Pre-harvest pea poser
Pre-harvest pea poser
DONT attempt to kill two birds with one stone when it comes to pre-harvest treatments on pea crops this summer, advises independent pulse specialist Cathy Knott.
Desiccation and perennial weed control are two distinct jobs and growers must decide which is most important to them, she says.
For weed control, Roundup (glyphosate) at three litres/ha is the best and cheapest option to get rid of weeds such as couch, costing about £6/ha. But it is far from ideal for desiccation and must not be used on seed crops.
"It will get there eventually but it is too slow. Reglone is the answer for desiccation," she stresses.
Applied at three litres/ha, Reglone (diquat) costs about £27/ha and burns off crop and green weeds in four to seven days compared to Roundups 10+ days. Reglone can also go on earlier, from when seeds are 45% moisture or below compared to sub-30% with Roundup, she notes. *