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Annual meadow grass control in wheat simplified by new herbicide
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Corteva Agriscience™ is a world-leading crop protection and seeds business focused on delivering the solutions UK and Irish agriculture needs to succeed.
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With its short life cycle and resilience to both wet and hot conditions, it’s no surprise that annual meadow grass is the most common grass weed in the UK.
Left unchecked, it can impact straw quality at harvest while also returning seed to the soil which remains viable for up to five years.
This spring, UK growers will have a new tool in the armoury to fight annual meadow grass, alongside a wide range of grass and broad-leaved weeds.
Broadway® Ultra from Corteva Agriscience, builds on the long-term success of Broadway® Star and is set to become an essential part of early spring weed control.
© Corteva Agriscience
The annual meadow grass challenge
Common and persistent, annual meadow grass is highly adaptable, thriving in fertile soils and prevalent in traditional rotations.
The grass weed is also encouraged where min till establishment is favoured.
Its ability to survive in a variety of conditions, including waterlogging and heat stress, makes it a significant challenge for growers.
Germination happens between November and April and reproduction takes as little as six weeks, making early, robust control vital to avoiding the problem increasing.
© Corteva Agriscience
One of the most notable problems is its impact on harvest quality.
Annual meadow grass can increase the moisture content in straw at harvest, slowing down the process and reducing the quality of the crop.
Wide spectrum of weed control
Broadway Ultra combines two active ingredients: pyroxsulam and mesosulfuron. This powerful duo offers an upgrade over the previous formulation, Broadway Star, by adding control of annual meadow grass to its label.
Pyroxsulam is already known for its effective control of brome, ryegrass, tame oats, wild oats and loose silky bent, while mesosulfuron broadens its action, providing control of weeds such as meadow grass, chickweed, sow thistle, and shepherd’s purse.
© Corteva Agriscience
Corteva’s trials have shown that Broadway Ultra is equivalent to other herbicides containing mesosulfuron in controlling meadow grass.
Timing your Broadway Ultra application
Broadway Ultra is suitable for use on winter wheat and triticale crops, with an application window from the start of the year up to the 15th of May.
The wettable granule should be applied at a rate of 100g/ha, with the addition of an approved adjuvant to enhance its effectiveness.
Growers are encouraged to treat weeds when they are small and actively growing, as this leads to the best results.
© Corteva Agriscience
The herbicide can be particularly beneficial in seasons where residual weed control programmes have been compromised, such as following wet autumns or in fields with minimal chemical applications.
Broadway Ultra is versatile, working well on lighter soils, and is an ideal solution for late-drilled crops following sugar beet or potatoes, where residual herbicides may not have been applied.
Product stewardship
One of the standout features of Broadway Ultra is its compatibility with a wide range of other herbicides.
The product can also be tank-mixed with other ALS (acetolactate synthase) inhibitors for boosting broad-leaved weed control should it be required. To ensure safe and effective application, a reducible five-metre buffer zone should be maintained, and sprayer tanks should be thoroughly cleaned with a proprietary tank cleaner, such as All Clear Extra after use, especially before applications to sensitive crops.
For more information on Broadway Ultra, visit the product page or watch the video below. Corteva’s Hotline is available to support growers and agronomists. Contact 0800 689 8899 or email ukhotline@corteva.com