Farmers across Australia now have a powerful new tool to combat resistant weeds following the approval for use of Esplanade herbicide on grazed and non-crop areas.
Segment business manager at Envu, Paul Crack, says Esplanade herbicide gives farmers a new option to manage farm fence line weeds through a new mode of action that has a low use rate and a long residual of six to eight months’ control.
He says with weed resistance often originating from fence lines on properties, the approval from the APVMA for Esplanade to control damaging weeds such as ryegrass is a game changer for agricultural industries.
The new approval allows Esplanade herbicide to be used in a number of expanded areas, including farm fence lines, infrastructure and rangeland situations where grazing occurs.
Mr Crack said the approval was a natural extension for Esplanade, which already has a broad spectrum of grass and broadleaf weeds on the label.
“We launched Esplanade herbicide in Australia in 2020, primarily for long-term residual weed control in rail corridors and industrial sites, especially where resistance was a concern.
“This was really significant because the low use rates we're able to achieve with Esplanade in comparison to some other products really increased efficiencies from both a user and logistics point of view.
“It was a really big step up for users, and the new mode of action helped to combat resistance that they're experiencing in a lot of those situations from long term chemical use.”
He said following this success, the opportunity to introduce this new mode of action into the range and pasture market in Australia was clear and has now become reality.
“Previously we had no maximum residue limits (MRL’s) set, as there were no residue studies completed to support the use of Esplanade in a situation where livestock may graze.” Mr Crack said.
“However, residue studies have now been completed and MRL’s established for the active ingredient indaziflam and these were recently approved by the APVMA. So now farmers can apply it on a farm fence line for example, where stock might graze and potentially eat vegetation that's had Esplanade applied to it.”
Dr Peter Boutsalis from Plant Science Consulting and the University of Adelaide has done a lot of work trialling Esplanade, and said he is excited by what he’s seen.
“In my testing experience, I have found Esplanade to be an excellent residual herbicide to control all types of multiple resistant ryegrass populations,” Dr Boutsalis said.
“We've trialled Esplanade against all our monster multiple resistant ryegrass populations and not one plant has got through that. Being Group 29, it's a unique mode of action, and any type of complex resistance that exists out there in ryegrass is being controlled with Esplanade.
“I think it's an absolute game changer for Australian growers to have this product now available under an APVMA-approved label extension because fence lines and non-cropped areas are a major source of infestation of multiple resistance. To have a new mode of action that controls these resistant weeds is very timely.”
Mr Crack said industry is already excited by the benefits that Esplanade is set to deliver for landholders.
“When we talk to key industry stakeholders about the increasing prevalence of multimode resistance, particularly in annual weeds like ryegrass and other key broadleaf weeds like fleabane, they see the new mode of action for the rural sector being a game changer to manage resistance.
“By being able to manage farm fence line weeds with a new mode of action that has a low use rate, and a long residual of six to eight months’ control is going to be really advantageous for Australian agriculture.
“Importantly, the Envu rural team will be out and about around Australia to help support industry as this label extension comes to life.
“The Envu team has recently expanded, with Michael Sheehy servicing New South Wales from 1st June, joining two team members in Southeast Queensland, and two in Victoria.”
