The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has recently issued a number of minor use permits of relevance to grain growers.

Minor use permits are issued by the APVMA to legalise the use of a crop protection product in situations where there is insufficient market size or economic return to attract product registrations. Such instances typically occur with the ‘minor’ grain crops or for situations of limited area in a major crop, where no registered products exist for the proposed use.

The products relevant to Australian growers for which minor use permits have recently been issued are:

Procymidone (Sumisclex): use of the fungicide procymidone on faba beans (Vicia faba) and navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) for the control of chocolate spot and sclerotinia rot. Following a recent APVMA review, this usage was removed from registered labels. Usage has been retained by growers under the minor use permit PER92791 until the identified data gaps are filled, allowing for the uses to be re-established on product labels.

Quinoxyfen: use of the fungicide quinoxyfen on wheat for the control of powdery mildew. GRDC and South Australian Grain Industry Trust-supported research has identified several potential fungicides that are more specifically targeted at powdery mildew control. This minor use permit (PER93197) is the first to allow for the use of quinoxyfen in wheat.

Metribuzin: use of the herbicide metribuzin in the metribuzin-tolerant lentil varieties such as GIA Metro is allowed under the minor use permit PER92810. GRDC is investing in field studies to meet the regulatory requirements pertaining to crop safety, efficacy and grain residues in support of the use of metribuzin for this purpose.

Proquinazid (Talendo fungicide): use of the fungicide proquinazid on wheat for the control of powdery mildew. The minor use permit (PER93216) stipulates no more than two applications per crop. Talendo has no curative activity and does not control existing infections – it is for use as a protectant only.

Metrafenone (Vivando fungicide): use of the fungicide metrafenone on wheat for the control of powdery mildew. The minor use permit (PER93198) is in force until 31 July 2024. The fungicide should be applied at the first signs of infection as a protectant only.

Users are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the directions of use as stated on each of the permits.

GRDC’s manager of chemical regulation Gordon Cumming says GRDC invests in bringing minor use permits to fruition for growers.

“GRDC invests in the background, generating the data required for the permits, as well as developing the regulatory submissions that go to the APVMA,” Mr Cumming says.

“We partner with the relevant industry body, who hold the permit(s), and make sure that the required work is done to bring these permits to growers.”

More information: APVMA website; Gordon Cumming, Gordon.cumming@grdc.com.au; GRDC Update Papers