New label for Kasumin is slightly different than the Section 18 label

George Sundin, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences - May 06, 2015

Kasumin 2L is fully registered on pome fruit for fire blight control. It provides excellent blossom blight control and is critically needed, especially in orchards impacted by streptomycin resistance.

Kasumin 2L was registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last fall for fire blight control on pome fruit crops in the United States and is available in Michigan for the 2015 season. The new label has a few changes in it from what we were used to with the Section 18 label.

There is no requirement for a first fire blight spray of other registered materials. Kasumin can be the first material applied during bloom.
Kasumin 2L can be used throughout Michigan, i.e., use is not restricted to counties with streptomycin resistance.
There is no longer a requirement for state experts to indicate potential epidemic conditions for fire blight prior to an application.

These are all great changes that will make your life easier in using this material for fire blight management. A few important components of the label remain the same as they always have been regarding Kasumin use in Michigan. These three points are important for antibiotic resistance management:

Do not apply Kasumin in orchards in which the soil has been fertilized with animal manure.
Do not apply after petal fall.
Do not use alternate row applications.

Finally, the new label states a maximum of four applications of Kasumin per year. My hope is that you can limit Kasumin use to a maximum of two to three applications per season, depending on fire blight conditions of course. In Michigan regions where we have streptomycin resistance, Kasumin is the most important alternative material and must be protected for the future against resistance development.

For more information, see “Kasumin registered by EPA for fire blight control on pome fruit,” posted Sept. 24, 2014 by Michigan State University Extension.

Dr. Sundin’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).