Controlling docks in grassland is important to maintain forage quality and ultimately livestock output, but the choice of herbicide is limited. Squire Ultra is one of the few herbicides that can be used in grassland, particularly in grass with a clover component, according to Interfarm UK Ltd.
Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager for Interfarm points out that docks are the most economically damaging weeds in grassland. "They compete directly with grass, reducing yield and effective pasture life as well as affecting the forage quality. Docks are very pernicious weeds with large tap roots that permit survival over the winter period and allow rapid early spring growth. They can also produce up to 60,000 seeds per mature plant and create new plants via side shoots. All in all they are a real challenge to control."
"Based on amidosulfuron, Squire Ultra will control broad and curled-leaf docks and other annual broad-leaved weeds including cleavers, charlock, Shepherd’s purse and field forget-me-not in both rotational and permanent grassland. It is fully systemic and, although slower acting that traditional dock herbicides, moves throughout the weed, especially the roots. One of its key benefits is that Squire Ultra does not affect white clover and can be applied to seedlings from the one or two trifoliate leaf stage onwards, with absolute crop safety," he says.
Grassland expert Derek Robertson of Agrovista integrates Squire Ultra into his weed control programmes and says it works very well with excellent crop safety when used in the right circumstances. "Squire Ultra will knock back docks well, but won’t wipe them out completely; unsurprisingly when you consider the very large root system that this weed has. But if you use it in a planned way over time, it will give good results and you won’t have to worry about any crop safety or following crop problems, which is a real advantage in grassland. It needs to be applied at the right time for best effects. Other products will control docks, but they kill the clover."
Dr. Stormonth explains that the ideal time to apply Squire Ultra is when dock leaves are expanded and horizontal, with large "dinner-plate" sized rosettes and also when the soil is moist. "At this stage the weed will be moving sugars downwards from leaves to roots and so the herbicide will be taken up well. If the herbicide is applied too early when the nutrient flow is moving reserves from the tap root upwards and the docks have few upright leaves, this is too early and application should be delayed. Applying it too late would be when the docks have seed heads and overlapping leaves. At this time the weed would be using root reserves to develop the seed heads. Here it would be best to cut the docks and treat regrowth when appropriate. Timing is the key to success."
Squire Ultra contains 75% amidosulfuron formulated as Water Dispersible Granule and is packed in a 240 grams pack. It is recommended on grassland for the control of docks, cleavers, charlock, Shepherd’s purse and field forget-me-not at a dose rate of 60 g/ha. Squire Utra should be used when docks are at a suitable growth stage between the 1st of February and the 30th June in rotational grass and between the 1st February and the 15th October on permanent grass. It has no LERAP and is safe to white clover. Keep livestock out of treated areas for at least 7 days after treatment and until foliage of any poisonous weed such as ragwort has died and become unpalatable. Do not cut for hay or silage for at least 21 days following treatment.
For further comment and information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk
