Hurricane on the runway
Diflufenican (DFF), the well-known active in herbicides such as Panther and Javelin will be available for the first time this autumn as a standalone active, Hurricane, from manufacturer Makhteshim Agan.
The product will be available as a 500g suspension concentrate in one-litre cans with smaller packs in development.
Price will be competitive, the company says.
Recommended for winter wheat, winter barley, winter rye and triticale approval for Hurricane on other crops and cereals is a likely next step in development, Makhteshim’s Jackie Passey says.
“Spring cereals are not on the label, but there’s a lot of interest for spring barley crops, so we’re looking to get that on the label via trials and registration.”
A selective contact and residual herbicide absorbed mainly by germinating seedlings, Hurricane has no known resistance, she continues.
“It’s particularly active against the Galium Veronica and Viola species – pansies, speedwells, deadnettles, cleavers, also poppy and mayweed – and there’s anecdotal evidence of grassweed activity at high rates.
“We will be investigating this further for meadowgrass, blackgrass and ryegrass.
It could help with anti-resistance strategies.”
Hurricane is safe to use, Mrs Passey says.
“On barley applied pre-em on light soils there can be slight yellowing post-em, but it grows away from it.”
