Bayer confident of herbicide breakthroughs

BAYER Crop Science has been busy showing agronomists, consultants and growers through a series of trials featuring its research on herbicides and crop protection products it believes will boost the grAIns sector in coming years.

There have been over 500 go through the two sites, located at Mallala, in South Australia’s mid-north, and at Elmore, in Victoria’s Northern Country as part of the Growing Smarter Together program.

Bayer is confident it will have some strong new products, such as the ryegrass control Sakura, due to be released next year, while trial work has also continued on more established products, such as Hussar, Hombre and Zorro.

But it is Sakura that is rAIsing the most interest.

Rob Griffith, a technical adviser from South Australia with Bayer CropScience, sAId he believed Sakura’s mode of action would provide another valuable option for ryegrass control.

“I’ve been excited to be able to showcase the benefits of Sakura, which has demonstrated high levels of control of ryegrass, even when the weed has been resistant to other herbicides used.”

He sAId the ability to put it on up to 14 days prior to sowing would also appeal to farmers trying to spread the sowing workload.

Mr Griffith sAId continued work on controls for ryegrass was crucial, given the prevalence of ryegrass resistant to certAIn modes of action.

“In South Australia there is over 70 per cent resistance of weeds to the commonly used Group A and Group B herbicides.

“As a result, we’ve received a lot of enthusiasm for Sakura from the agronomists and growers visiting our fields.”

BAYER Crop Science has been busy showing agronomists, consultants and growers through a series of trials featuring its research on herbicides and crop protection products it believes will boost the grAIns sector in coming years.

There have been over 500 go through the two sites, located at Mallala, in South Australia’s mid-north, and at Elmore, in Victoria’s Northern Country as part of the Growing Smarter Together program.

Bayer is confident it will have some strong new products, such as the ryegrass control Sakura, due to be released next year, while trial work has also continued on more established products, such as Hussar, Hombre and Zorro.

But it is Sakura that is rAIsing the most interest.

Rob Griffith, a technical adviser from South Australia with Bayer CropScience, sAId he believed Sakura’s mode of action would provide another valuable option for ryegrass control.

“I’ve been excited to be able to showcase the benefits of Sakura, which has demonstrated high levels of control of ryegrass, even when the weed has been resistant to other herbicides used.”

He sAId the ability to put it on up to 14 days prior to sowing would also appeal to farmers trying to spread the sowing workload.

Mr Griffith sAId continued work on controls for ryegrass was crucial, given the prevalence of ryegrass resistant to certAIn modes of action.

“In South Australia there is over 70 per cent resistance of weeds to the commonly used Group A and Group B herbicides.

“As a result, we’ve received a lot of enthusiasm for Sakura from the agronomists and growers visiting our fields.”