Modern agriculture, as part of the modern world, is characterized by constant innovations and new trends. The change in technology has led to a constant growth rate of competition, and in such conditions, all problems take the path of development: old products are replaced by new products, and their use reflects new results achieved in different cultures.

Shabiaman is one of the oldest products, which was used to poison the vineyard even in the Roman Empire, but in the 21st century, Shabiaman cannot act alone, it must be mixed with lime and get Bordeaux liquid. Dilution of Shabiyaman and lime requires a lot of energy, financial costs and precise knowledge, so it has many technical drawbacks. For the mentioned reasons, for the first time Shabiaman was replaced by Bordeaux mixture.

Bordeaux mixture is a product in which Shabiaman and lime are mixed together with the correct formulation. The composition of Bordeaux mixture is: copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide. The age of Bordeaux was short-lived, as the market share of the Bordeaux blend was declining at a significant rate. It has been superseded by modern copper-containing products such as copper hydroxide – Barron and copper chloride – Dribble.

I wonder why these products were replaced? What are the similarities and differences between them?

These products have the smallest fraction size, cover a larger area through fine particles, have a different mechanism of action from Shabyaman. After applying the copper preparation, the fungal spores absorb the copper, which inhibits the division and growth of their cells. Copper in this formulation causes metabolic disorders that cause the disease. Dribble’s unique formula contains fine particles and bioactive copper ions that ensure better adhesion to the plant, thus staying longer on the leaf surface. Large particles, such as those contained in the Bordeaux mixture, cannot completely cover the plant and are easily washed away by rain. The smaller the particle size, the greater the number of particles per 1 kilogram. When using copper of such a formulation, we can reduce the consumption rate thanks to small particles, which will not lead to the accumulation of excess copper in the soil. The bioactive copper ions produced are superior to fungicides created on the basis of any Bordeaux mixture.

For more information on these and other topics, see Agrocompany Baraka’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@baraka.georgia2230