The long-running debate on the future availability of chlorothalonil (Bravo, etc) ended this morning with a European Commission vote not to re-register the active.

The vote had been postponed from October to December initially and it followed a discussion on the active on Thursday.

The news is of particular concern to Irish wheat and barley producers because of the traditional importance of the active for both its contribution to resistance management and its activity against septoria and ramularia in particular.

Ireland

However, the active was much less important in most member states and its importance for Ireland did not sway the vote.

While its importance is recognised, the active does have a somewhat negative profile in terms of carcinogenicity and ground water contamination issues.

The move will see the removal of chlorothalonil from the market but the timing relating to this is not yet known.

There is little doubt but that the greatest impact of its removal will be felt on barley where it has long been a critical active for the control of ramularia blotch, which has been very adept at developing resistance to all major fungicide families that have very specific modes of action.