The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- Chlorothalonil (CAS 1897-45-6)
- Chemical class
- Chloronitrile multi-site protectant fungicide.[3][1]
- Mode of action
- FRAC Group M05: Multi-site contact activity: chloronitriles (phthalonitriles)[3][2]
- Signal word
- Echo Lite (Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate): Warning[2]
How it works
Chlorothalonil is a protectant: it inhibits fungal growth on the plant leaves it covers.[1]
It is FRAC group M05, a multi-site fungicide, and the label recommends rotating or tank-mixing it with fungicides from other groups to delay resistance.[2][3]
Using it on tomatoes
For tomato foliage diseases such as early and late blight, Septoria leaf spot and gray leaf mold, the label says to begin when dew or rain occurs and disease threatens, and to repeat every 7 to 10 days, using the highest rate and shortest interval when disease pressure is severe.[2]
Where it is used
It must not be used on home lawns or on turf at apartments, daycares, playgrounds, school and park athletic fields, campgrounds, churches or theme parks.[2]
Do not apply it within one week before or after an oil or oil-based spray, to wilted plants, or in extremely hot, sunny weather.[2]
Test it on a small area of each ornamental first, and never eat fruit from treated ornamental plants.[2]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Lite (Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate)[2] | Sipcam Agro USA, Inc. | 60063-9 | 29.6% | suspension concentrate | Warning |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Lite (Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate) | Garden vegetables, mixed in 1 gallon of water per 200 sq ft | Early and late blight, Septoria and other leaf spots, downy mildew, rust, gray mold | 1.5–3.5 tsp per gal of water (covers 200 sq ft)[2] Each crop has its own rate, yearly maximum and harvest wait; tomatoes take 2½ tsp per application, no more than 18 tsp per 200 sq ft per year, and may be picked the same day. |
| Echo Lite (Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate) | Ornamental garden plants | Leaf spots, blights, rusts, mildews | 2.25 tsp per gal of water[2] Spray every 7 to 14 days, weekly in wet weather; no more than 37 fl oz of product per 1,000 sq ft per season. Never eat fruit from treated ornamentals. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- This is a WARNING-signal product: it may be fatal if inhaled, is harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin, and can cause allergic skin reactions with repeated contact. Don't breathe the spray mist.[2]
- Anyone mixing or spraying it must wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, shoes and socks, protective eyewear, chemical-resistant gloves (such as nitrile or butyl rubber, 14 mils or thicker) and a NIOSH-approved respirator with an organic-vapor cartridge and an N, R, P or HE prefilter.[2]
- Wash gear separately from other laundry, throw away clothing soaked with the concentrate, and wash with soap and water before eating, drinking or using the toilet.[2]
2. Before you spray
- It is for small vegetable and fruit gardens and ornamental plantings, not plants grown for sale, and not for home lawns or turf at apartments, daycares, playgrounds, schools, parks or similar sites.[2]
- It is toxic to aquatic animals and can run off for days to weeks from wet or sloping soils: don't spray on or near water, or when the weather favors drift.[2]
- Don't spray wilted plants or plants in extremely hot, sunny weather; on an ornamental, test a small area first, and expect spraying during bloom to damage some flowers or fruit.[2]
3. Mixing
- Shake well, mix with water and use it at once; the label measures in teaspoons (1 tsp = 1/6 fl oz).[2]
- Ornamentals: 2¼ teaspoons per gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons (1½ fl oz) per 4 gallons, unless the plant table gives another rate.[2]
- Vegetables: one gallon of spray covers about 200 sq ft of planted crop, at the rate listed for each crop; tomatoes, for example, get 2½ teaspoons per application, at most 18 teaspoons per 200 sq ft per year.[2]
4. Applying
- Cover the plant surfaces thoroughly and evenly; on ornamentals use roughly ½ to 3 gallons of spray per 1,000 sq ft.[2]
- Repeat every 7 to 14 days on ornamentals (every 7 days in cloudy, wet weather) and at the interval listed for each vegetable, using the 7-day schedule when disease is severe.[2]
- On tomatoes, start when dew or rain occurs and disease threatens, every 7 to 10 days for leaf diseases and every 7 to 14 days from fruit set for fruit rots.[2]
- Don't put more than 37 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft on field-grown ornamentals in a season, and don't use mistblowers or high-pressure sprayers in a greenhouse.[2]
5. After you spray
- Keep people and pets out of treated areas until the spray has dried.[2]
- Wait the preharvest interval listed for each crop (0 days for tomatoes); don't eat fruit borne on treated ornamental plants, and don't feed treated plants to livestock.[2]
First aid
- If inhaled, move the person to fresh air and call 911 if they aren't breathing; in the eyes, rinse gently for 15 to 20 minutes, removing contact lenses after the first 5.[2]
- On skin or clothing, take off contaminated clothing and rinse the skin with plenty of water for 15 to 20 minutes; if swallowed, call poison control right away, have the person sip water if they can swallow, and don't induce vomiting unless told to.[2]
- The label's numbers are Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222, and CHEMTREC for spills, 1-800-424-9300.[2]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Store it upright in a cool place, protected from excessive heat, away from water, food and feed.[2]
- Put an empty homeowner-size container in the trash or recycling; for a partly full one, call your local solid waste agency, and never pour product down a drain.[2]
From the safety data sheet
- The concentrate is a medium beige liquid with a slight odor.[4]
- Store it locked up in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place with the container tightly closed when not in use.[4]
- Contain or absorb spills with an inert material and place it in a suitable container for disposal.[4]
- The SDS classifies it as causing serious eye damage and possible allergic skin reactions and respiratory irritation, and chlorothalonil as a suspected carcinogen.[4]
- It is very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, so keep it out of ponds, streams and drains.[4]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
The label signal word is WARNING: it may be fatal if inhaled, is harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin, and repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions. Anyone mixing or spraying it must wear protective eyewear, chemical-resistant gloves and a NIOSH-approved respirator with an organic-vapor cartridge, and the label's California notice says chlorothalonil is known to the state to cause cancer.[2]
Pets
Keep children and pets off the treated area until it is dry, and do not spray where it can drift onto them.[2]
Bees and pollinators
The label carries no bee statement, but warns that applications during bloom may damage flowers and fruit.[2]
Fish and water
The label states it is toxic to aquatic invertebrates and wildlife, can run off into surface water for days to weeks from wet or sloping ground, and that its breakdown products can leach to groundwater in permeable soils with a shallow water table.[2]
Common questions
- Do I really need a respirator to spray chlorothalonil?
- The Fung-onil (Echo Lite) label requires mixers and applicators to wear a NIOSH-approved respirator with an organic-vapor cartridge and says the product may be fatal if inhaled.[2]
- Can I use chlorothalonil on my lawn?
- Not this product. The label prohibits use on home lawns.[2]
- How long after spraying can I pick tomatoes?
- The label sets a 0-day pre-harvest interval for tomatoes, with a yearly cap of 18 teaspoons per 200 square feet.[2]
- Can I mix chlorothalonil with horticultural oil?
- No. The label says not to apply it within a week before or after an oil or oil-based spray.[2]
Sources
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Home and Landscape Pesticide Active Ingredients Database: chlorothalonil.” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/pesticide-active-ingredients-database/active-ingredient-details/?uaiKey=115 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Echo Lite (Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate) label, EPA Reg. No. 60063-9 (EPA-stamped, May 30, 2024).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/060063-00009-20240530.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)
- Bonide Products, LLC, “Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate Safety Data Sheet (Bonide Products, 29.6% chlorothalonil, revised January 15, 2019; the same product named on this page's label; copy hosted by distributor DoMyOwn).” www.domyown.com/msds/Fung-onil-SDS.pdf (accessed 2026-10-16)