New OSR herbicide Belkar -my experience

[ollie989898]

I can't help but worry about reduced doses of this new herbicide selecting for resistance...

So long as the application is made properly and the weeds are of the right size, I have no issue with reduced rates and recall conversation with manufacturer technical representatives advising the same. It is cheaper for the farmer and better for the crop and environment in most cases. Long term control is down to crop rotation and more importantly, rotating herbicide usage.

I can't help but note that in the past on this forum, some parties saying you need to use maximum dose roundup on blackgrass that has two leaves, yet in the exact same section of the forum other people are saying you can cultivate or drill the same weeds within 2 hours of spraying. I have never seen that kind of information described on the label and always advised customers to leave grass leys for at least a week and stubbles for at least 48 hours, all depending on the size of the weeds and what they were, of course.

So people are fully prepared to take the pish and abuse chemistry but oh no it must be maximum rate? That sounds like a recipe for a pesticide tax- people might stop taking the proverbial if all chemistry was more expensive, even the very cheapest stuff.

 

[ollie989898]

Good point, well made.

In theory Belkar should control mayweed, if it has not done in the comments above, it is probably because half rates has been used. The half rate has potentially selected for more tolerant mayweed plants, so if allowed to go to seed, a slightly less sensitive population will be present. In practice however, if Astrokerb is used to control any remaining mayweed now, it shouldn't become a problem

Mayweed is a sod of a weed at the best of times, largely shrugging off a lot of stuff. Given the conditions we have had, I would not be too worried about survivors in this crop. Crop rotations should be in place to avoid any nasty surprises like this.

 

[suffeks]

would belkar kill mustard? i assume no since its the same family as OSR?

 

[Brisel]

I’ve noticed that charlock has been stunted by Astrokerb. I don’t know if Belkar has had any effect too but having left a part field flea beetle wrote off as the rape emerged the difference is very apparent.

I can’t help with mustard. Fox plus oil plus frost doesn’t touch it. Only Clearfield does it in CL rape I think.

 

[solo]

would belkar kill mustard? i assume no since its the same family as OSR?

Belkar applied to my osr at the end of the application cut off window has annihilated many of my mustards which were well established and about 2’ tall. Might not kill them completely but it has set them back for a couple of months. Cranesbill however has recovered and has started to regrow. Overall, very pleased with the results, but it does come at a hefty price.

 

[An Gof]

Generally pleased BUT it’s ineffective on Groundsel

 

[Brisel]

It does do very small groundsel but only at cotyledon stage. Anything with a couple of true leaves is petty immune. If you want to control it now then clopyralid wouldn’t damage the crop depending on growth stage. Galera is almost certainly not an option and would make it an expensive crop. The rape will smother groundsel soon enough unless it’s really thick but it has probably set seed already anyway.

 

[Brisel]

Korvetto is haulauxifen and clopyralid. 1st March to buds visible above the crop which isn’t long. ££££

 

[Clive]

it’s been utterly ineffective here this year - very disappointed