Just the right weed spectrum for Scotland

Winter wheat in Scotland has a full range of weeds to tackle and the contact and residual herbicide flumioxazin (FMX) is being tested out on a much wider scale this year, according to Andrew Gilchrist who heads up Scotland’s leading independent advice organisation, Scottish Agronomy.

"In Scotland we have a full weed spectrum to tackle, with the exception of black-grass and lower levels of brome – meadow-grasses, cleavers, mayweeds, chickweed, fumitory groundsel and pansy all need to be considered in our weed control strategy. In the past we have relied on IPU and chlorotoluron with some DFF but now, with a price adjustment making its use more attractive and cost-effective, we have been and will be using a lot more flumioxazin (FMX) in the programme. It has just the right weed spectrum for Scotland and controls many difficult-to-control weeds such as fumitory and groundsel that other herbicides simply miss. As far as I can see it has no significant weed gaps," he notes.

Andrew Gilchrist explains that he is keen to apply herbicides early in order to get rid of weed competition early. "Sold as Digital, FMX is recommended pre-emergence and post-emergence up to before GS 15, when the crop has 5 leaves on the main tiller, which gives us a good weed window to go for. We have found that FMX has similar crop safety to IPU and DFF and providing crops are hardened off, which they have been this autumn, I would anticipate no particular crop issues. This year wheat has grown through slowly and crops are not overly soft. Just to make sure I would not tank-mix FMX with anything in potentially vulnerable crops."

Dr. David Stormonth of Interfarm UK Ltd points out that in trials, Digital has given 100% control of charlock, chickweed, cranes-bill, fumitory, field pansy, groundsel, ivy-leaved speedwell, mayweed and red deadnettle, 99% control of cleavers, common field speedwell and Shepherd’s purse and 98% control of poppy. "It also performs very well on annual meadow-grass, resulting in 95% control. For meadow-grass, Digital can be used alone at 0.1 l/ha or mixed with Liberator also at 0.1 l/ha if weed populations are particularly high."

David advises that when Digital is applied post-emergence, crops should be sufficiently hardened off. "From the PPO inhibitor group, flumioxazin (FMX) has strong contact activity as well as residual activity. Crops need to be reasonably hardened to reduce any risk of foliar spotting. Frost will harden off emerged crops making them OK to treat. I would not treat soft crops, lush crops, waterlogged crops or crops under stress, however."

Dr. Stormonth points out that Digital is straight-forward to use in a weed control programme. "It has no complications or restrictions when it comes to wheat varieties, sequencing with other herbicides, following crops or cultivations, making it easy to integrate in with other autumn or spring-applied herbicides. You can use what you want in sequence, including sulphonylureas, providing a 14 day interval is applied."

®Digital contains 300 gm ai/litre flumioxazin, formulated as a white, non-staining, easy-to-use suspension concentrate, packed in a 500 ml pack. Recommended in winter wheat, it can be used pre or post-emergence up to before GS 15 for the control of a wide range of broad-leaved weeds, including charlock, chickweed, cleavers, common field speedwell, common poppy, field pansy, fumitory, groundsel, ivy-leaved speedwell, mayweed, red deadnettle and Shepherd’s purse, and grass-weeds, including annual meadow-grass and loose silky bent. It is recommended at 100 ml/ha in 200 litres of water, with one application per crop. It has residual and contact activity. It should not be mixed with any adjuvants or with pendimethalin containing products. Don’t forget the use of a proprietary tank cleaner before and after spraying to thoroughly clean all spray equipment, including booms, pumps, filters and lids.