Herbicide behaviour
Herbicides are an essential tool enabling cost-effective management of weeds as part of an integrated strategy. Herbicides represent a major input cost for grain growers.
Hence, understanding how herbicides work and the factors which impact their usefulness is critical to maximise the effectiveness of these valuable tools.
Although widely used, herbicides are complex and optimising their effectiveness can be challenging. Maximising herbicide performance becomes especially critical as herbicide resistance increases.
Understanding the science behind how herbicides work in different environments also helps enable forensic evaluation of the causes of spray failures when they occur.
To assist growers and advisers with their decision-making, the Grains Research and Development Corporation has developed, and will continue to produce, resources focused on optimising herbicide use through fostering a greater understanding of their behaviour.
Reference manuals and factsheets
Rotational crop constraints for herbicides used in Australian farming systems
This guide has been developed to provide grain growers and advisers with relevant information to assist in planning the use of herbicides into crop sequences and in managing rotation constraints.
Soil behaviour of pre-emergent herbicides in Australian farming systems: a reference manual for agronomic advisers
When devising a weed control strategy, pre-emergent herbicides can be a valuable additional tactic to help drive weed numbers down. Used alone they often do not achieve the objective of driving down weed seed bank…
Understanding post-emergent herbicide weed control in Australian farming systems
Understanding post-emergent herbicide weed control in Australian farming systems – a national reference manual for agronomic advisers.
Summer fallow weed management
In a winter cropping system, the return on investment from managing weeds in summer fallow (i.e. the period between crops) is high. Economic benefits flow from both extra amounts of high value water and nitrogen,…
Adjuvants Booklet
The 2014 adjuvants booklet provides a practical guide to the use of adjuvants in a variety of farm chemicals including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and growth regulator products.
Mixing knockdown partners with Group G herbicides
This fact sheet discusses some of the considerations in selecting the choice of tank mix partner for Group G herbicides in fallow.
Rotational constraints for pulse crops following the use of aminopyralid, clopyralid and picloram herbicides
Herbicides from the Group I Mode of Action are effective knockdown herbicides against many broadleaf weeds. Use this publication to learn more about rotational constraints for pulse crops.
Optimising Group A herbicides in canola
In the absence of herbicide resistance, these herbicides quickly and effectively shut down growth of small grass weeds. This removes competition within days of application, despite often taking a number of weeks for herbicide symptoms…
Keeping sorghum safe
Keeping sorghum safe when using metolachlor-based herbicides. To reduce seedling injuries, applying Concep® II seed safener is an essential step for growers.
Herbicide Application fact sheet Effective Double Knock Herbicide Applications
By using a Double Knock approach in fallow paddocks growers have a reliable technique to control difficult weeds while also assisting in the management of herbicide resistance.
Group A Herbicides in Fallow
Using Group A herbicides for control of grass weeds in fallow:
With the increasing frequency of glyphosate resistance, growers require alternative solutions to control grass weeds in fallow. The use of Group A herbicides in fallow…
Pre-harvest Herbicide Use fact sheet
Stewardship for pre-harvest application of herbicides in winter crops:
The responsibility to avoid herbicide residues in delivered cereal, pulse and oilseed grains sits squarely with grain growers and their advisers.
The application of herbicides late in the…
Pre-emergent herbicides fact sheet
With the continued evolution of herbicide resistance, growers are being forced to introduce a range of different weed control tactics.
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