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RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT & ADOPTION Th is se c t i o n brou g ht t o y o u i n as soci a t i o n wi t h
Industry adopting a versatile herbicide with improved efficacy
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YEAR on from its release, a new herbicide formulation is proving to be a very versatile option – it’s delivering control of a wide range of weeds and also providing long periods of efficacy, especially when rain has been both limited and infrequent post-harvest. AmiTron (active ingredient amicarbazone) is filling the void for a UV stable broadleaf herbicide. It provides both pre- and postemergent activity against a wide range of broadleaf weeds (particularly vines), grasses and some sedges. Mark Ellwood, UPL Area Sales Manager, believes the formulation is not only a great fit for early application in ratoons and plant cane, it can also be used as a late spray for vines in advanced cane. “It’s a really versatile herbicide,” he said. “It can be applied as a directed spray at outof-hand or serve as a later high clearance application to control vines after canopy closure, eliminating the need to use a helicopter for vine spraying.” “Vines are problematic as they have large tough seeds and the vigour to germinate from depth and push through a trash blanket,” said Mark. “AmiTron is unique in that it has the ability to move through the soil with pulses of irrigation or rainfall, allowing it to reach deeply embedded germinating vine seeds.” “And because it’s UV stable, you can apply it without worrying about when you’ll get followup rain.”
Reducing risk to the reef Importantly, recent studies by the Australian Institute of Marine Science show that AmiTron is up to 10 times less of a risk to seagrasses and corals than other PSII class herbicides such as diuron and hexazinone. But the objective should still be to reduce risk of any contamination off-target by using sensible practices. The sugar industry Best Management Practice Guidelines should be reviewed for current advice prior to using AmiTron in any crop.
Handles dry times Minimal rainfall is required for activation – as little as 2–5 mm – and short or long-term residual efficacy can be achieved depending on the rate applied. This proving particularly important with so many cane regions experiencing dry starts in the past few seasons. And the formulation is proving just as effective over a fresh green trash blanket as it is on bare soil, providing growers with flexibility for use on ratoon or plant cane. Growers who used the product as a late application last season have reported far fewer vines when it came around to harvest time from just that one spray at out-of-hand. Cane growers who haven’t tried the new herbicide so far this year can still use it later this season to control troublesome vines. A postemergent spray of one kg per hectare can be applied in ratoons or plant cane after canopy closure for effective vine control. For more information: www.amitron.com.au
NSW cane farmer Tim McMahon was well pleased with a tank mix of 200 g/ha Balance and 500 g/ha AmiTron (with 1L/ha paraquat where needed) on ratoon cane.
74 — AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE ANNUAL 2019
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