Trade Advice Notice on Fluopyram and Tebuconazole (Extended product Use of Luna Experience Fungicide for use on grapes)

 The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has invited comments on the proposed use of fluopyram and tebuconazole in the product Luna Experience Fungicide for use on grapes. Written comments were invited from 18 January 2021 to 15 February 2021 on the trade implications of this proposal. The end date for this consultation has now been extended to 28 February 2021. 

The APVMA is able to consider comments relating to the legislative grounds for the assessment, which are the trade implications of the use of the product. The Trade Advice Notice https://apvma.gov.au/node/78841 provides a summary of the APVMA's residue and trade assessment. 

Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd has applied to APVMA to vary the registration of Luna Experience Fungicide to add a use on grapevines. The product contains fluopyram and tebuconazole as active ingredients. 

Tebuconazole is registered for use on grapes at higher application concentrations and later timings than proposed (e.g. Orius 430 SC Fungicide, P58733). Current MRLs for tebuconazole on grapes at 5 mg/kg, dried grapes at 7 mg/kg and grape pomace, dry at 15 mg/kg remain appropriate for the proposed use. The risk to trade with respect to tebuconazole in grape commodities is unchanged and no changes are required to the current animal commodity MRLs for fluopyram and tebuconazole as the livestock dietary burden should not increase noting that the proposed fluopyram MRL for grape pomace at 3 mg/kg is lower than that established for apple pomace at 7 mg/kg. The risk to trade of animal commodities is unchanged. Hence, both these aspects are not available for any further discussions.  

The risk to trade with respect to fluopyram is discussed further in the notice. The use of fluopyram on table grapes and grapes for drying was previously registered and MRLs were established at 2 mg/kg for table grapes and 15 mg/kg for dried grapes (currants, raisins and sultanas)

however that use is no longer approved. It is proposed that a new fluopyram use pattern be approved for use on all grapes, including wine grapes for the first time. Hence the consultation is in progress.