Weed & Pest Management News

Farmers now have the option to apply Proclus (aclonifen) or Bandur (aclonifen) at 0.4l/ha in winter wheat and winter barley post-emergence up to the 4-leaf stage. Since approval in 2020, these herbicides had only been permitted for pre-emergence application.  

ADAMA offers advice on timely application of a molluscicide to protect newly emerging cereal crops from slugs.

A unique AI-powered farming project aimed at helping cereal crop farmers manage black-grass has been successfully concluded.  

With more unsettled weather forecast across the UK following recent rain, slug activity is expected to rise, posing a serious threat to newly planted wheat crops.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme offers grants to those who are willing to adopt its rules for three years. Among the rules are strict restrictions on the use of chemical insecticides, seed dressings, nematicides, acaricides and silica insecticides. However, this has caused some confusion with farms using silicon biostimulants.

Cereal growers must remain vigilant for signs of insect pest activity and be prepared to treat crops, if necessary, Hutchinsons expert advises. 

CSFB Research+ has been launched to evaluate the field performance of novel control products, improve guidance on cultural control measures, fine-tune understanding of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) development, generate data on natural enemies and prime innovation in CSFB management.

With cereal drilling well underway, growers are being urged to think carefully about how they can best tackle changing grassweed threats with herbicides this autumn.

From 1st January 2026, the rules for purchasing and using professional rodenticides on farms are changing. In just a few months, holding membership of a CRRU-approved farm assurance scheme will no longer be sufficient to access the products needed to control rodent infestations. It is time for farmers to get ready.

Even with drilling and pre-ems completed on many farms, there are still opportunities to improve weed control according to Bayer technical manager, Emma Jones.

Autumn 2024 offered favourable conditions for tackling grassweeds, and many growers have already seen populations decline. However, with a legacy of weed seeds still in the soil profile, maintaining focus will be essential for sustained control.

Pea bruchid has been found in a UK-grown commercial pea crop for the first time, the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) has confirmed.