Powerful partners for spring spray-out

1 September 2016

A new non-selective herbicide from Nufarm is highly effective at eliminating grass weeds that would otherwise compromise the establishment and yield of spring-sown crop or pasture.

WeedMaster® TS540 glyphosate is a patented formulation that contains 540 grams per litre glyphosate with a blend of both potassium and isopropylamine salts. By combining these two salts into one formulation, Nufarm have developed technology that enables faster uptake, better efficacy and consistent results in the field.

However, grass weeds are not the only potential problem standing between you and a profitable, successful outcome. While WeedMaster TS540 controls a wide range of broadleaf weeds, several common broadleaf weeds including clovers, yarrow, dock and buttercup require their own specialised herbicide strategy.

As a result, the practice of combining WeedMaster TS540 with certain companion herbicides – sometimes called ‘spikes’ – is becoming increasingly popular, especially as farmers concentrate on maximising the amount of dry matter per hectare (DM/ha) grown on farm.

Companion broadleaf herbicides currently available include Archer®, Charter™ 750WDG, Sero™ WG, Nail® EC and Kamba® 500. While each has a different use, they are all powerful partners for WeedMaster TS540.

To get the best out of these products, it’s important to know which existing broadleaf weeds are present in paddocks selected for spring sowing. Correct identification of weed species at an early stage is critical so you can pick the right herbicide to tank mix with WeedMaster TS540. Otherwise you may end up adding a chemical that does not affect the weeds you need to eradicate.

If you’re not certain which weed species are present in your paddocks, your local Fonterra Farm Source TSR is always happy to help identify these with you.

Another factor to consider is whether your chosen companion herbicide has any grazing withholding period (WHP) and, if so, how long this might be. With WeedMaster TS540 you can graze, cultivate or drill three days after treatment for perennial weeds whereas Charter has a seven-day grazing WHP, Kamba has two weeks and Archer, Sero and Nail have none.

Plantback restrictions also need to be weighed up well ahead of time, particularly if you plan on sowing fodder beet. Nail is the only companion herbicide in this range with a nil plantback for all crops, including fodder beet, chicory and plantain.

When the time comes to apply WeedMaster TS540 and your chosen partner herbicide, be aware the mixing process itself influences the final result because there can be compatibility issues if the chemicals are not combined correctly.

The most common mistake is not having enough water in the spray tank before adding the herbicides, so always fill the tank with two-thirds to three quarters of water first. Then add each product according to its formulation type, in the following order: wettable powder or water dispersible granule (WP or WDG); suspension concentrate (SC); emulsifiable concentrate (EC); soluble liquid (SL); WeedMaster TS540 and Pulse Penetrant last.

Contact your local Fonterra Farm Source TSR to help you decide on the right weed spray programme for your farm this spring.

Article supplied by Nufarm