Check origin of manure when spreading muck prior to planting potatoes and pulses

UK - January 29, 2009

With renewed interest in using manure to reduce fertiliser bills, Dow AgroSciences is reminding potato and pulse growers to check manure sources to avoid unintentional crop damage.

In the past two years, there have been some instances of crop damage in potatoes from traces of the herbicide aminopyralid (sold as Forefront, Pharaoh and Banish) used to control injurious weeds in grassland.

Problems have occurred for growers where manure from treated pasture has been applied to ground planted with sensitive crops. This, despite all aminopyralid-containing products carrying label warnings about use of resulting manure and slurry.

“Our current advice on using muck and slurry from treated grass is to spread it onto pasture or land intended for growing cereals or maize,” advises Dow AgroSciences product manager for grassland products Robin Bentley.

“Growers intending to plant potatoes, peas or beans should check that aminopyralid has not been used on the land in the previous year. Where manure is to be used, it is important to establish that it does not come from cattle fed on forage from treated manure.”

Last autumn, Dow AgroSciences sought a voluntary suspension of approval for the sale and use of aminopyralid-containing products, while it strives to minimise the risks of problems re-occurring.

“We are running an information campaign to raise awareness of the issue amongst all those that could be affected. This includes the launch of a new website www.manurematters.co.uk to provide information to farmers, smallholders, horse owners and gardeners,” says Mr Bentley.

Further details can also be obtained from the Dow AgroSciences website www.dowagro.com/uk