Early fungicides were inorganic compounds, among which sulfur powder and copper preparations (see Bordeaux mixture) are still used today. In 1914, I. Reem of Germany first used organic mercury compounds to control wheat smut, marking the beginning of the development of organic fungicides.
In 1934, W.H. Tisdale and others in the United States discovered the bactericidal properties of dimethyl dithiocarbamate. Since then, organic fungicides have begun to develop rapidly. There are three main series of organic sulfur fungicides developed in the 1940s and 1950s: thirams, dysons (such as zinc dysons) and trichloromethylthiodimethylcarboximides. In addition, organic chlorine, organic mercury, Organic arsenic fungicides have also been developed. Most of these fungicides are protective agents and have limitations in application.
Since the 1960s, more chemical types of fungicides have emerged, and the most important progress is the advent of systemic fungicides.
In 1965, Japan developed the organophosphorus fungicide Daobenjing. In 1966, the United States developed wisterin. In 1967, the United States developed benomyl. In 1969, Japan developed thiophanate. Tricyclazole was developed in the United States in 1977, metalaxyl was developed in Switzerland, and aluminum triethylphosphate was developed in France in 1978. The systemic agents represented by the above have become the mainstream of fungicide development since the 1970s. At the same time, agricultural antibiotics have developed rapidly. Organic mercury, organic arsenic, and some organic chlorine fungicides are gradually being phased out due to toxicity or environmental pollution. The new generation of systemic agents has further expanded the market for fungicides due to their improved control effects. By the 1980s, there were more than 200 varieties of fungicides. According to the survey, in 1985, the sales of fungicides in the world reached 2.54 billion US dollars, accounting for 18.4% of the total sales of pesticides.
In 1984, the sales of systemic agents in fungicides accounted for 44.2%, and non-systemic agents accounted for 55.8%. For nearly half a century, the development of fungicides has mainly focused on the agents for the prevention and treatment of fungal diseases, while the research and development of agents for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by bacteria and viruses is still insufficient. Since the 1950s, China has mainly developed protective fungicides. Since the 1970s, it has begun to develop systemic fungicides and agricultural antibiotics, and has stopped using organic mercury agents. Because the application technology of fungicides is relatively complicated, the development speed is not as fast as that of insecticides. However, the protective effect of fungicides on agricultural production has been more and more recognized by farmers. With the modernization of China's agriculture, the development of fungicides will inevitably accelerate.