Australia - Valor^® EZE adds convenience when tackling problem winter weeds

Date:02-07-2023

With the steady increase in herbicide resistance in mixed cropping areas and the need for more flexible weed control strategies, growers and their advisors will have a highly flexible and effective new tool at their disposal with Valor EZE* herbicide this year.
Extensively tested under Australian conditions, Valor EZE herbicide is a brand-new formulation from Sumitomo Chemical Australia, expected to be registered in February 2023 in time for this year’s winter crop planting.

Valor EZE:

• Is a new highly convenient suspension concentrate (SC) liquid formulation of the original Valor herbicide.

• Has new residual weed control recommendations when planting winter crops.

• Controls or suppresses key problem weeds including weeds resistant to other herbicides, both grass and broadleaf weeds.

• Offers long lasting residual weed control often taking out multiple germinations.

• Has short and flexible re-cropping intervals.

• May be used prior to winter crops, lucerne, summer crops or in fallow maintenance.

With Valor EZE, Sumitomo listened to grower’s requests for a more convenient liquid formulation without the hassle associated with water-soluble bags and foil sachets. The result is a highly convenient new liquid formulation with excellent compatibility and mixing properties, set to be available in a 10 litre drum.

With the release of the new Valor EZE formulation also comes a suite of new crop registrations that now expands its uses into a range of winter crops, including:

• Wheat

• Chickpeas

• Faba beans

• Lentils

• Field peas, and

• Lucerne

Valor has become well known for its effective and long-lasting pre-emergence control of a broad range of problem weeds in the fallow period and when planting summer crops. Now, with the launch of the new EZE formulation, winter crop growers will also be able to take advantage of the strength and versatility of Valor EZE’s weed control.

Arguably the biggest benefit of Valor EZE’s new winter crop registrations is its Group 14 herbicide mode of action. Valor EZE’s active ingredient has no recorded resistance in Australia to any weed species as yet. To-date, this has been an underutilised group for residual weed control in winter crops.

Another key benefit Valor EZE offers growers is its highly flexible re-cropping intervals and its ability to not restrict growers’ options in a mixed cropping enterprise.

With some of the shortest and most flexible re-cropping intervals available from a residual herbicide, growers can have the confidence they won’t be locked out of particular crop options following a Valor EZE application.

Whilst Valor EZE can provide excellent standalone weed control, Sumitomo also recommend Valor EZE as an excellent tank mix partner for boosting weed control, or simply adding the backup of a Group 14 mode of action herbicide.

Mixtures with products like trifluralin, Boxer Gold^®, simazine, terbuthylazine and imazethapyr can be an excellent way of boosting weed control as well as implementing resistance management in winter crops.

*Valor EXE registration pending APVMA, expected approval in February 2023.