Suggested:
Where the soil was often moist enough for early herbicide applications, the dry weather is now increasingly creating unfavorable conditions. Mechanical measures, on the other hand, benefit from this. In early herbicide applications, the soil was often moist enough, but the dry weather now leads to unfavorable conditions. Mechanical measures, on the other hand, benefit from this.
Early herbicide applications often had moist enough soil, but the dry weather now leads to unfavorable conditions. Mechanical measures, on the other hand, benefit from this.
The dry and crumbly soil this year has provided good conditions for mechanically combating weeds. In some cases, blind harrowing has proven effective just a few days after planting. However, once the first weeds emerge, a rotation of earthing-up and earthing-down using a hoe or harrow is necessary. From potato plants reaching hand height until the crop closure, only the hoe or ridge should be used. It is crucial to avoid causing excessive damage to the potato plants both above and below ground.
Aligning herbicide strategies with the weather is essential. The main focus of chemical weed control in potatoes is usually in pre-emergence. Various foliar- and soil-active herbicides with varying durations of action and soil moisture requirements are available for this purpose.
Due to the current dryness, it is advisable to wait for appropriate herbicide measures in many crops. Only in crops that are a few days away from emergence, waiting for rain is not necessary, and action should be taken. In such situations, the effectiveness can be improved through splitting measures, using large amounts of water during spraying, or even irrigation passes. For splitting, a combination of 2.0 l/ha Bandur + 1.9 l/ha Bokator or 0.15 l/ha Centium is recommended.
If emerged weeds are larger than the first leaf pair (nightshades even smaller), an additional application of Quickdown/Toil is useful. Shortly after emergence, a subsequent application of up to 2.0 l/ha Arcade, for example, can be done. However, it is important to ensure that the variety being treated is compatible with Metribuzin. The advantage of splitting is that the subsequent application is placed later and possibly under better weather conditions, allowing it to work and endure better and longer even under rather dry conditions. Particularly, the instructions for products containing Clomazone and/or Prosulfocarb should be followed (see below)!
This season, the herbicidal substance Diflufenican (DFF) is now fully available for use in potatoes. Most farms should already be familiar with this substance from autumn applications in cereals. Products such as Herold SC and Mateno Duo, where the substance was already present, can be mentioned here. For potatoes, the products "Jura Max" and "Bokator" containing the respective active substance have been introduced to the market. Jura Max contains a combination of 667 g/l Prosulfocarb (also from Boxer) and 14 g/l DFF. The maximum application rate is 3.2 l/ha. Bokator contains 600 g/l Aclonifen (also from Bandur) and 30 g/l DFF. The maximum application rate here is 1.9 l/ha. The new substance is mainly taken up by the germinating shoot and root. A particular feature is the duration of action, which can last for several weeks, allowing even later-emerging weeds to be targeted. The inclusion of DFF can provide an additional benefit against various types of knotweed, orache, and nightshades. This additional benefit could be of particular interest in plots with high weed pressure. Additional trials in the coming years will provide more insights.
Application requirements for Prosulfocarb (e.g., contained in Boxer, Arcade, Roxy EC, etc.): To avoid volatilization and drift, the following conditions must be observed for the use of the active substance: NT 145 = Application with at least 300 l/ha and 90% drift-reducing nozzles NT 146 = Maximum driving speed of 7.5 km/h NT 170 = Wind during application maximum 3 m/s To avoid damage to neighboring crops, attention should also be paid to the suitable wind direction during application. The application should be carried out at temperatures below 20 °C and humidity above 40%. To minimize the risk of damage, areas or alternatively at least the first row next to sensitive crops (e.g., sugar beets) should be treated with a mixture without Prosulfocarb. Application requirements for Clomazone (e.g., contained in Centium 36 CS, Sinopia, etc.): NT 127 = Application only between 18 and 9 o'clock with predicted daytime temperatures of more than 20 °C; no application with predicted daytime temperatures above 25 °C. The agricultural meteorological conditions for the use of Clomazone can be obtained from the DWD. For possible legal controls, a printout of the application conditions must be kept. NT 149 = After application, weekly checks within a radius of 100 m around the application area for leaf discoloration on plants; discolorations must be reported immediately to the plant protection service and the authorization holder. Further instructions: Applications near home gardens, nurseries, and sensitive crops should also be carried out with special care. When in doubt, choose mixtures without Clomazone.
Please observe the approval, instructions for use, and regional notes.
