| Cereals
Weed control made simple at Cereals
Grass weeds and disease can decimate crops – and with chemical resistance on the rise it ’ s more important than ever to choose the most efficient control methods .
W hether it ’ s cutting edge new chemistry , or scientificallybacked advice , visitors to the Cereals Event ( 14-15 June ) will be able to gather every tool in the armoury . And this year , it will be even easier to pinpoint the most relevant stands with the introduction of the Blackgrass Knowledge Trail and the Weeds , Disease and Nutrition Knowledge Trail .
Amid the current glyphosate battle , growers are increasingly turning to more holistic management practices to tackle blackgrass . One of the most detrimental weeds to arable farmers , blackgrass affects approximately 54 % of cereal crops and in severe cases causes a 50 % yield reduction . Yara is therefore looking at all methods of control , in particular , emphasising the role crop nutrition can play .
“ While it is widely accepted that cultural controls - ploughing , rotation , and drilling date - are essential components of the blackgrass strategy , it is rare to see crop nutrition mentioned in the debate ,” says Mark Tucker , head of agronomy at Yara UK . “ Delaying drilling can help control blackgrass by 30 % but this does leave crops coping with wetter soils that are less aerated , reducing nutrient availability .
“ Late autumn or spring nutrition ( including foliar applications ) can recover some of the crop biomass that has been lost due to the poor conditions and provide plants with the necessary competitiveness to keep blackgrass in check .”
In the ever-popular Bayer black-grass area , visitors will be able to talk through all aspects of control programmes from cultural management , such as spring cropping and delayed drilling to new chemical options , including Hamlet ( iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron + diflufenican ), Monolith ( mesosulfuron + propoxycarbazone ) and a new pre-emergence black-grass herbicide .
“ This year we are bringing our weed-screen to Cereals , which will allow growers to see herbicide performance from new and current options across a range of grassweeds , including different resistant strains of blackgrass ,” Ben Coombs , Bayer ’ s Campaign Manager for Cereal Herbicides , says .
Certis will also be featuring on the Blackgrass Knowledge Trail and offering top tips on how farmers should conduct a ‘ blackgrass audit ’ and assess their approach ahead of the autumn . “ June is a perfect time to take samples to understand the resistance status on your farm , while thinking of mapping your fields to determine areas that might benefit from spraying off to reduce seed return ,” says Certis technical manager , Adrian Sisson .
Management of other weeds and diseases is similarly multi-faceted , and with so many pesticides and herbicides on the market its often easy to lose track of the best available products .
One of the exhibitors to be showcasing a cutting edge new product this year is Syngenta . Its new SDHI fungicide , ELATUS™ ERA , was 15 years in the making and provides control against a broad spectrum of diseases , including brown rust , ramularia and fusarium .
“ Registered for use on wheat , barley and rye at a maximum rate of 1l / ha ELATUS™ ERA is able to consistently deliver increased yields due to its ability to enhance green leaf area ,” says Jason Tatnell , technical indication expert at Syngenta . “ It also offers excellent activity on Septoria tritici which is really encouraging for prospective users .”
Dow AgroSciences will be exhibiting its brand-new cereal herbicide - Zypar . Promising robust control of broad-leaved weeds in both the autumn and spring , Zypar works well in cold and variable conditions , says Dow ’ s cereal herbicide product manager , Alex Nichols .
“ Efficiency is king in modern day agriculture ,” he adds . “ Many farms don ’ t have the time or the money to take several passes to control broad-leaved weeds – they want something that will do everything at once .”
Griffith Elder demonstrating at Cereals 2017
At this year ’ s Cereals event ( Stand 1056 ) Griffith Elder the ‘ Weighing specialists ’ will have on show a wide range of their Farm weighing equipment from multi axle and portable weighbridges to ‘ on board ’ weighing and spreading control for manure and fertilizer spreaders .
N ew for this year will be a dedicated demonstration area adjacent to the Griffith Elder stand which will provide visitors with the opportunity to see at ‘ first hand ’ working demonstrations of the new generation of portable weigh beams .
Designed to be fully portable around the Farm and manufactured from welded steel for rugged farm use , these ‘ easy to use ’ weigh beams can be used for loads of up to 60 tons and are offered in two sizes 2.8 or 4.2 meters . The beams are ‘ Factory calibrated ’ so no special on site set up is needed , and together with a FOB system provide a quick , automatic ‘ single driver ’ operation for both small and large vehicles . Optional equipment includes a Traffic light system and a large LED indicator display to tell the driver when to move ‘ on and off ’ the weighbridge .
A removable USB stick allows each record to be output to a spreadsheet , with excel compatibility , providing accurate data for calculating crop yields and what is being stored , all of which , provides vital economic benefits for today ’ s cost conscious Farmer .
Griffith Elder weighing products have over the last three decades , earned a first class reputation for accurate performance and life time reliability with many satisfied customers both in the UK and overseas .
So make a note a note in your diary visit the Griffith Elder stand and ‘ weigh up your options ’!
Visit www . griffith-elder . com
38 | Farming Monthly | May 2017 www . farmingmonthly . co . uk