WEED CLEARING options may be getting fewer for arable growers – as flufenacet-containing herbicides can’t be used after December 31 – but flumioxazin (SumiMax) has a growth stage cut off of five leaves on the main tiller.

This means, says Interfarm UK, that farmers can continue to use it right through the winter, including now – if you can see the crop for snow that is!

It advises growers to use a robust ‘holding’ spray, such as flumioxazin, until the weed control programme is completed at the beginning of spring with relevant post-em treatments when conditions are more appropriate.

SumiMax can be the residual pre-treatment before later treatments of products for black-grass, wild-oats, rye-grass or brome. Not being an ALS inhibitor means that SumiMax can sequenced with just about any other relevant herbicide.

It works well in the cool and moist winter conditions. As is the case for most post-emergence herbicides, though, it is best to avoid soft or lush crops, waterlogged crops or crops under stress.

The product controls many across the broad-leaved weed spectrum, including charlock, chickweed, cleavers, poppy, field pansy, fumitory, groundsel, speedwell, mayweed, red deadnettle and Shepherd’s purse. Where grass-weeds are an issue, it can be tank-mixed with a suitable graminicide in order to strengthen its grass-weed control.