Key facts
From KisanPe's verified data. Confirm prices and doses with the seller, label or official source before acting.
- Category
- Fungicide
- Mode of action
- Systemic & Contact
- Target crops
- Grape, Potato, Mustard, Black Pepper
- Target pests
- Downy Mildew, Late Blight of Potato, White Rust, Damping Off
Chemical properties and systemic mode of action
Metalaxyl belongs to the acylalanine / phenylamide group (FRAC Group 4).
Key technical properties:
- Active ingredient: Metalaxyl 35% Water-Dispersible Powder for Slurry Seed Treatment (WS).
- RNA polymerase I inhibition: Specifically inhibits fungal RNA polymerase I, halting ribosomal RNA biosynthesis and arresting fungal cell division.
- Systemic acropetal translocation: Rapidly absorbed through the seed coat and translocated upward into emerging radicles and plumules during early germination.
- Targeted oomycete control: Highly specialized against Peronosporales fungi, including Pythium, Phytophthora, and Sclerospora species.
- Uniform seed coating: High-grade WS formulation forms a smooth, adherent slurry coating that dries evenly without cracking or peeling off seed surfaces.
Target diseases across agricultural and oilseed crops
Metalaxyl 35% WS is approved by the Central Insecticides Board for preventative seed treatment:
Approved crop applications:
- Pearl Millet (Bajra): Green ear disease and downy mildew (Sclerospora graminicola).
- Maize (Corn): Downy mildew and seed rot complex.
- Mustard and Rapeseed: White rust (Albugo candida) and downy mildew at early seedling stages.
- Sunflower: Downy mildew (Plasmopara halstedii).
- Vegetables (Tomato, Chilli, Brinjal): Damping-off (Pythium debaryanum) in nursery seedbeds.
Slurry preparation, seed dressing and safety
Prepare a smooth slurry by mixing recommended label dosages (typically 2 to 3 grams per kilogram of seed) with a small quantity of water. Mix thoroughly with clean seeds in a seed-treating drum or polythene bag until all seeds are coated uniformly. Allow treated seeds to dry in the shade before sowing. Never use treated seeds for human consumption, livestock feed, or oil extraction.
Official source
Check the latest rules, benefits and forms here. KisanPe is an independent platform and is not a government website.
Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is Metalaxyl 35% WS used for?
It is a specialized systemic seed-dressing fungicide used to prevent damping-off, downy mildew, and seed rot in crops like pearl millet, maize, and mustard.
How does Metalaxyl protect young germinating seedlings?
It is absorbed by the seed and translocates systemically into developing roots and shoots, suppressing oomycete pathogens from within.
Can leftover Metalaxyl-treated seeds be fed to farm animals?
No, treated seeds are toxic and must strictly never be fed to poultry, livestock, or consumed by humans.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
More Crop Protection & Pesticides guides
Ask Sakhi AI in your language, check live mandi prices or plan a loan with KisanPe tools.