Get more out than you put in
Everyone is watching their input costs. But ADAMA NZ portfolio manager, Hamish Mulcock says, when it comes to high-value crops like fodder beet, scrimping on weed control, is a false economy. “You’re not going to get the return fodder beet has the potential to deliver.”
High input and high yield, Hamish says fodder beet is a demanding crop but will repay investment many times over, if you get it right.
He says while correct paddock selection, (ideally with low weed burden and high fertility) and the right cultivation are essential, they’re not enough to guarantee success. “At ADAMA we take a 360-degree approach.”
“ADAMA’s Fodder Beet herbicide portfolio is based around a robust pre-emergent programme maximising upfront weed control with follow-up post-emergent herbicide applications as required.” Hamish says combined with their specialised insecticide and fungicide solutions everything is covered.
The building blocks of ADAMA’S pre-emergent herbicide programme are Ethosat® Herbicide (ethofumesate) and Goltix® Gold (metamitron).
Hamish says Ethosat Herbicide provides pre-emergent control of a wide range of broad-leaf weeds and selected grass weeds including poa, chickweed, cleavers, fumitory and redroot, all of which can smother vulnerable beet seedlings and compete with them for moisture and nutrients.
Hamish says Goltix Gold should be tank-mixed with Ethosat Herbicide to further boost control of problem hard to control weeds including fathen, and wireweed, along with nightshade and willow weed. “A robust pre-emergent herbicide program not only increases initial weed control but also buys more time for the crop to get established. That gives flexibility before the first post-emergent herbicide needs to be applied if spraying is delayed by an adverse weather event, for example.”
To maximise performance of the pre-emergent herbicides Hamish recommends applying Ethosat Herbicide and Goltix Gold to a fine, even seedbed with no large clods or large amounts previous crop residue. Adequate soil moisture and light rain or irrigation following application will enhance herbicide performance.
Following a robust pre-emergence herbicide program, Ethosat and Goltix Gold can also be used as post-emergent herbicides. At this stage Rifle® (desmedipham + phenmedipham) can also be tank mixed with Ethosat Herbicide and Goltix Gold to control weeds that have evaded the pre-emergence herbicide spray programme.
Hamish says contact herbicide Rifle’s unique suspo-emulsion formulation allows earlier on-label application – at the point when fodder beet seedlings have reached the fully expanded cotyledon growth stage. “Rifle contains an equal blend of two closely-related, beet-selective phenyl-carbamate herbicides. Many other desmedipham and phenmedipham co-formulations can only be applied from the 2nd true leaf growth stage. When it comes to control, getting in early can be the difference between success and failure.
“The key to successful post-emergent herbicide applications is targeting weed seedlings at their smallest, ideally before they reach two true leaves. The longer weeds are left uncontrolled the further they develop. That means you’ve got a much tougher job. In a worst-case scenario, weeds may get beyond the point of control.”
Once a crop is well established, priority shifts to keeping it healthy. Custodia® is a fungicide for foliar beet diseases such as Cercospora leaf spot, powdery mildew, and rust. Hamish says using Custodia improves leaf retention and palatability, with increased green leaf area and better DM yields.
“You’ve also got greater grazing flexibility, thanks to Custodia’s 28 day withholding period. That’s a bonus when feed can be tight through the autumn months.”
Another sustainable, and essential, beet input is Mavrik® Aquaflow Insecticide (Mavrik), which ADAMA launched to the beet market in 2021.
Unlike organophosphates (OPs) or other synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) Mavrik offers effective control of major beet pests Nysius and cutworm while having low toxicity to beneficial insects. Mavrik is also safer for those using it, something Hamish says contractors and growers are increasingly aware of. “Standards and expectations are continuously rising and our goal is to keep at the forefront. We want our products be the gold standard in efficacy and safety.”
Mavrik should be applied at the first sign of Nysius or cutworm, ensuring good coverage of plants and surrounding soil. The product is crop safe when applied to beet seedlings at cotyledon stage in a tank-mixture with ADAMA beet herbicides and other commonly used pesticides.
Talk to your ADAMA commercial manager to find out more on how to get a weed-free and pest-free, high-yielding beet crop.
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