Wheat growers have held back on their pre-emergence herbicide treatments as seedbeds have been so dry and cobbly and they are waiting until conditions and soil moisture in particular improve. This scenario plays right into the hands of the new residual and contact-acting herbicide SumiMax, as its optimal performance is early post-emergence when weeds are between the one and three-leaf stage, says Interfarm UK Ltd.
"Farmers don't want to commit to the expense of pre-ems under adverse dry conditions, particularly when grass-weed germination is so protracted. It is fortuitous that the new herbicide SumiMax, which offers excellent control of broad-leaved weeds and valuable control of annual meadow-grass, rye-grass and black-grass, works best when applied early post-emergence. This would normally be from the beginning of October up to around the end of November. It also offers excellent residual activity which will cope with the extended weed germination this autumn," says Dr David Stormonth, Technical Manager for Interfarm UK Ltd.
He explains that flumioxazin, the unique active ingredient in SumiMax, works in a different way from all other herbicides currently in use in winter wheat. "In trials, applied early post-emergence at 100ml/hectare when weeds were between the one and three-leaf stage, flumioxazin gave 100% control of charlock, chickweed, fumitory, groundsel, field pansy, red deadnettle, ivy-leaved speedwell and mayweed, 99% control of cleavers, common field speedwell and Shepherds purse and 98% control of poppy. In fact in over 80 trials we never had to overspray in the spring for broad-leaved weeds, even those weeds that are regarded as difficult to control," claims Dr. Stormonth.
"Flumioxazin also gave up to 90% control of annual meadow-grass, 80% control of rye-grass and 65% control of black-grass, applied early post-emergence," he says.
This year David advises growers to wait for the optimum timing for SumiMax and not waste their money on applying a pre-emergence herbicide when conditions are not optimal for their performance. "For optimal performance of SumiMax, weeds should be 1-3 leaves and the crop should be hardened off by cooler weather. Ideally the soil should be moist. As is the case for most post-emergence herbicides, it is best to avoid soft or lush crops, waterlogged crops or crops under stress. The use of a tank cleaner is recommended after spraying."
"SumiMax fits into most weed situations either alone or as the foundation product in a herbicide programme. In non-black-grass situations, it is already being seen as the advanced solution for the non-IPU era, offering season-long and consistent control of Annual Meadow-grass and a wide range of broad-leaved weeds," says Dr. Stormonth.
For black-grass situations, it is helpful for growers that SumiMax can be tank mixed with a range of grass-weed herbicides and that it can be sequenced with any other herbicide or group. "In black-grass situations flumioxazin fits in very early post emergence when black-grass has 1-2 leaves. Here it can be mixed with other partner herbicides such as Liberator (flufenacet and DFF), Defy (prosulfocarb), chlorotoluron or IPU. It can then be followed up by Atlantis (mesosulfuron-methyl and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium) later in the autumn. Alternatively it can be used with Lexus (flupyrsulfuron-methyl) early post-emergence. Having no following crop restrictions or following cultivation issues makes SumiMax a very flexible herbicide to use in any weed control programme," says David.
SumiMax contains 300 gms ai/litre flumioxazin formulated as a suspension concentrate and is packed in a 500 ml pack. Recommended on all varieties of winter wheat, it is recommended pre or post-emergence up to before GS 15 for the control of a wide range of broad-leaved weeds and grass-weeds. It is recommended at 100ml/ha in 200 litres of water, with one application per crop. It has both residual and contact activity, affecting weeds via leaves, stems and emerging roots and shoots. It is compatible with a wide range of relevant autumn products but should not be used with any adjuvants. It can be sequenced with any product including sulphonylureas, but allow a 14 day interval. The use of a proprietary tank cleaner is recommended immediately after spraying to thoroughly clean all spray equipment, including booms, pumps, filters and lids. Flumioxazin is also available as Digital and Guillotine.
