Blackgrass

[johnbean]

Yes it is that time of year again, when this beast of a weed appears above and below the crop! Rogueing is the worst job on the farm in my opinion so it would be useful to hear from some agronomists. We have very low levels on this farm but is it worth rogueing? To be sure of removing all the ears it must be pulled from the root which is a tedious job and pretty tiring. So my question is when the ears are in flower is the seed viable and can it be dropped or thrown on top of the crop to wilt without risk of re-growth ,usually in June. Probably most growers remove and burn it but this can be very expensive if employing agencies together with trampling the crop down if not experienced. Surely there must be a chemical on the horizon? Perhaps not a large enough leaf area for control. Comments please.

 

[teslacoils]

My friend is coming over on Saturday with his drone. We are training it to identify BG by the flowering heads with a view that it could then drop glyphosate onto the plant. Might work.

 

[SRRC]

Best to keep those low levels low!
If you really have only a few then wandering around with a knapsack spot spraying covers the ground pretty quickly.

 

[B'o'B]

Yes it is that time of year again, when this beast of a weed appears above and below the crop! Rogueing is the worst job on the farm in my opinion so it would be useful to hear from some agronomists. We have very low levels on this farm but is it worth rogueing? To be sure of removing all the ears it must be pulled from the root which is a tedious job and pretty tiring. So my question is when the ears are in flower is the seed viable and can it be dropped or thrown on top of the crop to wilt without risk of re-growth ,usually in June. Probably most growers remove and burn it but this can be very expensive if employing agencies together with trampling the crop down if not experienced. Surely there must be a chemical on the horizon? Perhaps not a large enough leaf area for control. Comments please.

Knapsack sprayer with glyphosate does a much better and faster job.

 

[Badshot]

I spot spray it out as I do passes through the crop.
Saves a lot of walking.
It's definitely worth keeping the numbers as low as possible, I sincerely wish I'd done this when Atlantis was used, it's the survivors that populate with resistance.

 

[Phil P]

Can anyone confirm if this is definitely black grass? Got one field at away block that it has suddenly appeared on. Didn’t see any last year but it’s full this year. Been spring cropped for the past 3 years as well.

 

[stroller]

How late will glyphosate work once its flowered?

 

[teslacoils]

Can anyone confirm if this is definitely black grass? Got one field at away block that it has suddenly appeared on. Didn’t see any last year but it’s full this year. Been spring cropped for the past 3 years as well.

Not certain. Could be meadow foxtail?

 

[Phil P]

Not certain. Could be meadow foxtail?

Not sure, I’m getting my agronomist to go have a look. I’ve had a small patch on a field a couple of years back and managed to rogue it out so not got any to compare it to.

 

[teslacoils]

I don't think it is, based on that picture.

 

[Phil P]

I don't think it is, based on that picture.

Hope so, seemed funny as we don’t (touch wood) have a BG problem at the moment at least! May put it down to grass next year anyway.

 

[Phil P]

Agronomist has just confirmed it’s foxtail

Thanks @teslacoils

 

[ajd132]

I spot spray it out as I do passes through the crop.
Saves a lot of walking.
It's definitely worth keeping the numbers as low as possible, I sincerely wish I'd done this when Atlantis was used, it's the survivors that populate with resistance.

I was discussing this with someone the other day. What was considered the pinnacle of arable farming in this area up until about 7 years ago has now made an absolutely massive long term negative affect.