A reason, and a solution, to remove cleavers

UK - May 12, 2006

Total cleavers control is a must, says winter wheat seed grower Brian Moor, as the alternative is lost seed premium.  

The East Yorkshire farmer grows Consort and Gladiator, achieving up to 10 t/ha on first wheats.  He also grows seed winter barley, but farms the crops separately to avoid cross contamination. 

While many growers would be happy with his weed profile – few blackgrass and thistles, no wild oats but plenty of chickweed, and cleavers – the cleavers pose a real headache. 

His herbicide policy is based on a post-emergence autumn treatment of IPU with diflufenican, plus a low rate of mecoprop-p to control volunteer rape if necessary.  Although the autumn treatment checks and provides some cleavers control, he is always left with autumn and spring germinating cleavers. 

Mr Moor’s answer to cleavers control has been Starane XL (fluroxypyr + florasulam) for the past few years, after many years of successfully using fluroxypyr alone.  He moved to Starane XL for its increased flexibility and reliability over a wider range of temperatures, and its wider weed spectrum. 

“Neither product has ever let me down. I achieve 100% cleavers control consistently. Consequently I’ve never had a crop of seed wheat or barley rejected for cleavers contamination,” says Mr Moor.    

Starane XL’s recent label extension approval for use up to GS 45 could make Mr Moor’s job a great deal easier.  It covers any late-germinating charlock and rape, which can occur later in the season.  The even wider window of application allows growers to plan cleavers control to fit around their spring spraying programmes and rotation.   

The recommended rate of Starane XL is 1.25 l/ha regardless of day or night temperatures from early May onwards. For the missed small late-germinating cleavers, a rate of 1.0 l/ha will prevent seeding and can be added to the final fungicide. 

The label extension for later use adds further weight to manufacturer Dow AgroSciences’ continuing zero tolerance campaign against cleavers.  “In recent years our trials have shown an improvement in control with Starane XL over fluroxypyr alone from later applications, delivering an extremely high and consistent level of cleavers kill,” says David Roberts, Dow’s technical services leader. 

“For growers looking to completely remove cleavers improvement is significant. In cereals it requires at least 98% control over a period of four to five years to eliminate this weed as, fortunately, the seed does not survive more than five years in the soil,” says Mr Roberts.