Cadou Star proves reliable
Cadou Star proves reliable in MGA pre-em trials
Cadou Star gives the most reliable start to maize herbicide programmes according to trials conducted by the Maize Growers Association (MGA).
In a paper presented at the annual MGA Conference on 17th February by agronomist Simon Draper, results showed how Cadou Star (isoxaflutole and flufenacet) at 0.75kg/ha provided superior control of fat-hen and redshank.
This was in comparison with other pre-em treatments such as pendimethalin, Dual Gold (s-metolachlor) and Bullet XL (terbuthylazine and pendimethalin). Tank-mixes of Cadou Star with the three other pre-em products proved less effective than Cadou Star alone.
Mr Draper reinforced the need for an effective pre-em treatment as early weed competition can significantly reduce yield. By starting with an effective pre-em growers have more time to get post-em products on before the weeds get too big and start competing with the crop, he pointed out.
Early post-em treatments are also important with applications on small weeds giving the best control. In the post-em trials, Butryflow at 0.75 L/ha (bromoxynil) plus Calaris at 1 L/ha (mesotrione and terbuthylazine) gave the best control as a single treatment.
A wide range of programmes were tested within the sequential trials which focused on a pre-em followed by one or two post-em treatments. Cadou Star (0.75kg/ha) followed by two applications of Butryflow (0.75 L/ha) gave one of the best results.
The results showed that early applications of post-em treatments were key to good weed control. When Cadou Star 0.75kg/ha was followed by a late application of Callisto (mesotrione) at 0.75 L/ha plus Samson Extra (nicosulfuron) at 0.75 L/ha, one of the worst weed scores resulted.
“With Cadou Star there was a huge difference in the control of these two key weeds (fat-hen and redshank) at the different application rates – 0.5kg/ha and 0.75kg/ha,” says Tim Holt, product manager at Bayer CropScience. “Where these weeds are present we strongly recommend that the higher rate is applied within four days of drilling.”
The importance of early weed control was evident across the board with all herbicide programmes in the sequential trials performing less effectively when the first post-em treatment was omitted. “It is important to catch weeds before they get too big,” confirms Mr Holt. “Even when the second post-em opportunity was not taken, Cadou Star followed by one early pass with Butryflow provided good control.”
Mr Holt stressed that with forage maize silage now worth £2,500 / hectare as feed, compared with wheat at £180 / tonne, it remains a very valuable crop to the dairy farmer - making effective weed control crucial for high yields.
