Syngenta’s herbicide Milagro with a rapeseed oil adjuvant improves weed control

Date:05-28-2014

Maize growers can now achieve better post-emergence grass weed control from the Syngenta herbicide, Milagro (nicosulfuron), applied in combination with a rapeseed oil adjuvant.

Trials have shown the combination gives better control than previous nicosulfuron formulations, particularly when tackling larger weeds, at GS 14/15, says the company.

According to Syngenta field technical manager Simon Roberts, pre-emergence herbicide applications had been seriously disrupted by wet and windy conditions since maize drilling.

“However, the soil moisture and warming conditions have resulted in rapid emergence of weeds, including black-grass, rye-grass and wild oats - along with a wide spectrum of broadleaved weeds,” he says.

In trials, the combination of Milagro 240 OD plus esterified rapeseed oil achieved a 70 per cent improvement on overall control across a range of grass-weeds and at different weed sizes compared to older nicosulfuron formulations, adds Mr Roberts.

Efficacy

For broadleaved weeds, the combination of Milagro and oil improved both the overall levels of weed control, and the efficacy on a wider spectrum of weeds, he adds.

“For maize grown in the arable rotation, Milagro has been shown to achieve high levels of black-grass control right through to GS15,” says Mr Roberts.

“Where Milagro is being used alone we would advocate addition of the oil. However, when used in conjunction with Callisto or Calaris to target specific weeds and add residual activity, no further oil adjuvant is required,” he adds.