Propiconazole is a triazole fungicide, also known as a DMI, or demethylation inhibiting fungicide due to its binding with and inhibiting the 14-alpha demethylase enzyme from demethylating a precursor to ergosterol. Without this demethylation step, the ergosterols are not incorporated into the growing fungal cell membranes, and cellular growth is stopped.
Propiconazole is used agriculturally as a systemic fungicide on turfgrasses grown for seed and aesthetic or athletic value, wheat, mushrooms, corn, wild rice, peanuts, almonds, sorghum, oats, pecans, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, prunes[1] and lemons. It is also used in combination with permethrin in formulations of wood preserver.[2] Propiconazole is a mixture[3] of four stereoisomers and was first developed in 1979 by Janssen Pharmaceutica.[4] Propiconazole exhibits strong anti-feeding properties against the keratin-digesting Australian carpet beetle Anthrenocerus australis.[5]