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Crop Crack 17.01.09
By Wendy Fearon
Winter Wheat Drilling Complete
Winter Cereals
The drier ground conditions over the Christmas period allowed the backlog of fieldwork to be back on track. Some winter wheat drilling is still continuing in parts of the province and crops drilled earlier are doing exceptionally well. Most of the winter herbicide treatments have now been applied onto early drilled crops. Good control of annual meadow grass remains the key issue as it is a major robber of yield if not controlled.IPU may still be used up until June 2009.IPU is best applied to both winter wheat and winter barley pre-em up until GS22 to control AMG.
As mixes such as Panther and Encore have now all but disappeared growers are finding themselves having to apply a mixture of straight actives to achieve the desired weed control alternative. Stomp and Pimer/Fieldgard is the alterative to Encore whilst Koala with Primer/Fieldgard is the alterative to Panther. The Encore mix may be applied pre-emergence up to1st node and has very good residual activity. The Panther type mix may be applied pre-em up until 2nd node and DFF will take out larger broad leaved weeds than any other active. It is important though to be aware that the length of any herbicide product that has residual activity is inversely related to soil temperature.
Winter oat herbicide applications should now be completed as the cut off for Lexus Class is the end of December.
Stomp is the only product which should be applied to triticale at this time. It may be applied pre-emergence up to before leaf sheath erect but it is important to note that whilst pendimethlin is good on AMG and BLW it will not control groundsel.
Information for Forefront Users
Manure from animals fed forage treated with products based on aminopyralid must only be used on ground destined for ‘safe’ crops, such as grass, cereals and maize.
Products such as Forefront, Pharaoh and Banish, have proved effective in controlling difficult weeds such as docks, ragwort and thistles, however, problems have occurred where treated manure has been applied to ground subsequently planted with sensitive crops, such as potatoes and beans-on farms and in gardens and allotments
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“All aminopyralid-containing products carry label warnings, advising about the appropriate use of resulting manure and slurry. Our advice is to only spread muck and slurry from animals fed treated grass onto pasture or land intended for grass, cereals or maize.
“Farmers selling forage from treated pastures also need to tell buyers about the restrictions which apply to any subsequent manure. If manure or slurry that may contain aminopyralid is sold or passed onto others, they must also be made aware of label restrictions”.
Hedgerow weed control
Now is the correct time to apply KERB. December and January is the best time to control weeds around young hedges and trees. Season long control of grasses and most broad-leaved weeds is possible by applying KERB GRANULES.Kerb is a pre- and post-emergence residual herbicide that provides selective, broad spectrum weed control.
KERB can be applied to all soil types, therefore allowing its use in many areas where weed control is needed.KERB is the ideal herbicide for forestry and woodland (including farm forestry), ornamental shrubberies and rose beds, hedges, fence lines and gravel pathways.
Young trees can all too easily be lost to the choking effect of weeds. Conifers and Norway spruce grown for Christmas tree production can be treated with KERB without any risk of phytotoxicity.It is safe to apply over the leaves of all popular tree species without risk of damage.
KERB requires soil moisture for root uptake to take place. The best residual action is therefore achieved in moist, cold soils. Although KERB can be applied in all weather conditions, application on top of snow, or to severely frozen ground should be avoided if there is any risk of surface run-off.
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