Weed Control

Weed Control

Pre-emergence residual herbicides, which require soil moisture for activity, should form the backbone of weed control programmes in winter beans, as the post-emergence options are limited to just one product.

The pre-emergence choices include:

•     Carbetamide – grass weeds, volunteer cereals and a few broad-leaved weeds

•     Pendimethalin – tank mix with carbetamide to extend the weed spectrum (on an EAMU)

•     Propyzamide – annual grasses, broad-leaved weeds (including some activity on germinating cleavers)

•     Clomazone – cleavers, chickweed, shepherd’s purse, fools parsley and red dead-nettle

•     Pendimethalin + imazamox – wide spectrum of broad-leaved weeds plus early emerging volunteer oilseed rape

•     Prosufocarb – broad-leaved weed including cleaver activity. Enhanced grass weed activity.

Widen spectrum by adding pendimethalin (on an EAMU)

Post Emergence

There is only one approved post-emergence treatment for beans, which can be useful as a follow up treatment:

Bentazone – most effective on small weeds. Warmer conditions improve efficacy. Can control troublesome species such as cleavers and volunteer oilseed rape, if control with pre-em herbicides has been disappointing.

At the moment bentazone products generally expire end 2020.

Only Basagran SG (BASF), Benta 480 (NUFARM) and Clayton Baritone will remain past 2020.

Grass Weeds

There are several selective post-emergence grass weed herbicides which can be used in winter beans. No products control annual meadow grass, others are only effective on the weed if application timing is accurate.

Graminicide choice includes:

•   Fluazifop-p-butyl – wild oats, volunteer cereals, barren brome

•   Quizalofop-p-ethyl – wild oats and other grasses

•   Cycloxydim – wild oats, barren brome and other grasses

•   Propaquizafop – wild oats, barren brome

AT ALL TIMES FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDATIONS