Help Your Potatoes Help Themselves

By The Certis Team

But by incorporating LifeGard WG®, Biological Plant Activator in their spray program growers can trigger SAR prior to a pathogen attack and help prepare the plant's defense response prior to Early Blight or White Mold attacks. LifeGard helps potatoes maintain a high level of defense against infection as part of a conventional spray program – either as a stand-alone application or tank mixed with conventional or organic fungicides. When used as a stand-alone application LifeGard is a key component in extending other fungicides’ useful life in a grower’s fungicide resistance management strategy.

LifeGard goes to work within hours after an application. Within 24 hours, the plant is producing pathogen-attacking proteins. Its defense against disease can last up to 18 days. LifeGard provides excellent value in protecting your potatoes, with a cost typically lower than conventional fungicide applications.  And with a 4-hour Re-entry Interval and 0-day Pre-harvest Interval, it gives potato growers a solution to fight late season infections that could impact their wallets.

Applied to plant foliage, LifeGard gives growers an economical and effective disease-fighting resistance management tool to deliver a high-quality potato crop. 

Product Info
Bacillus mycoides isolate J, the active ingredient in LifeGard, is a bacterium that does not directly control plant pathogens. Like a lot of biological fungicides, an application triggers the plants’ natural defense mechanism, generally referred to as Induced Resistance (IR).  There are two main types of IR that are similar, but growers should be familiar with their differences to make sure they are applying the right products to help control their disease situation.

A quick overview can help in your decision:

Systemic Induced Resistance is usually triggered by a foliar application the plant interprets as a local infection on the leaves or stems. This initiates the production of pathogen-destroying proteins throughout the plant.
With LifeGard these protective proteins are present in the plant hours after an application. Our recommendation is to apply 3-5 days before disease is expected to ensure a high level of protective proteins are present, and the plant is fully activated to fight a pathogen infection. The ramp-up of the SAR defense is relatively quick and this internal defense can last up to 18 days.  

The active site for Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) is generally a plant’s root system and its interface with the narrow soil environment (rhizosphere) surrounding it, versus leaves and stems for triggering SAR. The presence of beneficial rhizosphere microbes and bacteria signal the plant to become “primed” in preparation for a pathogen attack. This is like priming a pump. When infection does occur, the plant can respond quickly.

Application Tip
To get the most out of your LifeGard application, avoid tank mixing with sanitizer-type products. Karly Regan, Ph.D., Certis Biologicals Field Development Rep,
explains: “Exposing LifeGard to hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid products will kill the Bacillus mycoides isolate J bacteria active ingredient.”

To help ensure optimal performance, thoroughly clean out your spray tank after applying sanitizing products before making a subsequent LifeGard application.
If you have questions about tank mixing or product compatibility, your Certis Biologicals representative is here to help. Contact your local rep for guidance.

Interested in learning more?

Additional Product Resources:
For additional information on LifeGard WG® , including technical specifications and labeled use directions, please refer to the resources below. 

• LifeGard WG: Tech Sheet | Sell Sheet | Product Label
  
  

Always read and follow label directions. For a full list of protected crops and controlled diseases, visit the product pages and refer to the product labels.