Chemical Control – Italian rye-grass
25.09.2017
Control of Italian rye-grass
The best level of Italian ryegrass control is obtained from a sequence of both pre and post-emergence herbicide applications. Single applications made either pre or post-emergence are unlikely to give satisfactory control due to the nature of the weed, it’s germination pattern and strong, competitive growth.
Pre-emergence herbicides based on flufenacet and pendimethalin, such as Crystal, provide the best start to the ryegrass control programme because these two active ingredients show the greatest level of pre-emergence control of Italian ryegrass. The strong residual activity of pendimethalin is especially important because ryegrass can germinate over a much longer period than black-grass.
Pre-emergence herbicides keep on top of the ryegrass, reduce early crop competition, allow the crop to establish better and provide greater flexibility in the timing of the post-emergence gramincide. Applications of post-emergence ALS-inhibitor herbicides after the pre-em herbicide can result in high levels of control.
The following table lists the products that contain flufenacet and/or pendimethalin and are available for use in cereal crops. To get the best control, all of these products should be used either pre or very early post-emergence of the weeds:
| Product | Active Ingredient(s) | IRG Control |
| Crystal | Pendimethalin + Flufenacet | Pre-em and post-em up to 3 true leaves |
| Pontos/Quirinus | Picolinafen + Flufenacet | Susceptible pre-em and moderately susceptible post-em up to 1 true leaf |
BASF recommendations – Pre-emergence Supported tank mixes in winter wheat & winter barley:
