PAY CLOSE attention to recommended herbicide rates and application intervals this spring, sugar beet growers have been reminded.

With many crops now emerged, growers making a later start to their herbicide programme – where many weeds have passed the cotyledon stage – should increase the application dose, said Bayer CropScience.

“Ideally, the first spray should have been applied at the cotyledon stage of the weeds, regardless of the beet stage, with the second application going on 6-8 days later,” said the firm’s Peter Stacey.

He suggests using Betanal Expert (desmedipham, phenmedipham + ethofumesate) at 0.75litres/ha.

Under later programmes, rates should be increased to 1-1.25l/ha, with 7 to 14 days between first and second applications, he said.