Stop cleavers early for top yield protection

Early control of cleavers is vital to protect winter cereals against the UK's most competitive weed, advises Dow AgroSciences.

Cleavers has a weed competition index of 5, far higher than any other UK weed. However, weed control products are so effective against the weed that farmers often delay treatment knowing that even large plants can be controlled.

"The wait and see approach all too often results in lost yield," says Dow AgroSciences’ cereal expert Stuart Jackson.

"Small actively growing plants can soon reduce yields unless they are treated. And it is clear that this season farmers will have to do all they can to prevent weeds reducing yields.”

Traditionally, early season cleavers control has not been simple due to the large fluctuation in day/ night temperatures which can reduce the effect of fluroxypyr-based products. Dow AgroSciences Spitfire is different thanks to the addition of florasulam to its unique formulation developed for the UK market.

“Spitfire will deliver effective cleavers control from early spring onwards even when there is considerable temperature variation with very cold nights,” says Mr Jackson.

"As soon as cleavers show active spring growth and where ground conditions permit travel, then an application of Spitfire will prevent the significant yield loss that can occur.”

Spitfire brings added convenience with recommendations for all the main winter and spring sown cereals. It can be tank-mixed with a wide range of other products to reduce the work load in a busy spring.

It offers a wide spectrum of broad-leaved weeds including poppies, brassica weeds, mayweeds and volunteer beans. In addition, it has a wide window of application – right up to GS39 in spring barley and wheat and up to GS45 in winter barley and wheat.

"Unlike products tailored to the cold, early spring. Spitfire is the single treatment that can be bought and used right through the season as conditions and work priorities permit. However, there is no doubt that early treatment is the one that will really pay dividends."