Broad-leaved weed control
Key Points
- High weed populations compete with the crop for water and nutrients
- Weeds can harbour infestations of insect pests
- Broad-leaved weed control programs begin in autumn
- Follow-up treatments are normally applied by GS 30-32 of the crop
Biology
Land used for cereal crops can become infested with annual and perennial weeds. To minimise competition between weeds and crop it is advisable to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereal crops before they compete significantly with the crop. Programs begin in the autumn, often with additional treatments made in the spring, around GS 30-32.
Typical Timing of Weed Emergence
Darker colour represents peak of emergence 
Beginning in February broad-leaved weeds in cereals can be controlled with an application of Spitfire up to 1 l/ha.
Spitfire will control the following weeds:
| Weed |
Spitfire 0.75 lt/ha |
Spitfire 1.0 lt/ha |
| Black Bindweed |
4 etl |
100mm |
| Black Nightshade |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Charlock |
6 etl |
Before Flower buds visible |
| Chickweed |
Flowering |
Flowering |
| Common Field Poppy* |
MS |
100mm |
| Corn Marigold |
4 etl |
Up to Rosette |
| Cleavers |
200mm |
Flowering |
| Clover |
MS |
10 cm |
| Forget-Me-Not |
50mm |
Before Flower buds visible |
| Groundsel |
MS |
50 mm |
| Hedge Mustard |
4 etl |
100mm |
| Hemp Nettle |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Henbit Dead Nettle |
MS |
2 etl |
| Knotgrass |
MS |
Up to 3 etl |
| Mayweeds |
Rosette |
Before Flowering |
| Parsley Piert |
- |
10cm |
| Pale Persicaria |
MS |
Up to 4 etl |
| Red Dead Nettle |
MS |
2 etl |
| Shepherd's Needle |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Shepherd's Purse |
4 etl |
Before 100mm |
| Sow Thistle (annual) |
MS |
10cm |
| Sun Spurge |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Thale Cress |
- |
6 etl |
| Volunteer Beans# |
6 etl |
8 etl |
| Volunteer Borage |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Volunteer Linseed |
MS |
100mm |
| Volunteer Oilseed Rape |
6 etl |
Before Flower buds visible |
| Weed Beet |
4 etl |
6 etl |
| Wild Radish |
6 etl |
100mm |
Key
* Requires addition to MSO adjuvant
# Volunteer beans controlled by 0.5 l/ha + adjuvant up to 4 etl
etl = established true leaves
MS = moderately susceptible at 2-4 etl,
- = no information
Label weeds in bold
A key benefit of Spitfire is its robustness of control of major weeds from early autumn to late spring. It makes weed control choices simple.
Learn more about Spitfire
Options for Grass and Broad-leaved Weed Control
The introduction of pyroxsulam (in UNITE, Broadway Sunrise and Broadway Star) is more than a new molecule, it is a whole new concept in weed control. In the past, some herbicides have focused on either effectively controlling grassweeds or broad-leaved weeds. Any other additional spectrum of control was a bonus. Now, thanks to pyroxsulam, it is possible to effectively control both grass and broad-leaved weeds without compromise - that's 'cross spectrum' weed control.
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As the season progresses even more options become available for broad-leaved weed control in cereals. Starane* XL, GF-184, Hiker*, Starane Gold, Starane Vantage and Spitfire can all be applied once the crop has reached GS13. Best results are achieved from applications of Hiker, Starane Gold and Starane Vantage from late March onwards. Starane 2 can be used from late April onwards, when temperatures are warmer and the risk of night frosts has diminished.
Visit the product pages for more comprehensive information about Broadway Star, Broadway Sunrise, GF-184, Hiker, Spitfire, Starane Gold, Starane Vantage, Starane XL, Starane 2 and UNITE.
