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1998-09-01
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Mitchell, B.J., Reduced Herbicide Inputs in Cereals, End of Project Reports, Teagasc, 1998.
Abstract
The objective of this project was to examine if herbicides used in cereals at rates
lower than recommended by the manufacturer (reduced rates) would give
acceptable weed control resulting in lower crop production costs. Field trials
with a number of herbicides at full and reduced rates were carried out in winter
barley, winter wheat and spring barley in 1994-1996. Herbicides used at
recommended rates gave the highest and most consistent levels of weed control.
Herbicides used at 50% of the recommended rates gave slightly lower levels of
weed control than the recommended rates but did not result in lower yields.
While rates lower than 50% gave about 70% control of weeds, grain yield was
reduced in some trials. Reduced rates gave higher weed control in barley than in
wheat. The level of weed control was influenced by weed species and the growth
stages of the weeds at the time of herbicide spraying. Thus selection of
herbicides and their rates of application should be field specific. The findings
show that it is possible to reduce the amount of herbicides used in cereals with
considerable cost savings and reduced risk of herbicide residues in grain, soil and
water.