Extensions of herbicide use for spring crops

Reflecting the need for effective early weed control in spring crops, BASF has gained off-label approvals for some of its picolinafen + pendimethalin herbicide brands.

Picolinafen + pendimethalin, previously only approved for winter wheat and barley, can now be used as a pre-emergence herbicide in both spring wheat and spring barley, as well as game cover crops.

Growers and advisors can consult the CRD website to see which brands are approved for use.

This approval is also accepted by the BBPA and the BRI for spring malting barley for brewing.

The complementary activity of pendimethalin and picolinafen, provides excellent residual and contact activity on a wide range of broad leaved weeds, including poppy, fumitory, crane’s bill and cleavers, and also control of meadow grass at up to one to two leaves.

Picolinafen + pendimethalin also provides a residual base for wild-oats, rye-grass and black-grass programmes.

"In light of current conditions it is particularly useful that the activity of Pico is not affected by growing conditions so it can be applied when there is a spray opportunity as there is no danger from leaching, and as there are no residues left for following crops after harvest, there are no specific cultivation requirements," said Sarah Mountford-Smith, herbicide product manager for BASF.

"Dose rate is flexible depending on the weed population. For tough weeds such as crane’s-bill and cleavers the full dose of 3l/ha is recommended."

"Having an additional tool in the armoury particularly against annual meadow-grass is really positive news for barley growers this spring, as this weed becomes increasingly difficult to control. Once it gets a hold, meadow-grass is aggressive and spreads quickly; it can squeeze two life cycles into one growing season, and is a prolific shedder of seed with one plant producing 500 seeds."

"Meadow-grass can persist right up to harvest, and impacts the moisture content and subsequent drying of the crop, so it is best to remove the weed as early as possible."

"As a non-SU option for pre-emergence control, picolinafen + pendimethalin is also a good choice for resistance management, when there are increasing concerns over broad leaved weed resistance,” said Mountford-Smith.