And that means it’s perfectly timed to help farmers get the best out of their crops this spring, the company says.
 

Ombre features two active ingredients with complimentary modes of action – alachor, which is mainly absorbed by emerging

shoots and translocated throughout the weeds; and clomazone, which is mainly absorbed by the roots and shoots and translocated upwards in the plant.
 

A full spectrum of weeds are susceptible, suppressed and controlled, giving farmers a welcome new tool for early intervention

against potentially yield losses.
 

“Good weed control is essential in fodder brassicas as weeds can very quickly over run a crop,” points out Zelam’s Mike Swift.
 
“They are highly competitive and if left uncontrolled can devastate yields. Trials investigating weed control options have shown that even moderate weed populations can reduce yields. Controlling weeds in the crop will increase the yield significantly, compared to crops grown in the absence of weed control and also reduce weeds in subsequent new pasture by stopping weed
seed set in the crop.”
 

Pre-emergence weed control is a useful tool for early control of grass and broadleaf weeds, bearing out the old adage that prevention is often better then cure.
 

“Choosing an appropriate herbicide, ensuring that correct application techniques are used and that potential soil residues are considered as part of the planned crop rotation are all part of this process.
 

Ombré has been developed with these factors in mind.”

Swift says the encaps formulation, technology trademarked by Zelam, allows microcapsules to be produced with precise size,

wall thickness and porosity.

“This creates a product with unique properties to control the availability of the active ingredient, depending on the situation and need. For Ombre, encaps formulation technology means advances in crop safety and longevity of weed control, by blending

specific capsules for each active ingredient.”
 

For the best results application should be made as soon as possible after planting and before crop emergence. Ombré can also

be lightly soil incorporated prior to planting.
 

To get the best from the new herbicide, soil conditions are a critical factor, and should be fine and firm, with minimal clods and

lumps.
 

Reasonable soil moisture is required at spraying and soon afterwards, with at least 12 mm rain or irrigation falling in the

first week to ten days.
 

Farmers should consider soil incorporation before planting if conditions are expected to be dry.
 

Swift says Ombre should not be used in light soils, with a CEC below 10, because excessive uptake may have a detrimental effect on the crop.
 

“Following crops can also be affected in particularly light soils. We recommend farmers use the post emergence herbicide Pycus ® in these situations.”
 

Farmers should also avoid using Ombré in particularly heavy soils (CEC greater than 30), as weed control may be reduced.
 

The new herbicide can be used following crop sowing via direct drilling where the drill effectively cultivates a strip into which the

seed is planted (e.g. triple disc with press wheel).
 

Depending on soil conditions, leaf litter cover and soil type, weed control may be reduced between the rows. Where there is little or no soil disturbance, post emergence herbicide Pycus should be used instead.