Korvetto marks step-change in OSR broadleaf control

Farmers growing winter OSR are in a period of reflection and planning as they chart a course through spring herbicide programmes this year.

The approach will vary from county to county, farm to farm and, in what has been a challenging growing season, even field to field.

This spring there will be a new tool to add to the armoury as Corteva Agriscience launches Korvetto® – a brand new selective herbicide for the spring control of broadleaf weeds in OSR.

It contains Arylex™ Active – the same active ingredient used in the recently launched autumn herbicide Belkar® – and clopyralid.

Why is a robust spring herbicide needed?

Most winter OSR growers are faced with broadleaf weed problems in some form when spring arrives.

Even when autumn weather allows herbicides to go on in a timely manner, many weeds will germinate late in the autumn and early spring, especially as temperatures begin to rise and active weed germination and growth resumes.

Depending on establishment, OSR has the ability to compete with weeds given the chance, but challenging conditions caused by weather and pests has – for the past two years – led to significant variations in crop growth and thus competitiveness.

The penalty for not taking action is primarily one of yield but problems can be compounded in subsequent seasons.

While weeds compete with the crop and impact yield, they can also contaminate seed and affect quality causing admix penalties for farmers.

Weeds can also present a very real challenge when it comes to harvest.

Sow-thistle seed, for example, can block combine radiators, while mayweed, cleavers and sow-thistles can slow combines down.

Cleaver seeds returned back in to the soil can cause problems in following crops.

How to get the most out of Korvetto

At present, spring broadleaf weed problems in winter OSR are tackled with a limited number of control options.

For many years that has been Corteva’s Galera® – containing clopyralid and picloram.

But Korvetto is a step change.

It contains clopyralid but is significantly beefed up by the inclusion of Arylex – the unique herbicide molecule which is being introduced into a number of crop sectors.

The result is a wider spectrum of weeds, and a higher level of control.

Korvetto has excellent performance on thistles, cleavers and mayweed in particular, and also activity on a broad range of weeds that include cranesbill and poppy.

The application window mirrors Galera – 1 March to growth stage BBCH50 (flower buds visible above the crop) – but the added strength of Arylex in the formulation means Korvetto has strong activity on those familiar ‘red-faced weeds’ that become visible above the crop as the season progresses.

There are no following crop restrictions, and farmers are free to use Korvetto if they have applied a post-emergence herbicide in the autumn such as Belkar® or AstroKerb®.

Corteva’s OSR category manager John Sellars said:

Korvetto will be a very good option for farmers in the UK because it will control many of the late autumn, winter and early spring germinating weeds that we see in OSR crops come spring time.

Speak to your advisor or supplier for more details on how Korvetto can help you control broad leaved weeds in your OSR crop this spring.