Herbicide SOLA improves weed control in spring rape

A specific off-label approval for Galera (picloram + clopyralid) for use on spring oilseed rape varieties has been given to United Oilseeds by the Pesticides Safety Directorate.

Few reliable herbicides are available for spring rape so Galera’s SOLA is welcome news for growers. Benefits include reducing yield losses and cleaning costs associated with broad-leaved weed problems, especially the highly competitive cleavers that until now have gone uncontrolled in spring crops

“Spring rape is significantly less competitive than winter crops, and can suffer heavy yield penalties from early weed competition,” explains United Oilseeds’ Richard Elsdon. “With our Nexera spring rape variety achieving a good premium market we were keen to find a weed control solution for our growers, and are delighted to be granted a SOLA for Galera.”

Galera is already used extensively in winter oilseed rape for mayweed, sow-thistle and cleavers control. It provides a more rapid action and better control of mayweed and thistle species than Dow Shield (clopyralid), as well as providing good control of groundsel and black bindweed. But its great advantage is the level of cleavers control, reducing yield losses, removing the seed as a grain contaminant and lowering cleaning costs.

Galera is applied at 0.35 l/ha from when the crop has two true leaves up to just before the green buds extend above the crop leaf canopy.