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Know How / Blackgrass

Blackgrass is a major problem facing cereal growers in the UK. Herbicide resistance and glyphosate regulation means that farmers need to use a combination of chemical and cultural controls. See the latest advice on stopping the spread and how to use an integrated approach to tackle this prolific grassweed.

Advice and tips

BLACKGRASS

Tips on tackling brome caused by blackgrass measures

Brome problems arising from blackgrass measures can easily be tackled, providing that farmers know which species they are dealing with.   Both meadow and soft bromes have been an unwanted…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Tackling grassweeds this autumn - expert tips for growers

Grassweeds have once again been a big talking point for many growers this year, with some fields coming under significant pressure, prompting scrutiny of control strategies and questions about how…

BLACKGRASS

Why blackgrass is so bad in 2023 and what to do about it

Some fields are unsuitable for winter cropping next season because of the surge in blackgrass seed return from the higher number of blackgrass heads in winter wheat crops. And it…

BLACKGRASS

Tips to control a heavier weed burden in wheat this season

Some wheat crops are carrying larger weed burdens than normal, and growers are being advised to tackle them as soon as conditions allow to protect crop performance and reduce grass…

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Case studies

WEED MANAGEMENT

Video: Leicester farm trials weed seed unit on Fendt combine

Europe’s first Redekop seed control unit (SCU) fitted to a Fendt Ideal 10T combine, aimed at controlling weed seeds, is being put to the test this harvest in Leicestershire at…

BLACKGRASS

Borage and herbage seed helps Essex farm fight blackgrass

Borage and herbage seed break crops have helped one heavy land Essex arable farm get on top of blackgrass, with double spring-sown breaks and low soil disturbance seen as the…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Liquid fert wheat trial sees reduced blackgrass and costs

Jono and Esme Holland trialled a controlled-release liquid fertiliser on feed wheats last season and found that it not only cut costly ammonium nitrate rates, but significantly reduced blackgrass pressure.…

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Insights

CROP MANAGEMENT

3 technologies to address arable’s biggest challenges

Innovative new technology hold the potential to combat some of the biggest agronomic challenges arable farmers face in yield stagnation, blackgrass control and cabbage stem flea beetle attack. Farmers Weekly…

BLACKGRASS

Why blackgrass-beating wheat rotations appear profitable

Profitable September-sown winter wheat crops can be grown long-term on land with a history of serious blackgrass infestation, according to the latest results from Agrovista’s Lamport AgX trials. Work at…

ARABLE

University project develops robotic blackgrass weeder

A fully autonomous robotic weeder capable of inter-row hoeing grassweeds has been developed by the University of Lincoln agricultural research team. Kitted out with a real-time vision camera, four individual…

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News

ARABLE

Growers invited to sample grassweeds in farmer-led project

Farmers are invited to monitor and sample grassweeds as part of a project investigating harvest weed seed control. This will be the UK’s first ever farmer-led survey of grassweeds left…

BLACKGRASS

Researchers on mission to wipe out blackgrass with tech

Researchers from the University of Hull are assessing the financial and environmental impact of blackgrass through a series of farmer projects that include cost and carbon mapping and multi-spectral weed…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Drone trial helps target herbicides and improve water quality

The initial phases of a three-year trial of drone technology is revealing promising signs that could help farmers target herbicides for blackgrass control and improve local water quality. Ten arable…

BLACKGRASS

eDNA technology trial to quantify viable blackgrass seeds

A new grassweed research project hopes to quantify the amount of viable blackgrass weed seeds detected in soil samples through the use of environmental DNA technology. Scientists from Nottingham Trent…

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Test and reviews

New Defy 3D nozzle: Sprayer operators give their verdict

Agrochemical giant Syngenta has launched its new Defy 3D spray nozzle, which will provide growers with improved grassweed control and reduced spray drift. The new nozzle is an evolution of…

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Video

WEED MANAGEMENT

Video: Leicester farm trials weed seed unit on Fendt combine

Europe’s first Redekop seed control unit (SCU) fitted to a Fendt Ideal 10T combine, aimed at controlling weed seeds, is being put to the test this harvest in Leicestershire at…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Video: Electronic robot weed zapper cuts inputs and carbon

Four farms will use field robots this autumn to identify weeds, which eventually will lead to electronically zapping them, in a move likely to appeal to growers looking at more…

BLACKGRASS

Video: The plan that battered blackgrass in 12 months

Three Cambridgeshire growers are fighting back against a heavy yield penalty imposed by blackgrass with a new establishment system and have seen a dramatic turnaround in just 12 months. Declining…

ESTABLISHMENT

Video: Advice on autumn establishment and weed control

There are four core factors that determine the success of an autumn established wheat crop – soil and seed-bed quality, weed control, timing and herbicide application. Laying the foundations of…

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