Riverine Plains Blog

Key messages:

• check the efficacy of your pre-emergent herbicide applications – poor results may mean you need to reconsider your post-emergent spray program or other control options
• overall herbicide efficacy can be affected by a range of factors including plant stress, moisture and inadequate coverage
• delays or failures in weed control can be costly, so monitor now to manage the risk

Many Riverine Plains growers are still busy finishing their sowing programs, while also managing time-sensitive issues like slugs. Despite time constraints, it’s important to prioritise weed monitoring, including the effectiveness of pre-emergent herbicide applications, especially in earlier sown crops.

Key Messages

• Phenoxy herbicides can cause significant off-target damage to susceptible summer crops
• Volatilisation of herbicide from the treated plant occurs more frequently during summer, when temperatures are higher
• Before using volatile herbicides, check with your neighbours about proximity to susceptible summer crops
• Always check with your agronomist to see if there are less volatile alternative products available

Non-intentional herbicide drift from Group I herbicides such as 2,4-D and other compounds occurs regularly across Australia, with cotton, grapes, soybeans, sorghum, forage brassicas, horticultural crops (i.e tomatoes) and other broadleaf species being especially susceptible.