Despite the arrival of new chemistry, ProCam is warning that weed control in winter beans needs an integrated approach.
“One of the core management strategies when tackling difficult grassweeds such as blackgrass, ryegrass and brome is to ensure the crop is as vigorous and competitive as possible during its early phases of development,” explains ProCam’s Paul Gruber. “Experience suggests that the poorest levels of grassweed control are seen in late-established beans and when seedbed quality is compromised. Together, these two factors lead to a cumulative effect of poor herbicide efficacy and the crop providing little in the way of competition.”
As a result, individual grassweeds can grow stronger and are able to return high numbers of seed. But with the addition of Proclus (aclonifen) to the bean arsenal, better control is achievable.
“The inclusion of Proclus certainly gives stacked herbicide programmes an extra edge, not just in terms of grassweed control, but also versus brassica weeds,” Paul says. “But even with this new chemistry in the armoury, grassweeds could still be a challenge in beans. Growers should therefore use earlier establishment and higher plant populations to minimise subsequent seed returns from resistant grassweeds.”
Paul also encourages growers to think about drilling beans at greater depth to allow an application of glyphosate to be made just prior to the crop’s emergence. “This would remove any last gasp flushes of weeds and would enable seedlings to emerge unhampered,” he explains.
