Blackgrass monitoring highlights need to prepare for post-em treatments

Blackgrass emergence is underway and coupled with recent rainfall and warm soils, Dow AgroSciences is advising farmers to plan post-emergence treatments for best effect against the number one enemy for most winter wheat growers.

The Dow AgroSciences Grassweed Emergence Monitor has shown that despite recent dry conditions, grassweeds are on the move. Blackgrass, sterile brome and Italian ryegrass had all begun to emerge during the past week at most of the five sites.

"The past few days have seen significant rainfall onto warm soils, so blackgrass emergence can be expected to speed up dramatically," says Dow AgroSciences grassweed expert Stuart Jackson.

"The best control from post-emergence treatments, such as Broadway Sunrise and the newly-launched GF-2070, is achieved by treating actively growing blackgrass at the one to two true leaf stage. With warm soils and temperatures still relatively high, both grass weeds and winter wheat will quickly go through these growth stages, so it is important to be prepared."

Broadway Sunrise, based on Dow AgroSciences’ innovative molecule pyroxsulam plus pendimethalin, will provide effective contact control of emerged grassweeds. And, it will deliver lasting residual action against later emerging weeds.

GF-2070, based on pyroxsulam with flupyrsulfuron-methyl again off

ers outstanding contact and residual activity against blackgrass and the most extensive range of other grassweeds.

There are no following crop restrictions for either product which means oilseed rape can be drilled after a winter wheat crop has been treated without the need for specific cultivations and any crop can be sown the following spring.

"Both products are ideal treatments when emerged grass weeds are growing rapidly, but there are still more to emerge," says Mr Jackson. "In addition, thanks to the pyroxsulam content they will also control an extensive range of broadleaved weeds – which is a real bonus for any winter wheat grower," said Mr Jackson.