In this Focus Guide, we take a look at the current grass-weed landscape, hearing from a variety of agronomists and growers on their experiences across the country. We visit Nigel and Margaret Lawrence to hear about their black-grass programme and first-year Fundatis® trial results.
Across the UK, grass-weed pressures remain prevalent, with regional differences requiring careful, robust autumn herbicide programmes for effective integrated weed management.
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Take control of grass-weeds this autumn
Mark Stubbs, farm manager near Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds, shares how he has dealt with black-grass and other broad-leaved weeds. Finally, FMC’s Gareth Jones shares his top tips for applying Fundatis® this autumn and why pink is becoming every farmer’s new favourite colour.
Top tips for getting the best from Fundatis®
Lincs grower sees programme return on investment
Farming duo's first-year black-grass control trial yields success
The grass-weed landscape – where are we now?
Every farmer’s new favourite colour
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Mark Stubbs, farm manager near Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds, shares how he has dealt with black-grass and other broad-leaf weeds. Finally, FMC’s Gareth Jones shares his top tips for applying Fundatis® this autumn and why pink is becoming every farmer’s new favourite colour.
Mike Jones, farmer
We had black-grass issues in the past and now ryegrass is probably the biggest concern
For Hutchinsons agronomist Alex Wilcox, growers across the East of England continue to battle both black-grass and Italian ryegrass as rotations tighten and opportunities for break crops decline. The reduction in oilseed rape, together with limited opportunities for pulses, has resulted in more continuous cereal production, increasing pressure on both cultural and chemical controls. Despite improvements in black-grass management, Alex believes there is no room for complacency when it comes to grass-weeds. "Seven years ago, black-grass was a disaster for us. Some fields were virtually unfarmable. We haven't won the battle, but we're moving in the right direction.” Ryegrass, however, is proving particularly unforgiving where populations become established. "Ryegrass is even more unforgiving and you have got to be really ruthless. I have a zero-tolerance policy and the crop is either foraged or sprayed off completely."
East of England: Tighter rotations increase pressure
For Cheshire farmer Mike Jones, the grass-weed challenge on his farm has changed considerably over the past two decades. "We had black-grass issues in the past and now ryegrass is probably the biggest concern." Farming 400ha across a range of soil types, from light sands to heavy clay, Mike has moved away from a fixed cultivation policy as ryegrass populations have increased. "For over 20 years we were mainly min-till, but after a few difficult wet winters we realised we had not cleaned some fields up enough." Instead, cultivation decisions are now made field by field, with rotational ploughing introduced where grass-weed pressure is highest. "We are not fixed on one cultivation system anymore. It depends on the season and the field." The expansion of the farm's beef enterprise has also provided greater rotational flexibility, allowing more maize, grass and wholecrop forage to be grown. This enables heavily infested cereal crops to be harvested as wholecrop forage, reducing weed seed return while maintaining value within the business. Mike says adapting the farming system has become increasingly important as herbicide options have reduced. "When we had a lot of oilseed rape in the rotation, if we had a grass-weed problem we had the chemical armoury to clean it up. But we do not have the same chemistry available now, so you have to think differently."
North West: Flexibility needed to tackle ryegrass
Further north, Frontier agronomist Kevin Ross says grass-weed pressure is increasing across southern Scotland and north Northumberland, particularly where growers have adopted reduced tillage or direct drilling systems. "Italian ryegrass is becoming a real struggle. We're starting to see resistance issues on some farms. In certain situations we're changing crops rather than admitting defeat, but spending significant money on contact herbicides that are no longer delivering the level of control we need." While ryegrass is becoming a greater challenge, Kevin says annual meadow-grass remains a significant grass-weed in Scotland. "Annual meadow-grass is sometimes overlooked further south because herbicide stacks tend to be used more widely, but in Scotland it is having a real impact on arable production." He believes successful grass-weed management increasingly depends on preventing weed populations from establishing in the first place, through timely autumn programmes alongside cultural controls such as delayed drilling and stale seedbeds. He adds: "In fields with particularly high grass-weed pressure, the plough still has a role. It might only be used once every five or six years in a winter barley rotation, but it can act as a reset button."
Scotland and North Northumberland: Early autumn control remains key
Across Dorset and Wiltshire, independent agronomist Brett Pointing says Italian ryegrass has overtaken black-grass as the most difficult grass-weed facing many growers. "Predominantly more ryegrass. We do have black-grass but I find it’s easier to deal with than ryegrass." He says herbicide-resistant ryegrass is becoming increasingly common across the region, making control more challenging than in previous seasons. As resistance has developed, growers have had to rely on robust autumn residual programmes. Brett believes maintaining a range of herbicide modes of action is becoming increasingly important. “When you are trying to deal with particularly tricky grass-weeds, having as many modes of action as you can is appreciated, especially in barley where we’re so limited on products.”
South: Resistant ryegrass becoming more widespread
While black-grass and Italian ryegrass continue to dominate weed management discussions, broad-leaved weeds are becoming a growing concern in many rotations, with groundsel climbing rapidly up the list. On his mixed farm near Camborne, Cornwall, Pete Olds has seen groundsel become an increasingly familiar sight across a diverse rotation of cereals, vegetables and grassland. While diverse rotations bring many benefits, Pete says they have also created favourable conditions for groundsel to thrive, prompting him to look for new ways to strengthen autumn weed control. "We need slightly different chemistry coming in to help combat these problem weeds and any resistance that might be developing.”
Cornwall: Groundsel climbing the priority list
Across the country, growers and agronomists are placing greater emphasis on integrated weed management, combining cultural controls with robust autumn herbicide programmes to maintain effective control and protect the chemistry that remains available. Considering this, we examine the UK grassland landscape by region to understand current key challenges and solutions.
Grass-weed pressure continues to evolve across the UK, with regional differences becoming increasingly apparent. While black-grass remains the dominant challenge in some areas, Italian ryegrass is emerging as the biggest concern for many growers, driven by increasing herbicide resistance, tighter rotations and changing cultivation practices.
Alex Wilcox, agronomist
Ryegrass is unforgiving and you have got to be really ruthless
A WORD FROM FMC's Mat Hutchings
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
A Milwaukee cordless grease gun kit and a can of Fundatis®
Farming Duo's First-Year Black-grass Control Trial Yields Success
The Grassweed landscape – where are we now?
HOME
Looking at the grass-weed landscape, it's clear that farmers and agronomists are facing a variety of challenges. While black-grass remains the primary concern, we’re also noticing other weeds becoming increasingly apparent. It highlights the importance of staying adaptable when developing an autumn herbicide programme.
TREATED
UNTREATED
Fundatis® herbicide applied at 1L/ ha pre-emergence demonstrating excellent groundsel control
Pete's experience reflects a wider trend being seen by agronomists across the country. Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) agronomist Martyn Cox says groundsel has become increasingly abundant, particularly in rotations that include vegetable crops such as carrots, parsnips and onions. At the same time, the loss of herbicide options across different crops has left growers relying on a relatively narrow range of chemistry. Unlike many broad-leaved weeds, groundsel can germinate over a prolonged period and complete its lifecycle in as little as six weeks, allowing multiple flushes and rapid replenishment of the seedbank if control slips. Resistance to triazinone herbicides has already been confirmed in UK groundsel populations, while there are suspicions that reduced sensitivity to ALS chemistry may also be emerging. "In cereals, it makes it particularly important to get an effective, pre-emergence residual herbicide on and then top up a few weeks later. "If you miss those timings and groundsel is allowed to survive, it will be very difficult to get on top of in the spring," says Martyn.
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“With this in mind, we’ve been working closely with farmers across the country, and we have seen Fundatis® performing consistently well in a variety of growing conditions. This is especially exciting because Fundatis® offers a new and valuable option for winter barley, a crop for which weed control options remain quite limited.
“We’re confident that we can support farmers with their grass-weed challenges and would be happy to discuss how Fundatis® can fit into your autumn programme."
One farming pair believes that recent successful trial results indicate that Fundatis® could serve as a solid foundation for any pre-em programmes. Oxfordshire tenant farmers Nigel and Margaret Lawrence are no different when it comes to black-grass pressures, as they manage their 485-hectare farm, comprising 300 ha of arable land alongside grassland and woodland. With Fundatis’® (Fundatis® herbicide contains 200 g/L bixlozone - trademarked as Isoflex® active- and 125 g/L beflubutamid) in its first year on the market, the pair decided to put the herbicide to the test last autumn, with a large-scale trial on their winter wheat to tackle the black-grass challenge. Trialled on RGT’s Skyfall wheat variety, Nigel and Margaret used a full boom-width application of Fundatis® mixed with their own pre-em.
With black-grass a continued problem across most arable farms, farmers will once again be looking to create their control programme. However, since no single non-chemical control method offers complete effectiveness, as stated by AHDB’s Integrated Management of Black-grass, establishing a solid foundation may be essential for successful black-grass control.
With farmers facing mixed weed pressures, see how Mark Stubbs, farm manager near Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds, has turned the tide on black-grass.
Mixed grass-weed pressures
Mat Hutchings, Senior Commercial Technical Manager for the East Midlands and Ireland at FMC, says that on average, using Fundatis® should result in 54% control when used alone, with stacks and sequences delivering higher levels of control. “I believe we’ve got that easily. I would say easily 50% control,” says Nigel. Across the reported pre-emergence trials, Fundatis® delivered approximately twice the level of black-grass control achieved by tri-allate (55% vs 28%). Fundatis® also demonstrated a higher upper-level of control in the strongest performing trials. With uptake mainly through the roots and shoots, it is recommended that Fundatis® be used from pre-emergence to early post-emergence in winter wheat. You can read more about top tips for application here.
Mat Hutchings, Senior Commercial Technical Manager for the East Midlands and Ireland at FMC
On average, using Fundatis® should result in 54% control used alone, with stacks and sequences delivering higher levels of control
When built around Fundatis®, a herbicide programme can achieve over 95% control in high-pressure grass-weed scenarios when used with key actives such as cinmethylin and aclonifen. Nigel recommends using Fundatis® as a basis rather than a standalone product. “It works, it’s a good basis. I think it’s a good starter. I think mix that with a flufenacet and diflufenican (DFF) for good control.” Mat reiterates the product's tank-mixability. “The nice thing about Fundatis® is it’s very tank mixable, so it leaves the options open for whatever you want to do for your pre-em mixes,” he says.
The opportunity to work alongside farmers and industry partners during the development and launch of a new product is something we greatly value and deeply appreciate. Their expertise, practical knowledge and day-to-day experience provide invaluable insights that cannot be gained through research and development alone. Collaborating directly with farmers allows us to gain a deeper understanding of how our products perform and how they can best meet the needs of the industry. Their honest feedback helps us to refine and improve our solutions, ensuring that we deliver products that are both effective and relevant for modern farming operations.
Collaborating directly with farmers allows us to gain a deeper understanding of how our products perform and how they can best meet the needs of the industry. Their honest feedback helps us to refine and improve our solutions, ensuring that we deliver products that are both effective and relevant for modern farming operations.
Following three seasons of on-farm trials, Lincolnshire grower Mark Stubbs believes the greatest strengths of Fundatis® lies not only in its activity, but in the flexibility it brings to whole-farm weed control programmes.
For Mark, that prolonged suppression is one of the product's biggest advantages. "I like the longevity of Fundatis® because it offers better windows to do post-emergence sprays. It seems to keep weed plants stressed, whereas with some other products you're relying on getting back in the field before they recover." It has also shown excellent activity on broad-leaved weeds. “Come spring, in the Fundatis® plots, the broad-leaved weeds were already looking sick before we applied our blanket broad-leaved weed spray.” Although black-grass remains the main focus, ryegrass is becoming an increasing concern on the farm. "Elsewhere on the farm we've had to spend extra this year controlling ryegrass.” “Going forward, by using Fundatis® in my full farm programme, I'll be able to cut out a ryegrass spray and use a cheaper broad-leaved weed product in the spring, if I need one at all. So although it is mid-range in price, it means my whole weed control programme is cheaper overall.”
Taking a long-term approach
Trialling the product on his farm near Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds, Mark has seen Fundatis® provide robust black-grass control alongside excellent broad-leaved weed control, while extending the window for follow-up herbicide applications. Mark says: “Black-grass remains the farm's primary grassweed challenge, but if we manage it correctly, we can generally keep it from coming through the crop." His strategy is to allow the main flush of black-grass to emerge in October before spraying off with glyphosate ahead of drilling. Seed rates are then increased to around 550 seeds/sq.m to improve crop competition, while rolling immediately after drilling and applying pre-emergence herbicides within 24 hours helps maximise residual performance. Within that programme, Mark sees Fundatis® fitting as a foundation residual alongside other chemistry. "I would use Fundatis® as a pre-emergence herbicide with a half-rate of Liberator. Fundatis® has done a really good job on the broad-leaved weeds and has a strong effect on black-grass, while Liberator helps finish the black-grass off."
Last season, he trialled Fundatis® against several alternative programmes across 72 metre-wide, field length strips. "One of the more expensive products looked like it had done a better job initially because it hit the black-grass very hard straight away. In the Fundatis® plots the black-grass just looked very sick." However, as the season progressed, Mark observed a clear difference between the programmes. "By the time we came to the post-emergence timing, the weeds that had looked dead started to green up again, whereas the Fundatis® treated weeds still looked very sick." Following the planned post-emergence application, he believes the programme delivered more complete season-long control. "When we went back in with a follow-up herbicide, the black-grass was completely killed in the Fundatis® plots. In the spring there was also much less black-grass germinating, and if there was any there, it was only a couple of inches high. In the other plots it was four to six inches tall."
Ryegrass shaping the rotation
Taking a deeper look
Mark Stubbs, farm manager
By using Fundatis® in my full farm programme, I'll be able to cut out a ryegrass spray and use a cheaper broad-leaved weed product in the spring
With autumn herbicide programmes under increasing pressure, application timing and technique has never been more important. From application timing and seedbed quality, to nozzle choice and tank-mix partners, FMC’s Gareth Jones shares his top tips for getting the best performance from Fundatis® in winter cereals.
Getting timing right is one of the biggest factors influencing performance of most herbicides. Fundatis® is approved for pre-emergence use in winter barley, and pre- or early post-emergence in winter wheat up to BBCH 13. However, Gareth says the target should be to treat grass-weeds before they become established. "The key thing for timing is to not go beyond BBCH11, so one true leaf of the grass-weed in particular." For pre-emergence applications, applying as soon as possible after drilling will help maximise residual activity before weeds emerge.
1. Prioritise application timing
As with all residual herbicides, seedbed quality has a major influence on both weed control and crop safety. Gareth says: "To get the best out of the product, the usual caveats apply. Make sure you have a good, fine tilth, roll before application if you can and apply Fundatis® as soon as possible after drilling would be our guidance." He advises growers to be cautious in very stony, sandy or highly organic soils, and to ensure direct-drilled slots are properly closed before spraying.
2. Start with the right seedbed
Under certain conditions, temporary bleaching of cereal crops may occur following application. Heavy rainfall shortly after spraying, cloddy or stony seedbeds, or direct-drilled crops where slots remain open can all increase the likelihood of visible crop symptoms. Later autumn applications into colder conditions may also increase the chance of transient bleaching. However, Gareth stresses these symptoms are temporary and should not affect final yield. "It is possible to see bleaching of the crop, but it’s nothing to be alarmed at and, if you do see some, it is typically transient in nature. It will go within a few weeks and will not translate to any yield penalty in the summer."
3. Don't be alarmed by crop bleaching
For pre-emergence applications, Gareth recommends using a minimum of 200 litres/ha water volume with coarse spray quality nozzles. For early post-emergence applications, medium spray quality may also be used. He says: "We do have a specific restriction on the label that says for pre-emergence application you should use coarse droplet sized nozzles. For post-em, you do have the option to go to a medium quality spray. There’s no impact on performance if people stick with drift reducing technology nozzles." As with any herbicide application, good agricultural practice should be followed, particularly where sensitive neighbouring crops are present.
4. Use the correct water volume and nozzle
Fundatis® combines bixlozone and beflubutamid, introducing two new active ingredients to the GB market, and broadening the range of modes of action available within autumn herbicide programmes. The product provides activity against key grass-weeds black-grass, Italian ryegrass and annual meadow-grass, alongside a broad spectrum of broad-leaved weeds. However, Gareth emphasises that where grass-weeds are the primary target, Fundatis® should form part of a broader residual programme rather than being used alone.
5. Build programmes around multiple modes of action
Fundatis® has been evaluated alongside a wide range of commonly used residual herbicides and offers flexibility depending on the target weed spectrum. For winter barley, Gareth says flufenacet remains an important partner where grass-weeds are the main target. In winter wheat, cinmethylin-containing products have performed particularly well in higher black-grass pressure situations, while aclonifen, flufenacet-based products and prosulfocarb can all be used depending on the weed spectrum and level of pressure.
6. Select tank-mix partners to suit the weed spectrum
Like all residual herbicides, Fundatis® performs best as part of an integrated grass-weed management strategy. Good seedbeds, timely drilling, stale seedbeds, competitive crops and appropriate rotations all help reduce grass-weed pressure before chemistry is required. Used within this wider approach, timely applications can help maximise residual activity while supporting long-term resistance management and effective grass-weed control.
7. Integrate chemistry with cultural controls
Gareth Jones, FMC
The breadth of Fundatis® herbicide
Isoflex® active in winter cereals
The first ISOFLEX® active herbicide to be introduced to the GB market is a ZC co-formulation containing: 200g/L bixlozone 125g/L beflubutamid
FMC are specialists in encapsulation technology
Timings: Pre-emergence to early post-emergence in winter wheat, pre-emergence only in winter barley
Uptake mainly through roots and shoots, with some via leaves
Beflubutamid: HRAC group 12 Herbicide (PDS inhibitor)
Both actives are new to the GB market, with bixlozone providing a new MOA in cereals
MOA
ISOFLEX® active belongs to the isoxazolidinone class of herbicides HRAC Group 13 herbicide (inhibition of the DXP-synthase pathway)
70%
76%
85%
90%
91%
94%
96%
99%
100%
Fundatis® herbicide is a highly tank mixable product with simple application, and has incidental suppression of additional grassweeds, including bromes and wild oats.
BLACK-GRASS
48% Increase
RYEGRASS
35% Increase
FUNDATIS® 1L/ha
Tri-allate 15kg/ha
Annual meadow grass Bindweed Black-grass Cleavers Common chickweed Common field speedwell Common groundsel
Common poppy Corn chamomile Cornflower Cut leaved cranesbill Field forget-me-not Field pansy Field pennycress
Hedge mustard Italian ryegrass Ivy-leaved speedwell Mayweed (Scented) Mayweed (Scentless) Meadow grass (Rough stalked) Meadow grass (Smooth-stalked)
Phacelia Red dead-nettle Shepherds purse Small leaved cranesbill Volunteer OSR Wild radish
FUNDATIS® Vs Tri-allate Pre-Emergence
% control (head counts)
Trials: FUNDATIS®: 86 / Tri-allate: 36
Trials: FUNDATIS®: 34 / Tri-allate: 12
Fundatis® 1L/ha Co-formulated Product
Key BLW species control - label and field experience
