Control of Docks, Thistles and Ragwort

Transcription

1 Control of Docks, Thistles and Ragwort

2 Thrust is a unique weed killer for the control of Dock, Thistles and Ragwort in established grassland and amenity grassland.

3 Why use Thrust? Thrust is a cost effective treatment for the control of Thistles, Dock, Ragwort and many other weeds. Thrust is a flexible, robust product and can be used alone or mixed with a range of products. Contact your agronomist for advice on tank-mixing. Thrust can be used by qualified professionals through a knapsack sprayer for control of patches of weed. Thrust is a top option for the control of Ragwort. Thrust users have no worries about chemical residues or contamination of manure.

4 Five key reasons to control broadleaved weeds in grassland: MAXIMISE GRASS YIELD As a general rule 1% ground cover of grassland weeds, such as Thistles and Docks, will reduce the productivity of grassland by 1%. If grassland weeds are as high as 10% then severe yield losses will occur and this will happen year on year unless weeds are controlled. MAKE BETTER QUALITY SILAGE Weeds will affect silage quality, particularly Docks and Thistles. BETTER PASTURE UTILISATION Grazing animals tend to avoid patches of weeds, especially Thistles. As a result there is a yield reduction effect and an area around the patch of weeds which is not grazed. HEALTHIER STOCK Poisonous weeds such as Ragwort can build up in the field and unless checked, relatively small amounts will damage the liver of grazing animals. In extreme cases it can cause death especially in long-lived animals such as horses and cattle. EXTEND PASTURE LIFE Broadleaved weeds allow less productive grasses to invade particularly after cutting. This results in the reduction of desirable grass species and earlier renewal of the pasture is required. Example of gap left by a weed infestation after cutting. Undesirable poor quality grasses can occupy this area and weeds will re-grow. 15% Dock infestation =15% yield reduction. The area around Thistles is often left ungrazed.

5 Weed size for best control Thistles: seedling or up to 50cm Docks up to 25cm Thistles are coming into bud. Apply no later than this stage. At flowering, treatment is too late. Dock re-growing two weeks after a silage cut. A good time to apply Thrust. Ragwort rosette stage Rosette stage only. A good time to apply Thrust. Advice on Ragwort control Too late for application of Thrust. Always apply in good growing conditions. It is often better to treat young Ragwort in September before being frost hardened. If applied in Spring, Ragwort must be no more advanced than the rosette stage. Ragwort is a poisonous but unpalatable plant to grazing animals. Once sprayed or cut it loses its bitter taste so it is very important animals are not returned to the field until Ragwort has fully decayed and become unpalatable. This may take up to four weeks. Any surviving plants should be dug up. Eliminating Ragwort from a field may take several years as Ragwort seeds can germinate for years. The addition of Nufarm Cropoil to Thrust will improve control.

6 Weed spectrum Other common grassland weeds The table below does not constitute a recommendation by Nufarm but is an indication of the level of control which might be obtained. Ratings are from Nufarm experience and trials throughout Europe. Most commonly occurring perennial broadleaved weeds Buttercup, bulbous* Buttercup, creeping Cow parsley Dandelion Daisy Hemlock Horsetail Nettle, perennial Plantain Rush, soft Self heal Yarrow Yellow rattle *Treat in September Annual broadleaved weeds which often occur Charlock Chickweed Fat hen Fumitory, common Knotgrass Mayweed, species Poppy, common Shepherd s purse Volunteer oilseed rape Wild radish Level of control Good control Acceptable control if applied in ideal conditions Some suppression Thrust gives fast acting weed control Thistles % control 100 Dock % control Weed ground cover Thrust 3.5 Pastor Weed ground cover Thrust 3.5 Pastor 4.0 Summerhill, Ireland 2014 Summerhill, Ireland 2014

7 Key facts Grassland Maximum dose rate Maximum total dose Time of application Water volumes 3.5 l/ha 3.5 l/ha. Thrust can be applied more than once a year providing the maximum total dose is not exceeded. Contact your agronomist for advice. April to September Tractor mounted sprayer or quad bike mounted sprayer litres of water per hectare. For use in knapsack sprayer the minimum water volume is 200 litres of water per hectare. Amenity grassland Maximum dose rate Maximum total dose Time of application Interval between applications Water volumes 3.5 l/ha 7.0 l/ha therefore Thrust can be applied more than once a year providing the total dose is not exceeded. April to September Six weeks Tractor mounted sprayer or quad bike mounted sprayer litres of water per hectare. For use in knapsack sprayer the minimum water volume is 200 litres of water per hectare. Knapsack use Size of knapsack Thrust Water Area treated 5 litre 45 ml 4.96 litres 125 m 2 10 litre 90 ml 9.9 litres 250 m 2 20 litre 180 ml 19.8 litres 500 m 2

8 Further information Details of application timings and rates are detailed in Nufarm labels and product literature; both of which can be accessed from our web site at Alternatively ring: Technical helpline Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Nufarm UK Ltd Wyke Lane, Wyke, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD12 9EJ Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. For further product information including warning phrases and symbols refer to Thrust contains dicamba and 2,4-D. Thrust is a Nufarm Trademark. Pastor is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company.