A chemical that kills fungi. Fungicides are used to prevent or control fungal diseases. They are applied to seeds as a dust or slurry and to standing crops usually as a spray. For control of postharvest diseases fruits may be dipped or sprayed, or packed in fungicide-impregnated materials. Fungicides can also be applied to the soil for control of damping-off and root diseases. Fungicides, like other pesticides, usually have three names - the chemical name of the active ingredient, the approved common name, and the trade name. For example, methyl N-[1-(butylcarbamoyl)-2-benzimidazole] carbamate is the chemical name of benomyl, which has the trade name Benlate. Fungicides fall into two major categories: the inorganic fungicides including * copper fungicides and * sulphur dust; and the organic fungicides, a group comprising the more modern fungicides, including * systemic fungicides. See also quinone fungicide , organomercurial fungicide , dithiocarbamate fungicide , dinitro compounds , fumigant , seed dressing. |
