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
- Mefenoxam (metalaxyl-M) (CAS 70630-17-0)
- Chemical class
- Acylalanine phenylamide; FRAC Group 4 PA fungicides, which FRAC rates as high resistance risk.[2]
- Mode of action
- FRAC Group 4: PA fungicides (phenylamides): RNA polymerase I inhibitors, acylalanines[2]
- Signal word
- Subdue MAXX Fungicide: Caution[1]
Yearly limits on turf
A single turf application may not exceed 43.56 fl oz per acre, treatments must be at least 7 days apart, and turf gets no more than 9 applications or 422 fl oz per acre in a year.[1]
If you also use a metalaxyl product, the label's combined cap is 6.6 lb of active ingredient per acre per year on turf.[1]
Where it is used
On turf, water in with about ½ inch of irrigation or rain within 24 hours after application for best results. The same rule applies to soil-surface sprays around shrubs.[1]
Under severe disease, the label says to use the highest listed rate at the shortest interval; during long stretches of disease weather on established turf, go to a 14-day interval.[1]
For new lawns, the label pairs seed treated with mefenoxam with broadcast sprays over newly emerged seedlings.[1]
Test it on a small group first when treating plants not named on the label, because not every ornamental has been checked for tolerance.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subdue MAXX Fungicide[1] | Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC | 100-796 | 22.0% | soluble liquid | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subdue MAXX Fungicide | Golf courses, home and commercial lawns, parks, athletic fields and sod farms | Pythium blight, Pythium damping-off, yellow tuft (downy mildew) | 0.5–1.0 fl oz product per 1,000 sq ft[1] Mix in 1 to 5 gallons of water. On new seedings apply right after seeding or 7 to 10 days later and repeat every 7 to 14 days; on established turf spray preventively every 10 to 21 days. The low rate pairs with the short interval and the high rate with the long one. |
| Subdue MAXX Fungicide | Boxwood, holly, juniper, rhododendron, yew, pieris and other listed woody ornamentals (not azaleas) | Pythium and Phytophthora root and crown rot | 1.0–2.0 fl oz product per 100 gallons of water[1] A soil drench repeated at 2- to 3-month intervals if needed: about 1 pint of solution per sq ft where soil is under 4 inches deep, 1.5 to 2 pints where it's deeper. The label's appendix converts small batches, such as 15 to 30 drops per gallon. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: causes moderate eye irritation and is harmful if absorbed through skin or swallowed. Handlers wear long sleeves and pants, shoes with socks, and chemical-resistant gloves, and wash with soap and water afterward.[1]
Pets
Keep everyone, including pets, out of sprayed areas until the spray has dried.[1]
Bees and pollinators
Subdue MAXX's label has no bee or pollinator hazard statement. Its environmental cautions concern water and groundwater.[1]
Fish and water
Don't apply directly to water or when weather favors drift. Mefenoxam is known to leach into groundwater, especially where soils are permeable and the water table is shallow.[1]
Resistance
On turf, make no more than 2 applications a season of any product where mefenoxam is used alone, and use a different registered Pythium fungicide at least once. Against downy mildew, always tank-mix it with a non-Group 4 fungicide.[1]
Common questions
- How much Subdue MAXX per 1,000 sq ft?
- 0.5 to 1.0 fl oz of product per 1,000 sq ft in 1 to 5 gallons of water.[1]
- Does mefenoxam control brown patch or dollar spot?
- Those aren't on the label. Subdue MAXX targets water-mold diseases: Pythium, Phytophthora and downy mildews, including yellow tuft on turf.[1]
- Is mefenoxam the same as metalaxyl?
- They're related but listed separately. FRAC groups metalaxyl and metalaxyl-M (mefenoxam) together as Group 4 acylalanines.[2]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Subdue MAXX Fungicide label, EPA Reg. No. 100-796 (EPA-stamped, July 17, 2024).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/000100-00796-20240717.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)