Teagasc tillage specialists are advising that pre-emergent herbicides can provide a better opportunity to get on top of difficult weeds, such as blackgrass and sterile brome.

Speaking on a recent edition of the ‘Tillage Edge’ podcast, Teagasc’s Shay Phelan confirmed that the better ground conditions and the longer working days are additional factors that favour the use of pre-emergent herbicides.  

He said: “Compared to later in October and November, conditions are better now to allow for the effective application of a herbicide.

Speaking specifically on the role of pre-emergent herbicides within a winter barley scenario, Teagasc’s Ciaran Collins suggested that products of this type should be focused on the control of annual meadow grass.  

He explained: “Very early post-emergence applications of the same products can also work well in this context.

Sterile brome has been confirmed as a difficult weed to control, particularly within winter barley crops that have been put in as part of a min till operation.

Collins commented: “There is no 100% effective control option for this weed within winter barley crops. As a rule of thumb, fields that have bad infestations of winter barley within them should not be targeted for winter barley production at all.

“Applying a recommended herbicide at both the pre-emergent and very early post-emergent stages should also be considered.

Shay Phelan pointed out that there is more flexibility available to growers when it comes to putting pre-emergent herbicides on to winter wheat crops, relative to winter barley.

He commented: “Again it’s important to avoid the peri-emergent stage.

“Using herbicides with differing modes of action in pre and post-emergent scenarios will, for the most part, give growers more flexibility when it comes to dealing with weeds," he concluded.