Metalaxyl

Metalaxyl is a systemic benzenoid fungicide used to control oomycete diseases such as downy mildew and late blight in fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and other crops. Because it moves within plant tissue, residues can be present in harvested produce, so regulators set maximum residue limits and pre-harvest intervals for each crop and use pattern. The World Health Organization classifies it as slightly hazardous. Food-safety laboratories include metalaxyl in multi-residue pesticide screens of fruits and vegetables entering domestic and export markets, using LC-MS/MS methods that quantify it alongside hundreds of other crop-protection compounds. Growers must follow label rates and waiting periods to keep residues within legal limits.