Difenoconazole 25% EC Fungicide Uses

Difenoconazole 25% EC is a systemic fungicide from the triazole (DMI — demethylation inhibitor) chemical group, registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968, formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate (EC). It is registered for the control of scab in apple, sheath blight in paddy, die-back and fruit rot in chilli, blight and powdery mildew in cumin, purple blotch in onion, fruit rot in pomegranate, anthracnose and powdery mildew in grape, and leaf spot and rust in groundnut. This page lists its mode of action, key benefits and the recommended dosage as per the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC) official list of approved fungicide uses (Government of India).

Which Problem Is This For? (Symptom Guide)

Not sure whether what you're seeing in the field matches this fungicide's use case? This guide helps match symptoms to this fungicide's approved crop-wise uses.

Mode of Action

Difenoconazole belongs to the triazole (DMI — demethylation inhibitor) group of fungicides — FRAC Group 3. It inhibits the C14-demethylase enzyme involved in sterol biosynthesis, blocking the formation of ergosterol, an essential component of fungal cell membranes. Without ergosterol the fungal membrane becomes defective and the growth of the fungus inside the plant tissue stops. Difenoconazole is absorbed by the leaves and moves systemically within the plant (translaminar and acropetal movement), giving both preventive and curative action against a wide range of leaf, fruit and sheath diseases.

Features & Benefits

• Registered across fruit, vegetable, spice, cereal and oilseed crops — apple, paddy, chilli, cumin, onion, pomegranate, grape and groundnut.
• Systemic, translaminar action gives both preventive and curative control, protecting leaf surfaces that the spray does not directly reach.
• Effective against a broad range of fungal diseases — scab, sheath blight, die-back, fruit rot, blight, powdery mildew, purple blotch, anthracnose, leaf spot and rust.
• Low dose per 100 litres of spray solution compared with many older contact fungicides.
• Triazole (FRAC Group 3) mode of action is a useful rotation partner with strobilurin and multi-site fungicides in a resistance-management programme.

Recommended Usage of Difenoconazole 25% EC Fungicide

The table below gives the recommended dose, water volume and waiting period per acre, converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rate — see the note below the table for conversion details. Always confirm against the current product label before use.

*The CIB&RC lists Difenoconazole 25% EC as a fixed mixing concentration in the spray solution rather than a per-hectare quantity; the total amount used per acre therefore depends on the spray volume, which varies with crop and plant size. Water volumes above are converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare spray volume (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres). CIB&RC figures (a.i. / formulation / water per ha / waiting period): apple scab 0.004% or 4 g a.i./100 L / 0.015% or 15 ml/100 L / as required / 14 days; paddy sheath blight 0.0125% or 12.5 g/100 L / 0.05% or 50 ml/100 L / 500 L / 25 days; chilli die-back and fruit rot 0.0125% / 0.05% or 50 ml/100 L / 500–1000 L / 15 days; cumin blight and powdery mildew 0.0125% / 0.05% or 50 ml/100 L / 500 L / 15 days; onion purple blotch 0.025% or 25 g/100 L / 0.1% or 100 ml/100 L / 500 L / 20 days; pomegranate fruit rot 0.025% / 0.1% or 100 ml/100 L / 500 L / 7 days; grape anthracnose and powdery mildew 0.0075% or 7.5 g/100 L / 0.03% or 30 ml/100 L / 500 L / 10 days; groundnut leaf spot and rust 0.025% / 0.1% or 100 ml/100 L / as required / 34 days. Always confirm the current dose on your specific product's label before use.

How to Use

1. Identify the disease from the symptom guide above and confirm the mixing concentration and water volume from the table.
2. Measure the required quantity of Difenoconazole 25% EC for the volume of spray solution you are preparing, mix it first in a small quantity of water, then add it to the spray tank and top up to the full volume while stirring.
3. Spray uniformly so that leaves, stems, sheaths and fruit are well covered; in paddy, direct the spray towards the lower part of the plant where sheath blight starts.
4. Begin spraying at the first appearance of disease symptoms, or as advised by your local agricultural extension office.
5. For trees and large plants such as apple and pomegranate, keep the stated concentration and adjust the total spray volume to the size of the plant.
6. Spray in calm weather in the early morning or late evening, and avoid spraying if rain is expected within a few hours.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear appropriate PPE — mask/respirator, gloves, goggles and full-sleeved clothing — while mixing and spraying, and avoid inhaling the spray mist.
• Follow the recommended concentration strictly; do not increase the dose, and rotate with fungicides from a different FRAC group to reduce the risk of resistance.
• Respect the waiting period (PHI) before harvest given in the table above — 7 days for pomegranate, 10 days for grape, 14 days for apple, 15 days for chilli and cumin, 20 days for onion, 25 days for paddy and 34 days for groundnut.
• Do not let spray wash or field water reach ponds, fish tanks, streams or drinking-water sources.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food and feed, and out of reach of children and livestock.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after spraying, and change out of contaminated clothing before eating, drinking or smoking.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification purposes only; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.