If you have ever had issues with fungus or mold in your garden, chances are you’ve wondered about the difference between a systemic fungicide and a contact fungicide. The two remedies can be used to treat different issues, but knowing which one is best for your situation can help you get rid of fungus and mold more efficiently. In this article, we’ll go over the differences between the two types of fungicides so that you know exactly what they’re good for and how they work.
For most gardeners, fungicide is synonymous with “fungus.” While this is a relative term, fungi are indeed the organisms that cause fungal diseases in plants. All fungi are microscopic and plant-like organisms that break down organic matter and play an important role in the food chain. However, some fungi can also cause problems for your plants by causing disease or even death.
Fungal diseases may take one of two forms: systemic or contact. Systemic diseases spread throughout the plant’s tissues and sapwood, while contact infections occur when fungal spores land on the leaves or petals of susceptible plants enclosed in protective coverings such as flowers or buds (and sometimes even just stems).
Fungicides act as preventative measures against fungal infections by attacking these microscopic spores before they can germinate into full-grown organisms capable of infecting your gardenias or pears, but not all fungicides function in exactly the same way as each other.
What Is Systemic Fungicide?
Systemic fungicide is a substance used to treat fungal diseases that affect the roots, leaves, flowers, and fruit. It is absorbed by the plant and moves through its tissues.
When you use systemic fungicide on your garden or plants, it gets absorbed into the plant’s cells and circulates through them. It makes sense then that a systemic product will be more effective than a non-systemic one which must remain on top of the leaves or in contact with other parts of your plants if you want to get rid of root rot or leaf blight.
What Is a Contact Fungicide?
Contact fungicides are used to treat diseases that are on the surface of a plant. These include powdery mildew, black spot, rust, and so on. Contacts are not absorbed by the plant, they only affect the part they touch.
Systemic Vs. Contact Fungicide – Which Should You Choose?
When it comes to choosing a fungicide, you have two options. You can go with a contact fungicide or a systemic fungicide.
Contact Fungicides are applied directly to the plant’s surface and kill fungi that come into contact with it. These work best for localized diseases and minor infections. They’re also easy to use: just spray them on
Systemic Fungicides are absorbed into the plant itself, rather than just sitting on top of its leaves like an umbrella (which is what happens when you use a contact fungicide). They’ve been shown to be especially effective at treating systemic diseases, those that affect multiple parts of the plant at once because they’re able to treat each affected area internally instead of just having one spot in which all your problems gather together like some kind of terrible gangster convention.
When To Use Systemic Fungicide
A systemic fungicide has the ability to penetrate through the plant and protect it from the inside. By applying a systemic fungicide, you can protect your plants from root rot, leaf spot, and other fungal diseases that attack from the ground up. A good example of this is with citrus trees: If your tree is affected by citrus bacterial canker or scab (a bacterial disease), applying a systemic fungicide will help prevent the further spread of these diseases in your yard.
Systemic fungicides are used when you need to treat an entire crop or area at once with a specific type of fungus in mind.
When To Use Contact Fungicide
If you see a fungus on your plant, then you can use contact fungicide. Contact fungicides work by killing the fungus as it comes into contact with them. They are also used to prevent diseases and other fungal infections in plants before they appear.
Examples of Systemic Fungicide
Systemic fungicides are used to treat diseases that affect the roots, leaves, stems, and fruit. These products are absorbed into the plant via the leaves and then travel through the vascular system to reach other parts of the plant.
Examples of systemic fungicides include:
- Benomyl
- Cyproconazole
- Azoxystrobin
- Difenoconazole
- Carbendazim
- Propiconazole.
Examples of Contact Fungicide
Contact fungicides are used to prevent disease on plant surfaces. A contact fungicide, as the name suggests, prevents or inhibits the growth of fungi by physically touching the plant. A contact fungicide will not penetrate into the soil and thus has little effect on systemic diseases caused by soil-borne fungi or those that travel through vascular tissue in plants.
Contact fungicides are usually applied when a disease first appears and may be applied more than once during an outbreak if necessary. Applying a contact fungicide only after you spot symptoms is unlikely to cure your problem; it’s best to treat before any damage occurs. Some fungal diseases can grow very quickly, so it’s important to start treatments early if you see signs of an infestation (such as yellowing leaves).
Examples of Contact Fungicide:
- Benthiavalicarb
- Captan
- Carboxin
- Chlorothalonil
- Copper Hydroxide
- Copper Oxychloride
- Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate
- Consan 20
How to Mix a Contact Fungicide
To mix a contact fungicide, you’ll need to follow the package directions. Mix it with water in a spray bottle and apply the fungicide. Spray areas of your plant that are showing signs of infection, but avoid spraying healthy plants.
A Quick Recap!
A systemic fungicide is one that becomes part of the plant, while a contact fungicide affects only what it touches. A systemic fungicide moves from the leaves to the roots, protecting every part of your plant and preventing more infections from occurring.
Contact fungicides are applied topically and stay on the surface of your plant’s leaves, but they do not move through its vascular system (the path by which water and nutrients travel throughout a plant).
The most common types are wettable powders or dust that pose little risk to humans due to their low toxicity levels in comparison with other types of pesticides. These products work well at killing fungal spores before they can infect new plants, they’re particularly effective against powdery mildew and rust diseases because they contain materials such as sulfur or copper oxide as active ingredients.
Final words,
It is important to know what type of fungicide is right for your plant. If you have a fungus that is affecting only the surface of the leaves, use a contact fungicide. However, if it has spread deeper into the plant and needs to be treated from the inside out then go with a systemic fungicide.