] 51 Beginning of heading: tip of inflorescence emerged from sheath,

[0095] first spikelet just visible

[0096] 52 20% of inflorescence emerged

[0097] 53 30% of inflorescence emerged

[0098] 54 40% of inflorescence emerged

[0099] 55 Middle of heading: half of inflorescence emerged

[0100] 56 60% of inflorescence emerged

[0101] 57 70% of inflorescence emerged

[0102] 58 80% of inflorescence emerged

[0103] 59 End of heading: inflorescence fully emerged . . .

[0104] Principal growth stage 6: Flowering, anthesis

[0105] 61 Beginning of flowering: first anthers visible

[0106] 65 Full flowering: 50% of anthers mature

[0107] 69 End of flowering: all spike lets have completed flowering but

[0108] some dehydrated anthers may remain

[0109] Principal growth stage 7: Development of fruit

[0110] 71 Watery ripe: first grains have reached half their final size

[0111] 73 Early milk

[0112] 75 Medium milk: grain content milky, grains reached final size, still green

[0113] 77 Late milk

[0114] Principal growth stage 8: Ripening

[0115] 83 Early dough

[0116] 85 Soft dough: grain content soft but dry. Fingernail impression not held

[0117] 87 Hard dough: grain content solid. Fingernail impression held

[0118] 89 Fully ripe: grain hard, difficult to divide with thumbnail

[0119] Principal growth stage 9: Senescence

[0120] 92 Over-ripe: grain very hard, cannot be dented by thumbnail

[0121] 93 Grains loosening in day-time

[0122] 97 Plant dead and collapsing

[0123] 99 Harvested product

[0124] Particular preference is given in accordance with the invention to treating plants of the plant cultivars which are each commercially available or in use. Plant cultivars are understood to mean plants which have new properties (“traits”) and which have been obtained by conventional breeding, by mutagenesis or with the aid of recombinant DNA techniques. Crop plants may accordingly be plants which can be obtained by conventional breeding and optimization methods or by biotechnology and genetic engineering methods or combinations of these methods, including the transgenic plants and including the plant varieties which can and cannot be protected by plant variety rights.

[0125] The method according to the invention can thus also be used for the treatment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), for example plants or seeds. Genetically modified plants (or transgenic plants) are plants in which a heterologous gene has been integrated stably into the genome. The term “heterologous gene” means essentially a gene which is provided or assembled outside the plant and which, on introduction into the cell nucleus genome, imparts new or improved agronomic or other properties to the chloroplast genome or the mitochondrial genome of the transformed plant by virtue of it expressing a protein or polypeptide of interest or by virtue of another gene which is present in the plant, or other genes which are present in the plant, being downregulated or silenced (for example by means of antisense technology, co-suppression technology or RNAi technology [RNA interference]). A heterologous gene present in the genome is likewise referred to as a transgene. A transgene which is defined by its specific presence in the plant genome is referred to as a transformation or transgenic event.

[0126] Plants and plant cultivars which are preferably treated according to the invention include all plants which have genetic material which imparts particularly advantageous, useful traits to these plants (whether obtained by breeding and/or biotechnological means). These plants may have been modified by mutagenesis or genetic engineering to provide a new trait to a plant or to modify an already present trait. Mutagenesis includes techniques of random mutagenesis using X-rays or mutagenic chemicals, but also techniques of targeted mutagenesis, to create mutations at a specific locus of a plant genome. Targeted mutagenesis techniques frequently use oligonucleotides or proteins like CRISPR/Cas, zinc-finger nucleases, TALENs or mega-nucleases to achieve the targeting effect. Genetic engineering usually uses recombinant DNA techniques to create modifications in a plant genome which under natural circumstances cannot readily be obtained by cross breeding, mutagenesis or natural recombination. Typically, one or more genes are integrated into the genome of a plant to add a trait or improve a trait. These integrated genes are also referred to as transgenes in the art, while plant comprising such transgenes are referred to as transgenic plants. The process of plant transformation usually produces several transformation events, which differ in the genomic locus in which a transgene has been integrated. Plants comprising a specific transgene on a specific genomic locus are usually described as comprising a specific “event”, which is referred to by a specific event name. Traits which have been introduced in plants or have been modified include herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, increased yield and tolerance to abiotic conditions, like drought. Herbicide tolerance has been created by using mutagenesis as well as using genetic engineering.

[0127] Plants and plant cultivars which may also be treated according to the invention are those plants which are resistant to one or more abiotic stresses. Abiotic stress conditions may include, for example, drought, cold temperature exposure, heat exposure, osmotic stress, flooding, increased soil salinity, increased mineral exposure, ozone exposure, high light exposure, limited availability of nitrogen nutrients, limited availability of phosphorus nutrients or shade avoidance.

[0128] Plants and plant cultivars which may also be treated according to the invention are those plants characterized by enhanced yield characteristics. Increased yield in said plants can be the result of, for example, improved plant physiology, growth and development, such as water use efficiency, water retention efficiency, improved nitrogen use, enhanced carbon assimilation, improved photosynthesis, increased germination efficiency and accelerated maturation. Yield can furthermore be affected by improved plant architecture (under stress and non-stress conditions), including but not limited to early flowering, flowering control for hybrid seed production, seedling vigour, plant size, internode number and distance, root growth, seed size, fruit size, pod size, pod or ear number, seed number per pod or ear, seed mass, enhanced seed filling, reduced seed dispersal, reduced pod dehiscence and lodging resistance. Further yield traits include seed composition, such as carbohydrate content, protein content, oil content and composition, nutritional value, reduction in anti-nutritional compounds, improved processability and better storage stability.

[0129] Plants that may also be treated according to the invention are hybrid plants that already express the characteristic of heterosis or hybrid vigour which generally results in higher yield, vigour, health and resistance towards biotic and abiotic stress factors. Such plants are typically made by crossing an inbred male-sterile parent line (the female parent) with another inbred male-fertile parent line (the male parent). Hybrid seed is typically harvested from the male sterile plants and sold to growers. Male sterile plants can sometimes (e.g. in maize) be produced by detasseling, i.e. the mechanical removal of the male reproductive organs (or male flowers), but, more typically, male sterility is the result of genetic determinants in the plant genome. In that case, and especially when seed is the desired product to be harvested from the hybrid plants, it is typically useful to ensure that male fertility in hybrid plants that contain the genetic determinants responsible for the male sterility is fully restored. This can be accomplished by ensuring that the male parents have appropriate fertility restorer genes which are capable of restoring the male fertility in hybrid plants that contain the genetic determinants responsible for male sterility. Genetic determinants for male sterility may be located in the cytoplasm. Examples of cytoplasmatic male sterility (CMS) were for instance described in Brassica species (WO 1992/005251, WO 1995/009910, WO 1998/27806, WO 2005/002324, WO 2006/021972 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,072). However, genetic determinants for male sterility can also be located in the nuclear genome. Male-sterile plants can also be obtained by plant biotechnology methods such as genetic engineering. A particularly useful means of obtaining male-sterile plants is described in WO 89/10396, in which, for example, a ribonuclease such as barnase is selectively expressed in the tapetum cells in the stamens. Fertility can then be restored by expression in the tapetum cells of a ribonuclease inhibitor such as barstar (e.g. WO 1991/002069).

[0130] Plants or plant cultivars (obtained by plant biotechnology methods such as genetic engineering) which may likewise be treated according to the invention are herbicide-tolerant plants, i.e. plants made tolerant to one or more given herbicides. Such plants can be obtained either by genetic transformation, or by selection of plants containing a mutation imparting such herbicide tolerance. Herbicide tolerance has been created via the use of transgenes to glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D, dicamba, oxynil herbicides, like bromoxynil and ioxynil, sulfonylurea herbicides, ALS inhibitors and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitors, like isoxaflutole and mesotrione. Transgenes which have been used to provide herbicide tolerance traits comprise: for tolerance to glyphosate: cp4 epsps, epsps grg23ace5, mepsps, 2mepsps, gat4601, gat4621, goxv247; for tolerance to glufosinate: pat and bar, for tolerance to 2,4-D: aad-1, aad-12; for tolerance to dicamba: dmo; for tolerance to oxynil herbicies: bxn; for tolerance to sulfonylurea herbicides: zm-hra, csr1-2, gm-hra, S4-HrA; for tolerance to ALS inhibitors: csr1-2; and for tolerance to HPPD inhibitors: hppdPF, W336, avhppd-03.

[0131] Herbicide-tolerant plants are for example glyphosate-tolerant plants, i.e. plants made tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate or salts thereof. For example, glyphosate-tolerant plants can be obtained by transforming the plant with a gene encoding the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). Examples of such EPSPS genes are the AroA gene (mutant CT7) of the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium (Comai et al., Science (1983), 221, 370-371), the CP4 gene of the bacterium Agrobacterium sp. (Barry et al., Curr. Topics Plant Physiol. (1992), 7, 139-145), the genes encoding a petunia EPSPS (Shah et al., Science (1986), 233, 478-481), a tomato EPSPS (Gasser et al., J. Biol. Chem. (1988), 263, 4280-4289) or an Eleusine EPSPS (WO 2001/66704). It can also be a mutated EPSPS, as described, for example, in EP-A 0837944, WO 2000/066746, WO 2000/066747 or WO 2002/026995. Glyphosate-tolerant plants can also be obtained by expressing a gene that encodes a glyphosate oxidoreductase enzyme as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,760 and 5,463,175. Glyphosate-tolerant plants can also be obtained by expressing a gene that encodes a glyphosate acetyl transferase enzyme as described, for example, in WO 2002/036782, WO 2003/092360, WO 2005/012515 and WO 2007/024782. Glyphosate-tolerant plants can also be obtained by selecting plants containing naturally occurring mutations of the above-mentioned genes as described, for example, in WO 2001/024615 or WO 2003/013226.

[0132] Other herbicide-resistant plants are for example plants that have been made tolerant to herbicides inhibiting the enzyme glutamine synthase, such as bialaphos, phosphinothricin or glufosinate. Such plants can be obtained by expressing an enzyme detoxifying the herbicide or a mutant glutamine synthase enzyme that is resistant to inhibition. One such efficient detoxifying enzyme is, for example, an enzyme encoding a phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (such as the bar or pat protein from Streptomyces species). Plants expressing an exogenous phosphinothricin acetyltransferase are for example described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,561,236; 5,648,477; 5,646,024; 5,273,894; 5,637,489; 5,276,268; 5,739,082; 5,908,810 and 7,112,665.

[0133] Further herbicide-tolerant plants are also plants that have been made tolerant to the herbicides inhibiting the enzyme hydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenase (HPPD). Hydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenases are enzymes that catalyse the reaction in which para-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPP) is transformed into homogentisate. Plants tolerant to HPPD-inhibitors can be transformed with a gene encoding a naturally occurring resistant HPPD enzyme, or a gene encoding a mutated HPPD enzyme according to WO 1996/038567, WO 1999/024585 and WO 1999/024586. Tolerance to HPPD inhibitors can also be obtained by transforming plants with genes encoding certain enzymes enabling the formation of homogentisate despite the inhibition of the native HPPD enzyme by the HPPD inhibitor. Such plants and genes are described in WO 1999/034008 and WO 2002/36787. Tolerance of plants to HPPD inhibitors can also be improved by transforming plants with a gene encoding an enzyme prephenate dehydrogenase in addition to a gene encoding an HPPD-tolerant enzyme, as described in WO 2004/024928.

[0134] Further herbicide-resistant plants are plants that have been made tolerant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors. Known ALS-inhibitors include, for example, sulphonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidines, pyrimidinyloxy(thio)benzoates, and/or sulphonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone herbicides. Different mutations in the ALS enzyme (also known as acetohydroxyacid synthase, AHAS) are known to confer tolerance to different herbicides and groups of herbicides, as described for example in Tranel and Wright, Weed Science (2002), 50, 700-712, but also in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,011, 5,378,824, 5,141,870 and 5,013,659. The production of sulphonylurea-tolerant plants and imidazolinone-tolerant plants is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,011; 5,013,659; 5,141,870; 5,767,361; 5,731,180; 5,304,732; 4,761,373; 5,331,107; 5,928,937; and 5,378,824; and international publication WO 1996/033270. Other imidazolinone-tolerant plants are also described in for example WO 2004/040012, WO 2004/106529, WO 2005/020673, WO 2005/093093, WO 2006/007373, WO 2006/015376, WO 2006/024351 and WO 2006/060634. Further sulphonylurea- and imidazolinone-tolerant plants are also described in for example WO 2007/024782.

[0135] Other plants tolerant to imidazolinone and/or sulphonylurea can be obtained by induced mutagenesis, selection in cell cultures in the presence of the herbicide or by mutation breeding as described for example for soya beans in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,082, for rice in WO 1997/41218, for sugar beet in U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,702 and WO 1999/057965, for lettuce in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,599 or for sunflower in WO 2001/065922.

[0136] Plants or plant cultivars (obtained by plant biotechnology methods such as genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to the invention are tolerant to abiotic stress factors. Such plants can be obtained by genetic transformation, or by selection of plants containing a mutation imparting such stress resistance. Particularly useful stress-tolerant plants include: [0137] a. plants which contain a transgene capable of reducing the expression and/or the activity of the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) gene in the plant cells or plants as described in WO 2000/004173 or EP 04077984.5 or EP 06009836.5; [0138] b. plants which contain a stress tolerance-enhancing transgene capable of reducing the expression and/or the activity of the PARG encoding genes of the plants or plant cells as described, for example, in WO 2004/090140; [0139] c. plants which contain a stress tolerance-enhancing transgene coding for a plant-functional enzyme of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide salvage biosynthesis pathway, including nicotinamidase, nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase, nicotinic acid mononucleotide adenyltransferase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthetase or nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase as described, for example, in EP 04077624.7 or WO 2006/133827 or PCT/EP07/002433.

[0140] Plants comprising singular or stacked traits as well as the genes and events providing these traits are well known in the art. For example, detailed information as to the mutagenized or integrated genes and the respective events are available from websites of the organizations “International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)” (http://www.isaaa.org/gmapprovaldatabase) and the “Center for Environmental Risk Assessment (CERA)” (http://cera-gmc.org/GMCropDatabase).

[0141] Foliar Application

[0142] The foliar treatment of plants has been known for a long time and is the subject of constant improvements. Nevertheless, the treatment of plants gives rise to a series of problems which cannot always be solved in a satisfactory manner For instance, it is desirable to develop methods for protecting the plant, the developing inflorescence and seed. It is additionally desirable to optimize the amount of Pydiflumetofen used in such a way as to provide the best possible protection for the plant, in particular the developing inflorescence from attack by Claviceps purpurea, but without damaging the cereals plant itself by the active ingredient used.

[0143] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the cereal plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0144] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0145] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0146] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0147] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0148] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0149] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0150] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0151] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0152] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0153] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0154] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0155] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0156] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring wheat plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0157] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0158] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0159] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0160] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in winter wheat plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0161] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0162] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with

[0163] Pydiflumetofen.

[0164] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0165] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter wheat plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0166] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0167] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter wheat plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0168] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in durum plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0169] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in durum plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0170] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in durum plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0171] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in durum at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0172] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring rye plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0173] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in spring rye plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0174] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0175] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in spring rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0176] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring rye plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0177] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring rye plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0178] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0179] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid spring rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0180] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in winter rye plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0181] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in winter rye plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0182] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in winter rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by the cereal plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0183] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in winter rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0184] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter rye plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0185] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter rye plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0186] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0187] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in hybrid winter rye plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0188] In another embodiment a method for treating triticale plants to control Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the cereal plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0189] In another embodiment a method for treating triticale plants to control Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0190] In another embodiment a method for treating triticale plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in cereal plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0191] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to reduce sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea in plants at BBCH stage 90 or later by treating the plant between BBCH stage 50 and 80 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0192] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in triticale plants at BBCH stage 50 or later by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0193] In another embodiment a method for treating plants to control Claviceps purpurea in triticale plants between BBCH stage 50 and 80 by treating the plant at BBCH stage 50 with Pydiflumetofen.

[0194] One of the advantages of the present invention is that, owing to the particular systemic properties of

[0195] Pydiflumetofen, the treatment of the cereal plant during flowering with Pydiflumetofen, enables not only the control of Claviceps purpurea on the plant itself, but also on the developing seeds resulting in a reduction of sclerotia in the harvested grain.

[0196] Mixtures with other Active Ingredients

[0197] In another embodiment Pydiflumetofen may be present in commercially available formulations and in the use forms, prepared from these formulations, as a mixture with one or more active ingredients selected from the group of: Prothioconazole, Tebuconazole, Epoxiconazole, Difenoconazole, Fluquinconazole, Propiconazole, Fluxapyroxad, Flutriafol, Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin, Fluoxastrobin, Fludioxonil,

[0198] Ipfentrifluconazole, Isoflucypam, Metalaxyl, Mefenoxam, Mefentrifluconazole, Pyraclostrobin, Pyrimethanil, Fluopyram, Chlorothalonil, Spiroxamine, Bixafen, Penflufen, Boscalid, Benzovindiflupyr, Sedaxane, Isopyrazam, Metrafenone, Broflanilide, Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Rynaxapyr, Cyazypyr, Spirotetramate, Spiromesifen, Tetraniliprole, Flubendiamide, Cyclaniliprole, lambda-Cyhalothrin.

[0199] Particularly preferred are Prothioconazole, Isoflucypam, Fluxapyroxad, Fluopyram, Mefentrifluconazole, Ipfentrifluconazole, Propiconazole and Tebuconazole.

[0200] Most preferred is Propiconazole.

[0201] The use of Pydiflumetofen and Propiconazole together is effected preferably with a dosage between 0.01 and 3 kg of Pydiflumetofen per ha, between 0.01 and 3 kg of Propiconazole per ha; more preferably between 0.025 and 1 kg of Pydiflumetofen per ha, between 0.025 and 1 kg of Propiconazole per ha; more preferably between 0.025 and 400 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha, between 0.025 and 400 g of Propiconazole per ha.

[0202] Even more preferred is a rate between 50 and 200 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha, between 50 and 150 g of Propiconazole per ha. Mostly preferred are rates of 50, 75, 100, 125 or 150 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha, and 75, 100, 125 or 150 g of Propiconazole per ha. Of particular interest is a rate of 200 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha and 125 g Propiconazole. One example of a rate of particular interest is 100 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha and 125 g Propiconazole, another rate of particular interest is 150 g of Pydiflumetofen per ha and 125 g Propiconazole.

[0203] In another embodiment Pydiflumetofen may be present in commercially available formulations and in the use forms, prepared from these formulations, as a mixture with one or more active ingredients selected from the group of safener comprising cloquintocet-mexyl, mefenpyr-diethyl, benoxacor, dichlormid, isoxadifen-ethyl, cyprosulfamide, fenclorim, fenchlorazole-ethyl, fluxofenim, naphthalic anhydride, cyometrinil, oxabetrinil, flurazole, furilazole, daimuron, cumyluron, dimepiperate, and dietholate.

[0204] Particularly preferred are cloquintocet-mexyl, mefenpyr-diethyl, isoxadifen-ethyl, cyprosulfamide.

[0205] Most preferred are mefenpyr-diethyl. The example which follows serves to illustrate the invention, but without restricting it.

EXAMPLE 1

[0206] In Canada, in 2018, 3 test plots were conducted on spring wheat (1 trial—AC Goodeve) and durum wheat (2 trials on AC Strongfield). Pydiflumetofen as well as market standards were applied according to table 2 between Jul. 6-9, 2018 between BBCH stage 61-63 (early flowering). Assessment of sclerotia was conducted in fall 2018 on harvested grain samples.

[0207] For entry 3 a 200 SC formulation of Pydiflumetofen (200 grams active ingredient per litre) was tank-mixed with a 250 EC formulation of Propiconazole (250 grams active ingredient per litre). A mixture of Pydiflumetofen and Propiconazole is also available as a suspension concentrate 275 SC formulation (275 grams of total active ingredients) with 150 grams of Pydiflumetofen and 125 grams of Propiconazole per litre under the name Miravis Ace and may be tested for reduction of sclerotia in cereals, in particular in spring wheat, winter wheat, durum, hybrid spring wheat, hybrid winter wheat, winter rye, spring rye, hybrid winter rye, hybrid spring rye, and triticale plants.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Efficacy of Pydiflumetofen against Claviceps purpurea and reduction of sclerotia in wheat Trial Trial Trial No 1 No 2 No 3 number number number of Ergot of Ergot of Ergot Dose bodies bodies bodies Concentration per kg per kg per kg Entry Description [g/ha] seed seed seed 1 UNTREATED n/a 0.5 2.3 1.3 2 Pydiflumetofen   75 grams/ha 0.5 0.3 0   (Pydiflumetofen) 3 Tankmix of   75 grams/ha 0   0.3 0.3 200 SC (Pydiflumetofen) + Formulation of 93.75 grams/ha Pydiflumetofen (Propiconazole) and a 250 EC formulation of Propiconazole

EXAMPLE 2

[0208] In Canada, in 2019, 7 test plots were conducted on spring rye (2 trials on cultivar Gazelle) and durum wheat (5 trials on cultivar AAC Stronghold). Pydiflumetofen was applied according to table 2 between Jul. 3-16, 2019 between BBCH stage 59-67 (early to end of flowering). Assessment of sclerotia was conducted in fall 2019 on harvested grain samples.

[0209] For entry 2 the mixture of Pydiflumetofen and Propiconazole was applied as a suspension concentrate 275 SC formulation (275 grams of total active ingredients) with 150 grams of Pydiflumetofen and 125 grams of Propiconazole per litre under the brand name Miravis Ace (Syngenta) was used.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Efficacy of Pydiflumetofen against Claviceps purpurea and reduction of sclerotia in spring rye (trials 1, 2) and durum wheat (trials 3-7). Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial No 1 No 2 No 3 No 4 No 5 No 6 No 7 # Ergot # Ergot # Ergot # Ergot # Ergot # Ergot # Ergot Dose bodies bodies bodies bodies bodies bodies bodies Concentration per 0.5 per 0.5 per 1 per 1 per 1 per 1 per 1 Entry Description [g/ha] kg seed kg seed kg seed kg seed kg seed kg seed kg seed 1 UTC n/a 67 223 125 8 14 31 24 2 Miravis 150 g/ha 20  54   9 5  6  6  7 Ace (Pydiflumetofen) + 125 g/ha (Propiconazole)