Top Questions To Our Technical Helpline - November 2013

Again the helpline has been relatively busy over the past few weeks as growers in many areas have made the most of the limited spraying opportunities. It has been pleasing to hear that those residuals which were applied with moisture available have worked reasonably well.

Typical questions coming into the helpline now are:

1) Because of the adverse weather in my area I was not able to get on with my planned pre-emergence programme. Should I continue with the Liberator (diflufenican + flufenacet) on its own or should I apply an early Atlantis WG (iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron) + biopower + Liberator application?

Liberator will have some activity on black-grass up to the one leaf stage of the black-grass. Where the black-grass is approaching the 2 leaf stage growers should change to a post-emergence application of Atlantis WG 0.4 Kg/ha + biopower 1 L/ha + Liberator 0.6 L/ha. Wheat crops should be at the 2 leaf stage.

2) Will Liberator or Atlantis WG control volunteer beans?

Neither of these products will give reliable control of volunteer beans. Where beans are shading the black-grass these should be removed first with a fluroxypyr based product.

3) Will Liberator or Atlantis WG control volunteer linseed?

Liberator 0.6 L/ha (60 g/ha dff) when applied pre-emergence can have some activity on emerging linseed. Where the linseed has emerged neither Liberator or Atlantis WG will give control. Fluroxypyr is the product of choice for control of emerged volunteer linseed.