Picture of Rachel Banks in a crop of wheat

Weed Management: The ultimate guide

Weed control in cereals

Weeds take light, nutrients and water from the crop. They rob yield and affect the profitability of crop production. Effective weed control is a priority from drilling until harvest. In cereals, grass weeds like black grass, Italian rye-grass and brome are the biggest threat but broad leaf weeds cause problems too. Integrated weed management which uses a diverse mix of cultural and chemical control is the best long-term method for weed control. This Guide outlines the most important steps for a successful weed control programme.

Grass weed management guides

Our grass weed management infographics for black grass, brome and Italian rye-grass provide you with all of the information you need to manage weeds effectively this autumn, from cultural control methods to pre-em application timing and technique.

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Key products for autumn cereal herbicides

Herbicides
Proclus®
A highly effective residual herbicide for the control of black grass, Italian rye-grass, brome and other grass weeds and broadleaf weed species. For use in winter wheat and winter barley.
Herbicides
Alternator Met
Alternator Met is an effective tool for weed control in winter barley and winter wheat. Suitable for use at pre-emergence and as a residual top up.
Herbicides
Cadou Met
A contact and residual herbicide for pre and post-crop emergence use against a range of annual grasses and broad- leaved weeds in winter wheat and winter barley.
Herbicides
Octavian Met
Octavian Met controls grass-weeds and broad-leaf weeds in winter wheat and barley crops. It is suitable for pre-em and early post-em use. Containing three actives, it provides high levels of control.
Herbicides
Challenge Plus
Challenge Plus® is a pre-emergence herbicide for use against a range of annual grasses and broad leaved weeds in winter wheat and winter barley.
Herbicides
Mateno Star
Mateno® Star is a pre-emergence herbicide for use against a range of annual grasses and broad leaved weeds in winter wheat and winter barley.
Herbicides
Liberator
Liberator is the first step to effective grass-weed and broad-leaved weed control in winter wheat, winter barley, spring wheat and spring barley.

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Roundup

Control weeds out of the crop using cultivation and glyphosate to reduce the weed burden germinating in the crop. Learn about how to get the best result by using Roundup formulations which are proven to work in the toughest conditions.

Visit our Roundup Hub

Identify grass weed targets

Know your enemy and improve control of weeds. Understanding the dangers and weaknesses of the weeds on your farm helps build a robust control plan. Different grass weeds share many similarities but there are subtle differences which influence the management plan. Use the detailed grass weed control guides for black grass, Italian rye-grass, brome, wild oats, couch and meadow grass to fine tune your control strategy.

Black grass
Italian rye-grass
Brome
Wild Oats
Couch
Annual Meadow Grass

Managing weeds effectively

The goals of an IWM plan can be simply stated as follows:

Suppress weed growth and biomass accumulation to limit their ability to decrease yield
Minimise weed seed production to limit the return of seeds into the soil seed bank
Deplete weed seed reserves in the soil to minimise germination in subsequent years
Prevent or reduce the spread of weeds to keep problems away from non-problem areas

Next > Protecting your crop

Integrated weed management

Integrated Weed Management (IWM) aims for sustainable control and management of weeds using methods designed to complement each other. It involves physical, chemical and biological methods of control without excessive reliance on any one technique. The purpose of IWM is to reduce weed pressure and keep weeds at low levels. The desired outcome is to put weeds off balance making it easier for a herbicide to do its job — which is to protect the yield potential of a crop.