DO NOT underestimate the threat grass weeds pose to cereal profitability and start planning 2005/06 strategies now, growers have been told.

Herbicide resistance continues to be a major issue, with 80% of those questioned in a Bayer CropScience survey admitting to a problem in some form.

“What is evident is that growers are now much more candid about discussing the problem of resistance management,” said the firm’s product manager, Barrie Hunt.

“Now is the time to be formulating your grass-weed strategy.”

Taking marginal or heavily weed-infested land out of production, using break crops to better control grass weeds or moving away from second wheats are all options growers should consider, he said.

While the bulk of growers are interested in the resistance debate, there is still a minority who are either “burying their head in the sand, or are blissfully unaware,” Mr Hunt added.

He also reminds growers using Atlantis (mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium), that other than post-January 31 applications, Atlantis plus adjuvant should always be used with a tank mix partner.

“We were a little concerned when we discovered a quarter of growers had applied Atlantis without a partner. This was for usage in 2004, before we relaxed some of the guidelines earlier this year.”