Fruitfed Supplies researcher Catherine James conducted a pre-emergent herbicide trial in Agria potatoes in south Auckland in 2023. The trial assessed the weed control efficacy of Artist, both on its own and in combination with Bladex 50SC, compared to other commonly used herbicide programmes.
The potato crop was planted late October, with all herbicide treatments applied eight days after planting to bare ground, before crop emergence. Treatments were applied at recommended label rates using a 200 L / ha water rate.
Weed control was assessed at five, 24, and 40 days after application (DA-A). The primary weed species present in the trial, effectively controlled by all pre-emergent herbicide treatments, included crabgrass (Digitaria spp), black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), willow weed (Persicaria maculosa), and twin cress (Lepidium didymum).
Key findings:
- At 5 DA-A, no weed growth was observed across any treatments, including the untreated control.
- By 24 DA-A, the untreated control had reached approximately 28 percent ground cover, increasing to 100 percent by 40 DA-A.
- All herbicide treatments effectively reduced weed counts and ground cover by at least 50 percent compared to the untreated control.
- The most effective treatment was Artist + Bladex, resulting in only 8 percent ground coverage at 40 DA-A.
Artist alone also performed well, with approximately 20 percent ground coverage.
Catherine explains, “This trial highlights the value of pre-emergent herbicides for early weed control in potatoes. The Artist + Bladex combination demonstrated the best control, maintaining the lowest weed coverage at 40 days post-application. These findings reinforce the importance of selecting appropriate herbicide programmes to minimise early weed competition and promote healthy crop establishment.”
ACVM registration numbers: Artist® #P009555, Roundup Ultra® MAX #P008725. Read registered label before use.
