New fungicides labeled for use in tree fruit - all Special Local Needs Labels
Deborah Breth, Integrated Pest Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Summary of New fungicides, by David Rosenberger
The SDHI fungicides Fontelis, Luna Tranquility, and Merivon are effective against scab, rust, and mildew, but only Fontelis and Luna Tranquility are currently registered in NY (via special local needs labels), and none of these products are labeled on Long Island due to concerns about the potential for ground water contamination. Merivon was the most recent to receive a New York label. Fontelis is labeled for use on apple and pears, cherries, peaches, plums and strawberries. Luna Tranquility is labeled for use on apples. Merivon is labeled for use in pome fruit and stone fruit.For early-season disease control in apples, these products are best used between tight cluster and first cover. Our preference is to use them before petal fall. That is especially true for Luna Tranquility, which is a premix of Luna (the SDHI component) and Scala (pyrimethanil). Scala alone is not effective in protecting fruit from scab or in controlling rust, and the Luna component, like many of the SDHIs, has only moderate activity against rust diseases. Controlling cedar apple rust on leaves is usually most difficult during the period of rapid shoot growth after petal fall, so Luna-T is does not fit very well after bloom.
All of these SDHI fungicides should be applied in combination with either mancozeb or captan. This is essential for both fungicide resistance management and because the SDHI fungicide products may not redistribute well enough to protect newly expanding leaves that develop between sprays. In most cases, we prefer to see these products combined with mancozeb rather than captan because of the additional rust control provided by mancozeb and because Fontelis, which is formulated with mineral oil, can enhance uptake of captan into leaves and fruit where captan will cause injury under certain environmental conditions. Merivon has label warnings against tank mixing with oil sprays or other pesticides formulated as emulsifiable concentrates.
The labels are in the Special registration section of the PIMS website.
Fontelis NYSDEC label
Fontelis SLN label
Luna Tranquility NYSDEC label
Luna Tranquility SLN label
Merivon NYSDEC label
Merivon SLN label
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
2025 Apple Social
July 17, 2025 : Wayne County - Apple Social
Please join us at this casual networking event for all apple industry folks from Western NY, proudly sponsored by Valent. There will be a brief introduction of the Lake Ontario Fruit Program, and from attending specialists.
July 24, 2025 : Orleans County - Apple Social
Lyndonville, NY
Please join us at this casual networking event for all apple industry folks from Western NY, proudly sponsored by Valent. There will be a brief introduction of the Lake Ontario Fruit Program, and from attending specialists.
2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings
April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School
Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase.
3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County
July 31, 2025
Registration open!
We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!
* Schedule subject to change.