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Currants are an extremely tasty and healthy berry, which is why they are found very often in the gardens of Russian gardeners. But if you don’t take care of the plants, the risk of not getting a harvest is quite high. One of the dangers threatening bushes is pathogenic microflora. There is a wide range of means for protecting garden crops from fungi; one of the effective methods is the use of Topaz fungicide for currants.
Description and properties of the drug
Topaz is a broad-spectrum systemic fungicide from the world-famous Swiss company Syngenta. The drug is suitable for protecting berry bushes (currants, gooseberries, raspberries), fruit trees (stone fruit and pome fruits), grapes, strawberries, and ornamental flowering plants from pathogenic fungi that cause the development of:
- all types of spots (especially brown and purple);
- coccomycosis;
- septoria;
- rust;
- gray and root rot;
- oidium.
In Russia, the fungicide is produced under license from the companies “August” and “Green Belt”.
However, the main purpose of the Topaz fungicide is to prevent infection of currants and other crops with powdery mildew and combat this disease at different stages of its development. Planting treatments can be carried out throughout most of the season. It is compatible with other drugs of chemical and biological origin used to protect plants from pests and pathogenic microflora.
Topaz, if the manufacturer's instructions are followed, is not phytotoxic. However, too frequent treatments of currants for diseases, combined with the influence of negative weather factors, can provoke the destruction of the crop or its unsuitability for food.
Powdery mildew is a disease that is dangerous not only for currants, but also for the vast majority of garden crops
After treatment against diseases on currants and other plants, topaz begins to act in 2-3 hours. To completely “absorb” into the plant tissue, the fungicide needs 6-7 hours. If powdery mildew is already detected on the bushes, it inhibits the development of the pathogen for 1.5-2 weeks. When spraying currants is carried out for prevention, Topaz provides plantings with protection for an average of two months. =
Release form and composition
The active ingredient of Topaz is penconazole (aka Avard) at a dosage of 100 g/l. This substance of organic origin belongs to the class of triazoles and is widely used in modern fungicide production.
The drug is available in dry (powder) and liquid (emulsion concentrate) form.It is advisable for owners of personal plots to spray currants to purchase Topaz in small volumes - 3 g bags, 2 or 10 ml ampoules.
For farms, Topaz is available in 1 liter bottles and 5 liter canisters
Operating principle
Penconazole works best if powdery mildew on currants is noticed at an early stage of development. Once on the surface of the plant, Topaz is quickly “absorbed” into the tissue in a safe concentration, spreading to the entire above-ground part of the bush and its root system. It “gets ahead” of pathogen spores moving through the vascular system, providing currants with effective protection.
Topaz inhibits the process of synthesis of vital substances in the spores of the powdery mildew fungus that affects currants. The pathogen cannot develop and reproduce normally due to the lack of new spores germinating in the tissue. Currants, which are distinguished by their high overall endurance, cope with the “adult” fungus already present on the bush independently or with the help of biostimulants used by the gardener.
Pros and cons of using Topaz for currants
Summer residents actively use Topaz to protect currants and other plantings from fungal diseases, taking into account its undoubted advantages:
- Versatility - suitability for processing not only currants, but also any other garden crops grown in open ground and in a greenhouse.
- Systematicity - Topaz is used to protect against fungi and prevent infection.
- "Neutral" for plants.Topaz does not affect the growth and development of currants, the volume and quality of the harvest, or the taste of the berries.
- Quick onset of action after treatment.
- Long-lasting effect regardless of weather conditions. As a result, there is economical consumption of the drug and the ability to get by with a minimum number of treatments.
- Admissibility of mixing with other fungicides, insecticides and pesticides.
Topaz also has certain disadvantages:
- It is a chemical, so it is not suitable for organic gardeners.
- It is safe only if Topaz is diluted for spraying currants, observing the dosage of the fungicide and waiting the required time before picking the berries.
- Topaz demonstrates maximum effectiveness at the early stage of disease development. When time is lost and the process of infection of currants has gone very far, it can turn out to be almost useless.
- Over the course of three seasons, pathogens develop resistance, so Topaz cannot be used constantly.
- It is prohibited to process currants if they are located near ponds and apiaries (the fungicide is highly toxic to fish and bees).
The safety of Topaz for currants, human health and the environment is guaranteed only if the manufacturer's instructions are followed.
When to spray currants with Topaz in spring
Topaz on currants manifests itself best at the early stage of disease development. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly inspect the bushes and apply a fungicide at the first suspicious symptoms.
For prevention, currants are treated with Topaz in the spring, at the very beginning of the active growing season, when sap flow is just beginning. Sometimes gardeners practice 2-3 spring sprayings with an interval of at least two weeks, slightly reducing the concentration of Topaz and ending the prevention by the time the buds form.
When determining the timing of processing, you can focus on the appearance of the buds, resembling “green cones”
If fungal diseases are a typical phenomenon in the garden, spraying is repeated 1-2 more times, about a month after harvesting. Or the procedure is postponed until the fall, timing it so that at least 5-6 weeks remain before the first frost.
Preparation of working solution
A working solution of Topaz fungicide for currant treatment is prepared immediately before spraying.
The algorithm is extremely simple:
- Fill the container from which the spraying will be carried out with clean water at room temperature by about a quarter.
- Pour the powder into it or pour in the contents of the ampoule. Stir well.
- Bring the volume of the solution to 10 liters, constantly stirring it vigorously.
Gardeners recommend purchasing Topaz in the form of an emulsion. The powder does not dissolve in water very well; it remains on the walls and bottom of the container, reducing the concentration of the solution and the efficiency of currant processing.
In a “diluted” form, the drug retains its “consumer properties” for a maximum of eight hours
Treatment of currants in spring with Topaz
The best time to spray currant bushes with Topaz in spring is early morning or late evening. It is advisable that the weather be dry and windless. The solution should be sprayed as evenly as possible, in one layer. Currant bushes are not large in size, so problems with processing, as a rule, do not arise.
In one season, a maximum of four sprayings are carried out at intervals of two weeks.
Safety precautions
According to the generally accepted classification, Topaz fungicide is moderately dangerous for humans and warm-blooded animals (classified as class III), but, nevertheless, it is a chemical. For birds, bees and fish, it is generally poisonous, so currants can only be processed if the bushes are at a distance:
- 150 m to ponds, playgrounds, park areas;
- 50 m to pedestrian streets, poultry houses, barns where livestock are kept;
- 15 m to residential buildings;
- 2.5 km to the apiaries (it is also necessary to “prohibit” bees from flying over currant bushes treated with Topaz for three days).
A gardener working with the drug must not neglect personal protective equipment. Despite the stated moderate danger, one’s own negative reaction to Topaz cannot be ruled out. The working solution is prepared, and the bushes are sprayed, wearing thick rubber gloves, goggles, and a respirator. Closed waterproof shoes, jacket and trousers are required.
Treatment of currants with Topaz cannot be combined with eating, drinking, or smoking. Children and pets are “isolated” in advance, not allowed into the “danger zone”. After finishing the work, the solution container should be rinsed well, and the clothes should be washed. The gardener himself should at least thoroughly wash his hands and face, and ideally take a shower.
The uniform and set of personal protective equipment remain the same when processing any crops
If, during the processing of currants, the Topaz fungicide solution gets on the skin or mucous membranes, you need to wash it off with cool running water. Then the skin can be blotted with a cotton pad soaked in ethyl alcohol.
In case of accidental ingestion, the active ingredient of Topaz - penconazole - is neutralized with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. You need to drink 2-3 glasses at once. If symptoms typical of poisoning appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. There is no special antidote for Topaz; the victim requires symptomatic treatment.
Conclusion
Topaz fungicide for currants is an effective means for the prevention and treatment of fungal diseases, primarily powdery mildew. It is officially recommended for use in “home” gardening, is low-toxic, begins to act quickly, and provides a long-lasting protective effect.
