The label is the law. Rates and restrictions below are taken from the product labels listed under Sources. Your product's own label governs; read it before you mix or apply. Mixing calculator · Disclaimer
- Active ingredient
- Captan
- Chemical class
- Phthalimide; FRAC Group M04, chemicals with multi-site contact activity.[2][1]
- Mode of action
- FRAC Group M04: Multi-site contact activity: phthalimides[2][1]
- Signal word
- Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide: Warning[1]
Home garden directions were removed
EPA's February 22, 2022 letter on this label accepts deletion of its Home and Garden sublabel under a Federal Register cancellation order published November 15, 2021. The remaining directions are farm, nursery and commercial uses.[1]
Workers stay out of treated fields for 24 to 48 hours depending on the crop. An eye-flush container must be on hand for 7 days after application, because residues may be highly irritating to eyes.[1]
Where it is used
Begin applications before or at the first sign of disease and repeat as needed, using shorter intervals when weather favors disease.[1]
Don't mix it with oil sprays or apply it right before or after them. Spray lime, lime-sulfur and Bordeaux mixture also weaken it.[1]
High rates or drenching sprays can spot tender young leaves of some apple, cherry, peach and plum varieties in warm, cloudy, humid spells. Use the lowest labeled rate then.[1]
Many fruit uses allow spraying up to harvest day. Caneberries need 3 days and almonds 30 days.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide[1] | Drexel Chemical Company | 19713-646 | 50.0% | wettable powder | Warning |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide | Roses | Black spot, Botrytis blossom blight | 2 lb product per 100 gallons of water[1] Begin at first growth or first sign of disease, then repeat every 7 to 14 days, more often during frequent rain and heavy dew. |
| Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide | Apples (Eastern U.S.) | Scab, black rot, bitter rot, fly speck, sooty blotch and other fruit rots | 4–8 lb product per acre[1] 8 lb for primary scab and early sprays; 4 to 8 lb in later cover sprays. No more than 64 lb per acre per season; may be applied up to the day of harvest. |
| Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide | Strawberries | Botrytis gray mold, leaf spot, anthracnose fruit rot | 3–6 lb product per acre[1] Repeat every 7 to 14 days; 6 lb weekly for anthracnose fruit rot. No more than 48 lb per acre per season; may be applied up to the day of harvest. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word WARNING: causes substantial but temporary eye damage, and prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions. Handlers wear goggles or a face shield, chemical-resistant gloves and a particulate respirator when mixing.[1]
Pets
For non-farm uses, the label says to keep people and pets out of treated areas until sprays have dried and out of the area during application.[1]
Bees and pollinators
The label carries no bee or pollinator warning; its environmental hazard statement is about fish.[1]
Fish and water
Toxic to fish. Don't apply directly to water, and don't contaminate water when cleaning equipment or disposing of rinsate.[1]
Resistance
The label places captan in Group M, multi-site fungicides, and still advises avoiding back-to-back use, rotating or tank-mixing with other groups, and watching for loss of control.[1][2]
Common questions
- Can homeowners still buy captan?
- The current Captan 50W label no longer includes home and garden directions; EPA accepted removing that sublabel in February 2022.[1]
- How much captan do I use on roses?
- The label rate for black spot and Botrytis blossom blight is 2 lb per 100 gallons of water, repeated every 7 to 14 days.[1]
- Can I spray captan with horticultural oil?
- No. The label says not to apply captan with, just before, or soon after oil sprays.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Drexel Captan 50W Fungicide label, EPA Reg. No. 19713-646 (EPA-stamped, Feb. 22, 2022).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/019713-00646-20220222.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Fungicide Resistance Action Committee, “FRAC Code List 2025.” www.frac.info/media/ljsi3qrv/frac-code-list-2025.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)