SMEGO Fungicide: Usage, Doses and Registered Crops (360 g/l Hymexazole)
A complete guide to SMEGO, a 360 g/l hymexazole fungicide: registered crops, doses, application, mode of action and resistance management.
· BKÜ GPT Team · SMEGO, hymexazole, fungicide, soil-borne diseases, damping-off, Turkey
SMEGO is a systemic fungicide registered in Turkey, containing 360 g/l hymexazole as its active ingredient. Registered by Ferbis Tarım Tic. ve San. A.Ş., the product holds registration number 11696 dated 16.09.2020, and is a domestically manufactured plant protection product. Formulated as a Soluble Concentrate (SL), SMEGO is used specifically against soil-borne fungal diseases: it forms a protective shield against damping-off, wilt, root and crown rot — the most destructive problems of the seedling and young-plant stage — while also supporting root development.
Which Diseases Is SMEGO Used Against?
SMEGO targets some of agriculture's most insidious enemies: soil-borne pathogens such as Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora and Bipolaris species. These agents cause damping-off in seedbeds, and wilt and root rot in plants transplanted into greenhouses. Symptoms are usually noticed once the plant starts wilting above ground; by then the real damage in the root zone has long been progressing. This is why the golden rule for soil fungicides like SMEGO is: apply preventively, before disease symptoms appear. Once symptoms are visible, the effectiveness of chemical control drops sharply.
Registered Uses and Doses
The crops, target diseases and recommended doses for which SMEGO is registered in Turkey are as follows:
| Crop | Disease | Dose | Pre-harvest interval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pepper (greenhouse) | Soil-borne pathogens (Fusarium spp.) | 500 ml/da (via drip irrigation) | 3 days |
| Tomato | Damping-off (Fusarium, Pythium) | 150 ml/100 L water (3 L/m² solution) | 7 days |
| Cucumber | Wilt and root rot (Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia) | 300 ml/100 L water (3 L/m² solution) | 7 days |
| Gherkin | Wilt and root rot (Fusarium, Pythium, Phytophthora) | 300 ml/100 L water (3 L/m² solution) | 7 days |
| Banana (greenhouse) | Fusarium root rot (Fusarium oxysporum) | 750 ml/da (via drip irrigation) | — |
| Tobacco | Damping-off (Fusarium, Pythium) | 200 ml/100 L water (3 L/m² solution) | — |
| Turf areas | Soil-borne agents (Fusarium, Bipolaris) | 400 ml/da | — |
How Is It Applied?
The application method varies by crop:
- In seedbeds (tomato, cucumber, gherkin, tobacco): Immediately after sowing, apply to the soil surface as a starter watering with a fine-rose watering can or a sprayer, at 3 litres of solution per square metre.
- On greenhouse pepper: The calculated dose is delivered to the soil by running the drip irrigation system for about 10 minutes. The first application is made 1 day after planting, the second 30 days later.
- On banana: After planting, 750 ml of product per decare is delivered to the root zone via drip irrigation.
- On turf areas: After planting, a foliar application is made at 400 ml per decare.
During preparation, the product is first mixed with a small amount of water in a separate container, then added to the half-filled tank while the agitator is running. The prepared solution must be used the same day. Always run a preliminary compatibility test before tank-mixing with other plant protection products.
The Active Ingredient: How Does Hymexazole Work?
Hymexazole is a systemic soil and seed fungicide from the isoxazole group. It is rapidly taken up by the roots, translocated within plant tissues, and stops mycelial growth and spore germination by inhibiting DNA/RNA synthesis in pathogenic fungi. An important feature that sets hymexazole apart from similar products is that, alongside its fungicidal effect, it shows activity that stimulates root development and seedling vigour; this allows the plant to build a stronger root system during the critical early period under disease pressure. Worldwide it is widely used against diseases caused by Fusarium, Aphanomyces, Pythium and Corticium in rice, sugar beet, vegetables, cucurbits and ornamentals.
Resistance Management: Group 32 (A3)
Under the FRAC classification, hymexazole belongs to Group 32. Consecutive use of products with the same mode of action encourages resistance development in pathogen populations. To delay resistance:
- Do not exceed the recommended total number of applications within the same growing season.
- If repeated application is needed, use a rotation programme with fungicides outside Group 32 that have a different mode of action.
- Chemical control should be supported by cultural measures such as crop rotation, solarization, use of clean seedlings and seed, and balanced irrigation. Over-irrigation and poorly drained soils are the ideal environment for Pythium and Fusarium.
Human and Environmental Safety
In the World Health Organization (WHO) toxicity classification, hymexazole falls under category "U" (unlikely to present acute hazard in normal use). Its acute oral LD50 in rats is around 3,900–4,600 mg/kg, and it has been reported not to cause eye irritation. It is only slightly toxic to birds, fish and bees, which places it among the relatively safe fungicides in terms of environmental profile. Its half-life in soil (DT50) is between 2 and 25 days, meaning it leaves no long-lasting residue in the soil. Even so, as with every plant protection product, protective equipment must be used, contamination of water sources prevented, and the pre-harvest intervals (3 days on pepper, 7 days on tomato, cucumber and gherkin) strictly observed.
Conclusion
With its SL formulation suited to drip irrigation, its low mammalian toxicity and its hymexazole content that supports root development, SMEGO is an effective preventive tool against soil-borne diseases in greenhouse and seedbed production. The key to success is using the product at the right time (before disease appears), on registered crops, at the label dose, and within the principles of resistance management. Equivalent products containing the same active ingredient, such as Tachigaren 30 L, Sound 360 SL and Tennis 360 SL, are also available in Turkey, and all registration details are held in the plant protection product records of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Always read the product label before use. For SMEGO's current registration details, its registered crop–disease–dose table and its equivalents, see the SMEGO page on BKÜ GPT.
BKÜ GPT is for information only. Verify every value against the current product label and registration record before making a recommendation; growers should follow the instructions of licensed agricultural engineers before applying any pesticide.