The pre-emergence strategy your wheat crop has been waiting for

The new cereals season is upon us, and with it all the jobs that need doing to achieve the best possible harvest in a few months’ time. Chief among these is weed control.  

The best weed-control strategy is one that tackles the problem from a variety of angles by integrating cultivation practices, chemical solutions and optimal application. A herbicide-resistant and highly problematic weed such as ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is a good example of how the theory of integrated weed control plays out in practice.

With ryegrass, strategically timed deep tillage is known to be a cornerstone of an effective weed-management strategy. It is, however, not an option if you are a no-till wheat grower. In your case, pre-emergence herbicides are essential to keep ryegrass under control and given that you do not till to prepare smooth seedbeds, you also need specialised application solutions to make sure the products reach their targets. 

Syngenta has a herbicide and nozzle combination that ticks all these boxes.

From a product point of view, the combined use of BOXER® and LOGRAN® provides excellent control of ryegrass on two fronts. As pre-emergence herbicides, the duo help to drive down weed numbers and limit the damage weeds do when they compete aggressively with the crop early in the season. Secondly, pre-emergence herbicides have a different mode of action to post-emergence products, which helps to prevent and manage the development of resistance. Together, BOXER® and LOGRAN® can be relied upon to control a range of grass and broadleaf weeds in cereals. 

Even the best products cannot do their job if they are not applied properly. A well-prepared seedbed is a prerequisite for effective control, given that clumps of soil and organic material create breaches in the control barrier that the applied herbicide erects. Growers who use conservation tillage therefore face an application challenge – one that can be solved with the right nozzle choice. Angled nozzles have been proven to increase coverage behind clods and in other hard-to-reach places, increasing weed-control efficacy by up to 10%. 

Another application challenge is droplets not reaching their target due to drift. In addition to taking wind speed into account, nozzle choice can also be the solution. A nozzle with a 90% drift-reduction rating produces larger droplets and limits the number of droplets below 150 micron to 10% by volume. Large droplets tend to maintain their momentum and are less likely to evaporate than smaller droplets.

Syngenta’s 3D Ninety nozzle combines drift reduction with a 55-degree angle to achieve highly effective coverage under conditions that are generally regarded as unsuitable for application success. The result of 15 years of nozzle research, the 3D Ninety allows you to continue spraying when conditions turn unfavourable for traditional nozzles thereby increasing productivity, while the aggressive angle delivers enhanced coverage. 

The combined pre-emergence muscle power of BOXER®, LOGRAN® and 3D Ninety nozzles should top your wheat success strategy this coming planting season.