Early Herbicide Choices
There are many decisions to be made when planning Autumn cereals drilling, cultivation choices, variety, seed rate, drilling date and getting the best weed control to set the crop off to a good start. But with a multitude of herbicides on the market, and limited time to do the research, how do you make the right decision? The following information has been put together to guide you through the maze.
To achieve the maximum potential of your crop you need it to get off to the best start and it can only do that if it’s planted in the right conditions with no competition from weeds.
Black-grass is the biggest problem for most cereal farmers. A black-grass population of 300 heads per square meter will lose £615.60* per hectare at today’s prices, so it’s not something that growers should cut corners with.
But it’s not the only weed that you should consider when planning autumn cropping. Ryegrass, Bromes and Annual Meadow Grass can be a real headache for many growers and also need thinking about to ensure your chemical choices are getting you the best start.
The first step in any weed control and cultivations strategy is to know your enemy. You need to know the resistance status of your weed populations and where the seeds are situated in the soil to be able to plan the best control strategy.
Once you know what you’re dealing with, your choice of cultivations becomes easier as you’ll know how much soil to move and whether you should consider ploughing as an option to bury the weed seeds and start afresh or a min till or direct drill approach to leave seeds on the soil surface for control with a total herbicide before drilling.
It’s essential to pick the right product for the weed you’re targeting to gain maximum control. Timing and application techniques are also vital components of the product choice strategy.
Pre-emergence chemical application is always the best time for weed control, the target (soil) is easier to hit that a needle sized weed poking through the soil surface. Weeds are at their most vulnerable at that time.
