Key beet herbicide withdrawal dates announced

Darryl Shailes, Hutchinsons agronomist says the loss will make weed control in conventional sugar beet significantly more challenging.

“We have a big re-education challenge in the industry as many growers and agronomists have grown up with desmedipham containing products that have been excellent on key weeds and also very crop safe.

“It will be manageable, but likely to involve more use of pre-ems, more frequent post-ems and more intense field walking to maintain the weed-free crops that are needed to produce high yielding fields of sugar beet."

Sugar beet growers intending to use desmedipham herbicides in 2020 have until the end of the year to order product as sales will no longer be permitted after January 1 2020. Growers then have until July 1 2020, which will cover the full season of use, to use up or dispose of any remaining stocks.