Pre-em herbicides vital for control of problem blackgrass

Pre-emergence herbicides are essential to control blackgrass on sites where Atlantis is no longer effective.

Used alone, they gave an average of 70% control in ProCam trials, although the range was 40-85%, reported the firm’s Tom Scotson of at a recent open day in Cambridgeshire. .

“We saw the best results from full rates and when partner products were included,” he said. “We tried adding various herbicides to the three main pre-emergence choices, Crystal, Liberator and Defy.”

Graduate (flurtamone+DFF) was also assessed as a pre-emergence treatment. “We got better results from Defy+DFF, so that seems a more appropriate option.”

The big surprise was pendimethalin, he said. “It hasn’t enhanced the weed control results in line with our expectations. The results were very disappointing and DFF gave superior performance.”

Mr Scotson revealed that a Defy/DFF mix gave 75% control, while a Defy/Orient mix resulted in 70% control.

Tolugan (CTU) also did well as an additive. There’s not much difference in price between Tolugan and DFF, but of course DFF is much less bulky so it has a practical advantage.”




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