Dow AgroSciences unveiled its new grass and broadleaved weed herbicide, Broadway Sunrise, at Cereals 2010.

Based on pyroxsulam, one of the active ingredients in the firm’s Broadway Star, the new product also contains pendimethalin, which adds some extra grassweed activity, especially blackgrass, to pyroxsulam’s good activity against ryegrass, brome, wild oats and a range of broadleaved weeds.

But the firm’s Stuart Jackson stressed Broadway Sunrise should be targeted at mixed populations of grassweeds where blackgrass was not the key problem. “If you have an out-and-out blackgrass stand that you are struggling to control with other products, this won’t help.

“It should be used where you need to control a range of grassweeds, where the herbicide strategy is not driven by blackgrass.”

That might rule out its use in large parts of East Anglia, he acknowledged. “It moves it more west and north. For example, in Yorkshire, there was a lot of interest in using Broadway Star for ryegrass control, where there was also some blackgrass. This product is targeted for those situations,” he said.

In particular, Mr Jackson saw a fit for first wheat situations, which tended to be drilled earlier and where grassweeds were more likely to reach the required 1-3 leaf stage in the autumn. “The spray cut-off will be driven by weather. Once active growth stops you need to stop using this product.”

Applications should be made following the use of pre-emergence residual herbicide, but growers will need to watch for the restriction on the amount of pendimethalin that can be applied in total in one season.

At the full rate of 3.5 litres/ha, Broadway Sunrise delivers 1099g of pendimethalin, meaning a maximum of 3.0 litres/ha of Crystal (pendimethalin + flufenacet) can be applied pre-emergence if Broadway Sunrise is to be used.

“But if you’re in a situation where you need more for blackgrass, it probably isn’t a situation you should be using Broadway Sunrise,” concludes Mr Jackson.

BROADWAY SUNRISE Contains pyroxsulam + pendimethalin Use to control range of grassweeds in autumn But not where blackgrass is a primary target Optimum timing 1-3 leaf of grassweed