The potato, taking into account the biological characteristics of its growth, is highly susceptible to the influence of various fungal diseases, of which the greatest risk is late blight. Special drugs called “fungicides” are called to overcome this misfortune; Some of them are designed specifically for potatoes. This article will discuss one of these tools, which is called "Shirlan" and has already managed to earn a good reputation.
Active ingredient and preparative form
The main active ingredient of this drug is fluazinam; besides it, the composition includes substances that promote the penetration of the main compound into the plant. Their list is indicated in the annotation before the fungicide instructions. The concentration of fluazinam in the Shirlan preparation is 0.5 g / ml.
Did you know? The fungus causing late blight in plants migrated to Europe from America only in the middle XIX century, before potatoes quite successfully and without loss was grown by European gardeners and gardeners.
The drug is distributed in the form of suspension concentrate, which is a colloidal solution, according to external parameters, having the appearance of a creamy mass. It is strictly not recommended to use the drug in this form, before using it is necessary to prepare the working solution according to the attached instructions. 
Benefits
Among the advantages of this fungicide the most important are the following:
- treatment with the use of this drug will not harm your culture, because the drug does not have pronounced phytotoxicity;
- in comparison with other fungicides with a contact principle of action, it has a more pronounced effect when using low dosages;
- the phenomenon of cross-resistance with modern drugs that are used for the treatment and prevention of potato diseases was not detected;
- has a good indicator of water resistance and a sufficiently long period of active resistance to diseases;
- helps to stop sporulation, by reducing the production of zoosporangi carriers;
- its use has a decelerating effect on zoospores, both inside the plant and in the ground, in the course of dispute movement along capillaries placed in the ground, thereby creating a barrier to spores on the soil surface and significantly reducing the likelihood of infection of young plants.
Mechanism of action
When using the Shirlan fungicide on potatoes, its main active substance quickly penetrates plant cells and soil, after which it begins to inhibit the processes of sporulation, growth of apressoria, and the development of hyphae of pathogenic microorganisms.
The following fungicides will suit you for potato processing: Ridomil Gold, Ordan, Skor, Acrobat MC, Quadris, Titus, Antrakol, Tanos, Fitosporin-M, Alirin B "," Prestige "," Fitolavin ".
Preparation of working solution
Before proceeding to the fabrication of the solution used for spraying, it is necessary to carefully check the working capacity of the sprayer and the cleanliness of the tip, the conductive solution of the pipes and the tank in which the substance will be placed. 
After that, it is necessary to determine the amount of liquid, as well as whether the water supply through the tip is uniform, and compare the data obtained with the calculations for the estimated cost of the working solution per 1 hectare.
Did you know? The simplest in chemical structure fungicide is ordinary sulfur and its derivatives, as well as salts of various metals.
The preparation of the solution should begin immediately before the start of the process. ¾ The tank must be filled with water, then the pre-calculated amount of the suspension must be added and the process of adding water to the tank should be continued while mixing the contents. It is desirable to continue to mix the solution during its direct application, in order to preserve the homogeneous structure of the finished mixture.
If you intend to apply spraying with several preparations at once, then you should wait for the full dissolution of the previous one before adding the subsequent substance to the mixture. The applied solution can not be stored in finished form longer than one day. 
Application technology and substance consumption
This drug should be used for prophylactic purposes. The best time to start treatment will be the period when weather conditions conducive to the development of the disease have already come, but the symptoms of the disease have not yet manifested. In a situation when the sprayed plants are already infected, it is recommended to perform primary processing using curative fungicides.
Important! The best result will be given by the treatment carried out after sunset or before its rising in calm weather, as this will contribute to more effective distribution of the drug on the landing areas.
In order to obtain the maximum positive effect, it is necessary to adjust the sprayer so that it gives drops of small or medium size. "Shirlan", like any other fungicide, must have a consumption rate sufficient for complete and abundant wetting of the entire surface of the sheet. It is allowed to increase with an eye on the size of the leaf surface of the treated plants. It is necessary to ensure that the solution does not flow from the foliage that has been treated, to the ground, where its efficiency will be minimal.
The average rates for applying the Shirlan product on potatoes are about 0.3-0.4 ml per 10 square meters in suspension form, or 200-500 ml per 10 square meters in the form of a working solution.
Period of protective action
The active protector effect of "Shirlan" from phytophthora and Alternaria is 7-10 days and may differ depending on the methods used to obtain the crop and different environmental conditions. Exceeding the allowable multiplicity of treatment contributes to reducing the effectiveness and reducing the duration of the protective period.
Toxicity and precautions
This drug belongs to the second degree of danger to humans, which regulates the need to comply with personal safety measures when working with him. Be sure to wear a protective gown, goggles, gloves, and an individual mask or respirator when carrying out work activities involving this substance.
Important! The duration of the manual work after spraying with the use of this drug is one week.
In case of contact with the open skin or mucous membranes, it is urgent to rinse it off with plenty of cold running water, and if symptoms of irritation appear, consult a doctor. 
The drug has a low toxicity with respect to bees and other insects, however, it is capable of causing harm to fish, and therefore there are restrictions on its use in the areas of fishery enterprises and around them.
Compatibility
"Shirlan" has good compatibility when mixing it in a tank with various insecticides, for example "VDG", "MKS", "KARATE", "ZION" and "AKTARA", as well as desiccants "BP" and "REGLON SUPER". However, it is strongly recommended not to mix it with various preparations that are alkaline in nature - for example, with Bordeaux mixture, since this can lead to chemical decomposition of the preparation.
You should not use this tool in combination with various herbicides due to the fact that the timing of their use does not match. It is forbidden to mix different drugs in undiluted form. Be sure to make sure before manufacturing the mixtures that the time of use of different drugs in the mixture are the same. 
Shelf life and storage conditions
The substance should be stored in unopened form in a dry place inaccessible to open sunlight, away from children and animals. The optimum temperature content from 0 ° C to 40 ° C. Do not allow the substance to come into contact with dishes and surfaces on which food is prepared. You can store for 3 years.
We hope that this article has answered all your questions regarding the nature and use of this antifungal agent. We wish you to collect a truly amazing and decent harvest of potatoes!
