Mission is perfectly possible
Ridding potato crops of weed competition has become a much more complicated task this year as fewer key active ingredients are now registered and others have been restricted in their dose rates. A novel formulation of diquat, Mission will come to the rescue of many growers, who have been forced into looking for alternative practical solutions to their weed control problems in potatoes.
"A number of potato herbicides, terbutryne, terbuthylazine and monolinuron for example, have all been lost through lack of support through re-registration. Last year the registration of paraquat as in PDQ was annulled, which was a major blow for potato growers. This year growers will have to contend with an imposed lower dose rate of linuron, down to just 600 gms a.i./hectare. This is about half what we have been using in the past and really turns it into a mixer product only. Because of these radical changes, growers are being forced to take a different tack and adopt new ways of controlling weeds in potatoes," explains Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm (UK) Ltd.
Containing 200 g/l of the total herbicide diquat, Mission is a useful alternative to paraquat and can be used alone or in mix with a residual for excellent broad-spectrum weed control. Mission is recommended pre-emergence up to 10% emergence of earlies and 40% emergence in maincrop potatoes. When mixed with a residual, its timing is pre-emergence. It is effective on broad-leaved weeds such as chickweed, cleavers, fat-hen, groundsel, knotgrass, speedwell and small nettle and has some activity on small meadow-grass.
"Diquat acts very rapidly, which is an advantage when you are mixing with linuron as it limits any uptake of the herbicide and so limits any potential for crop damage which can occur with slower-acting herbicides. Mission also has a flexible label allowing 2 l/ha plus non-ionic wetter for weed control, followed by a 4 l/ha for desiccation, not the case for all diquat products," says Dr. Stormonth.
Mission contains 200 g/litre paraquat as a water soluble concentrate formulation. It is approved for weed control in potatoes and in edible and non-edible row crops such as sugar beet and ornamentals. It is also approved as a desiccant for potatoes, oilseed rape, combining peas, red and white clover for seed, field beans, barley and oats for animal feed and linseed and for hop stripping. It is not subject to LERAP B and packed in a 5 litre pack. It is available via Interfarm distributors.
For further comment and information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk
