As an Agronomist with much experience of managing this field in Yorkshire for many years, Andrew Kealey is well aware of the issues of black grass on the site and the need to get Iodosulfuron + Mesosulfuron-based herbicides on early when the blackgrass is at the early tillering stage of growth and is easier to control.

The field was selected for an independent trial looking mainly at the efficacy of Tri-allate in the form Avadex and Avadex Factor in conjunction with other pre-emergence programs, autumn applied post-emergence programs and a number of spring applied follow up treatments including Iodosulfuron + Mesosulfuron containing products. As you can see from the photos the trial mainly shows that none of the programs seem to be very successful.

However, the farm program surrounding the trial is remarkable considering the ridiculously high background levels of blackgrass and seems to have done a near perfect job, with levels of control not seen since the first years after the launch of Atlantis some twenty years ago.

A dry spell in late winter presented it’s self and allowed an early application of Atlantis on the 17^th February 2023. It was a bright, clear and sunny winter’s day around lunchtime when applied and was followed by a near frost the following evening. The tank mix was 1ltr Ha Rondo water conditioner, 1.2ltr Ha Atlantis OD, 1ltr Ha Biopower and 1.5ltr Ha Bioplex MN applied in 120ltr Ha Water, with Defy 3D angled nozzles in alternate configuration, at 9Kmh and a boom height of 50cm. Perfect conditions.

What a result as can be seen from the photos. Bayer field scientists were called in to look at the results and were so impressed they recorded the tank mix to investigate further.

They concluded that the results where due to the bright sunny conditions, the blackgrass was actively metabolising and growing, allowing for the full uptake of the Atlantis active ingredients and resulting in a circa 98% kill of the blackgrass. They also concluded that the Ammonium Sulphate in combination with the formulation of the bio stimulant actively helps with the rapid uptake of herbicides through the leaf allowing for an effective lethal dose to be delivered into a notoriously difficult weed such as blackgrass. Andrew Kealey also notes that he has seen similar results on other farms with both bad blackgrass and bad ryegrass situations. He also notes that when using Bioplex Mn in complicated tank mixes it seems to cool the mix down, reduces scorch and allows the crop to bounce back much sooner.

The crop of 1^st wheat after OSR went on to yield just shy of 10t ha with further application of Bioplex Mn in with the T0, T1, T2 and a Amix BioMag application at T3, making a thin crop return a respectable yield.

Micromix Bioplex Mn is a combination of our leading biostimulant - Proplex - plus Amix Manganese. It is a combined biostimulant and crop nutrient, that can be used on all crops but is especially useful for cereal crops under stress conditions in early spring.

The biostimulant portion helps crops withstand, and recover from, stress while the nutrient portion provides Manganese for early season vegetative growth.

The product will tank-mix with most pesticides and the Amix technology has been proven to improve fungicide activity through a plant strengthening effect.

Typical analysis: Nitrogen (N) : 6.6 g/L  Sulphur (SO3) : 155.4 g/L Ascophyllum nodosum : 16.5 g/L Manganese (Mn) : 100.8 g/L Magnesium (Mg) : 9 g/L Free Amino Acids (Mg) : 13 g/L

Application Rates: 1.5 – 2.0 L/ha in 100 to 200 L/ha w