Preventive Activities of N-Substituted-α-aminonitriles against Fusarium Diseases

Forty nine N-substituted-α-aminonitriles were prepared and their preventive activities against Fusarium diseases were determined. Relationships between chemical structure and preventive activity were examined and the systemic movement in plants was investigated with 14C-N-allylaminoacetonitrile. Of the compounds tested, N-sec-butyl-α-aminoisobutyronitrile and N-allylaminoacetonitrile were most effective in controlling yellows of the Japanese radish which were caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. raphani. N-Allylaminoacetonitrile showed remarkable systemic movement and a potent preventive activity against Fusarium wilts of cucumber and tomato not only by the soil drench test but also by the foliar spray assay.