A NEW HERBICIDE from a brand new class of chemicals is now available to wheat and barley growers for use next spring, Syngenta has announced.

Axial is based on the active ingredient pinoxaden, which represents a major step forward in current ‘fop’ and sulfonylurea herbicide standards, the company claimed.

The product has particular activity against wild oats and ryegrass and will provide growers with a useful option for clearing up remaining weeds in the spring, said the firm’s technical manager, Jason Tatnell.

In Syngenta and independent trials last season, Axial achieved 99% wild oat control, which was almost 7% above a leading ‘fop’ herbicide, he said.

The product could also ease crop protection decisions, as it is approved for use in winter wheat and spring barley, added the firm’s Rod Burke.

“This is unusual among grass weed herbicides. Also, whereas herbicide choice was previously limited in barley, Axial now offers similarly high levels of control to those in winter wheat.”

There are no restrictions on which crops can be planted after a crop has been treated with Axial, he noted.

He recommends growers use the product in programmes with herbicides that have a different mode of action, in order to reduce the risk of resistance build up.

Syngenta’s recommended dose rates are: up to 0.3 litres/ha against wild oats; up to 0.45 l/ha against ryegrass and 0.45-0.6 l/ha against blackgrass in barley between the one and three leaf stage, when used as part of a full programme.