Mefentrifluconazole: The novel triazole fungicide

Mefentrifluconazole is a new fungicidal active substance from the isopropanol-azoles, a new sub-class of triazoles. It inhibits sterols biosynthesis and is a very selective fungicide. It is a systemic fungicide with protective, curative, and eradicative activity. Its spectrum includes important pathogens of cereals (Septoria spp., Puccinia spp., Ramularia collocygni, Rhynchosporium secalis). Unlike most triazoles, withdrawn from use in the last 2-3 years, mainly due to reprotoxic and carcinogenic effects, mefentrifluconazole is neither carcinogenic, nor genotoxic or reprotoxic. In adition, it is not acutely toxic, is not irritant to skin or eyes and does not cause specific toxicity to target organs after single or repeated exposure. In contact with the skin, it can cause sensitization, and this is the only toxicological property on the basis of which it is classified and labeled. Acute and chronic dietary exposure of all population groups to this active substance is low, with a large margin of safety. Mefentrifluconazole is not acutely toxic to bees and earthworms. It is very toxic acutely and chronically for aquatic organisms, fish, invertebrates, and algae, while it is toxic for sediment organisms and aquatic macrophytes. The favourable toxicological properties of mefentrifluconazole, and good efficacy in control of important pathogens, recommend this active substance as a good substitute for withdrawn triazoles.