Good time to take action
Bayer CropScience is advising action to take control of black-grass while the opportunity remains.
Bayer CropScience is advising action to take control of black-grass while the opportunity remains.
Where black-grass at around the two-three-leaf stage remains untreated, growers can take advantage of unseasonally warm conditions and apply Atlantis now before colder weather sets in - the number of suitable spray days historically diminishes quickly from this point onwards.
"Experience has shown that Atlantis is more effective when applied 'going into' the cold winter temperatures than 'coming out' of them," says Bayer's Tim Holt.
"And, as is expected, the majority of black-grass has reached the optimum two-three-leaf stage for treatment, with many of this year's early-drilled, forward crops already treated.
"Plus, the small amount of frost so far will have had some welcome hardening effect on crops.
"Although a series of hard frosts can make conditions unsuitable for Atlantis applications, remember that one or two frosts do not make a winter," Mr Holt says.
"Provided that weeds remain in active growth, Atlantis applications will be effective - both in terms of control and prevention of over-winter competition.