Black-grass and other weeds can be spread from field to field on farm kit, especially on combines and balers, so thoroughly cleaning equipment between jobs can have a big impact on preventing weed spread.

“Kit hygiene is not just good practice, it’s vital to prevent the spread of the invasive blight that is resistant black-grass,” said BASF’s Ruth Stanley.

“We have been hearing of RRR resistant black-grass in previously unheard of places in the UK, including the far North-east of Scotland, South-west England and Northumberland.”

The issue has prompted BASF to launch a ‘Keep It Clean’ campaign to remind farmers, contractors and agronomists about kit hygiene.

“Maintaining good black-grass control is vital given the potential damage even relatively low numbers can do to yield, as many growers found last season when low plant populations tillered heavily to produce large numbers of heads and significant seed return,” she added.

“One black-grass plant from one seed can have 20 tillers, each of those 20 tillers have a head and each head can have 200 seeds – so, from one seed you can have 4000 new plants.”

A crop with 100 blackgrass heads/m2 results in a 13% yield loss which, at £120 per tonne, means a loss of £156 per ha on a 10tonne/ha crop.

“Combines and balers are the worst culprits, so BASF are working with contractors, growers and manufacturers to give hands on advice on best practice machinery hygiene,” explained Ruth.

Top tips:

Make use of the machine’s cleaning functions

Remove large build ups of debris by hand

Open all panels on the machine

Use a leaf blower to remove finer debris and get to places the hand can’t reach

Check around the wheel axles for seed and chaff build up

Open the stone trap and clean inside

Don’t forget the header

Clean kit either in gateways or in the farmyard

Burn rogued blackgrass plants as soon as they are harvested

Even if you’re busy, take the time and get your cleaning done!