Chemigation-based systemic fungicide program for fresh-market tomato disease management
A drip irrigation-based fungicide delivery system for fresh-market tomatoes that reduces spray applications, input costs, and environmental impact while managing fungal, oomycete, and bacterial diseases in high-humidity southeastern U.S. growing regions.
Overview
Fresh-market tomato production in the southeastern United States faces persistent disease pressure from fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria due to high humidity and frequent rainfall. Growers typically rely on labor- and fuel-intensive foliar spray applications that depend on favorable weather conditions and can negatively affect non-target organisms and the environment. This solution proposes a chemigation program in which systemic fungicides are delivered directly through the drip irrigation system, potentially reducing or eliminating the need for spray applications while maintaining effective disease control.
By integrating registered systemic products into a single coordinated drip-applied program, growers could lower input costs, reduce labor and fuel use, and minimize environmental impact. The approach is designed for fresh-market tomato operations in North Carolina, Tennessee, and comparable southeastern production regions where drip irrigation is already in use.
Technical specifications
Core approach:
- Drip irrigation-based chemigation delivering systemic fungicides directly to the root zone
- Designed to manage early blight, late blight, and bacterial spot of tomato
- Targets reduction or elimination of foliar spray applications
Systemic fungicides under evaluation:
- Acibenzolar-S-methyl
- Azoxystrobin
- Difenoconazole + cyprodinil
- Fludioxonil + cyprodinil
- Oxathiapiprolin
- Propamocarb
Validation design:
- Field trial established in North Carolina
- Three chemigation programs compared against a standard spray program and an untreated control
- Disease severity and yield data recorded as primary outcome measures
Technology readiness level
The proposed program is at the early field validation stage. While several individual systemic fungicides included in the program have been previously evaluated and shown to effectively manage tomato disease, the full chemigation program combining these products has not yet been assessed for its ability to replace or reduce conventional spray applications. The planned North Carolina field trial will generate disease severity and yield data to identify the most effective program(s). Results are intended to support additional funding applications aimed at optimizing the program and quantifying the agronomic, economic, and environmental impacts of drip-applied versus spray-applied fungicide delivery in fresh-market tomato production.
About North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University is a large, comprehensive public land‑grant research university in Raleigh. Its on‑campus research and technology park co‑locates corporate R&D groups, government partners, and faculty labs, enabling shared facilities, prototyping, and agile contracting. Located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, partners tap a dense regional ecosystem while engaging through a statewide extension network and a mature co‑op program that deliver field deployment and workforce pipelines. Multiple pilot and demonstration facilities support scale‑up and validation toward pre‑commercial readiness. Research is supported by competitive funding from major federal agencies, including NSF, USDA, DOE, and DOD, and a dedicated technology transfer office with clear IP pathways helps accelerate commercialization.
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