Consistent control of grass weeds including herbicide-resistant types across different seasons, is offering benefits for entire cropping systems and is continuing to raise the profile andjustify grower investment in a specialist pulse crop herbicide.
Ultro contains a new herbicide mode of action (Group 23) and is being targeted for use in pulse crops, where it is consistently achieving higher levels of grass weed control than many industry standards.
The pre-emergent herbicide can be used in faba beans, lentils, field peas, chickpeas, lupins, vetch and broad beans across Australia, as well as in winter fallow.
Glyphosate and clethodim-resistant grass weeds are posing problems for various southern Australian growers, however Ultro is now taking the pressure off some traditional herbicide options and is helping to clean-up paddocks for future crops.
Putting a focus on the whole farming system benefit from each year’s weed control is becoming more recognised. Using Ultro within the pulse phase of crop rotations is benefiting following cereal crops and, thereby, enhancing its cost-effectiveness.
The early weed control with Ultro allows improved crop competition against weeds, while excellent root pruning on the later remaining grasses assists the effectiveness of post-emergent selective herbicides.
South Australian market development manager with Adama Australia Andrè Sabeeney, says Ultro has been used in high value lentil crops and has generally provide reduced competition against weeds, as well as in some faba bean and field pea crops.
He considers it the ideal pre-emergent herbicide for use in pulse crops.
“What’s been impressive is that Ultro has delivered some of the most consistent results in control despite the extremes we have experienced in seasons over the last couple of years,” Andrè says.
“It has just been so much more consistent than the alternatives used in these cropping systems and that has been a real benefit.”
Ultro’s high water solubility compared with other herbicides allowed it to perform extremely well in the dry conditions last season and it offers good persistence, which takes some pressure off and enables better efficacy from post-emergent clethodim treatments.
“The mix of a good, robust pre-emergent such as Ultro, followed by an effective post-emergent grass weed herbicide, helps reduce seed set and delay the development of herbicide resistance,” Andrè says
“Ultro controls most annual grass weeds, it’s not broken down by sunlight, it moves off stubble well and it offers good length of control provided the appropriate rate is applied according to soil type, with higher rates used on heavier paddocks.”
At Kadina in SA, AW Vater & Co agronomist Zack Zweck says various growers had used Ultro in combination with Reflex pre-emergent herbicide and achieved good success.
“It has controlled early ryegrass and brome grass, allowing for delayed in-crop grass sprays. It has also helped the in-crop grass sprays work better,” Zack says.
At Wycheproof in Victoria, Elders agronomist Roy Daykin says Ultro applications with simazine and Spray top had performed well in numerous instances.
