A strategy to reduce black-grass

The use of the residual herbicide Avadex Excel 15G has increased year on year for the past eight years and demand is expected to increase once again this autumn.

“Why? It is because Avadex (tri-allate) applied pre-emergence is regarded as the essential start to any black-grass programme in cereals. Its use in a programme along with flufenacet-based herbicide can add on average 15% control of this very difficult and competitive grass-weed, “says Dominic Lamb, country head for UK and Ireland for Gowan.

He continues “Contractors have responded well and played a very important role in this growth by offering Avadex granule application services across the UK. Gowan continue to maintain a current list of contractors, listed by counties, on their website www.Avadex.co.uk.”

To get the best from Avadex granules, it is vital that the applicator is calibrated correctly when applying 15kg per hectare and that the granules are applied evenly across the boom width. “The correct amount of herbicide granule must be delivered down each pipe and a patternation test carried out along with the calibration. Black-grass is such a competitive weed that accurate and even application is essential.,” says Dominic.

Black-grass remains the scourge of most arable farmers and together with cultural control methods, Avadex and flufenacet-herbicides in the herbicide stack would be the most popular start to its control in winter wheat and winter barley. Avadex granules are approved for use in winter and spring wheat, winter barley and spring barley, with EAMUs for winter rye and triticale, winter and spring linseed, Canary grass and Miscanthus. In a programme it adds to the overall black-grass control as well as having an effect on wild- oats, rye-grass and brome species. Avadex also has some effect on key broad leaved including cleavers, charlock, chickweed, poppy, field pansy, speedwell, forget-me-now, fumitory, mayweeds and red deadnettle.

Dr. Lamb urges contractors to be ready and sufficiently tooled up to satisfy the increasing demand for Avadex granules this autumn. “This is a call to arms! Farmers need to book their contractor sooner rather than later and contractors need to be ready to get going.”