03 March 2025

CONSISTENT control of grass weeds across indifferent seasons, including of herbicide-resistant types, and wider benefits for entire cropping systems is continuing to raise the profile and justify grower investment in a specialist pulse crop herbicide.

Ultro^® contains a new herbicide mode of action (Group 23) and it is being targeted for use in pulse crops, where it is consistently achieving higher levels of grass weed control than many industry standards. The pre-emergent herbicide can be used in faba beans, lentils, field peas, chickpeas, lupins, vetch and broad beans across Australia, as well as in winter fallow.

Glyphosate and clethodim-resistant grass weeds are posing problems for various southern Australian growers, however Ultro is now taking the pressure off some traditional herbicide options and is helping to clean-up paddocks for future crops.

Putting a focus on the whole farming system benefit from each year’s weed control is becoming more recognised. Using Ultro within the pulse phase of crop rotations is benefiting following cereal crops and, thereby, enhancing its cost-effectiveness. The early weed control with Ultro allows improved crop competition against weeds, while excellent root pruning on the later remaining grasses assists the effectiveness of post-emergent selective herbicides.

Andrè Sabeeney, Market Development Manager with ADAMA Australia in SA, said Ultro had been used especially in high value lentil crops, which also generally provided reduced competition against weeds, as well as in some faba bean and field pea crops.

He said he considered it the ideal pre-emergent herbicide for use in pulse crops.

“What’s been impressive is that Ultro has delivered some of the most consistent results in control despite the extremes we have experienced in seasons over the last couple of years,” Andrè said.

“It has just been so much more consistent than the alternatives used in these cropping systems and that has been a real benefit.”

Ultro’s high water solubility compared with other herbicides allowed it to perform extremely well in the dry conditions last season and it offered good persistence, which took some pressure off and enabled better efficacy from post-emergent clethodim treatments.

“The mix of a good, robust pre-emergent such as Ultro, followed by an effective post-emergent grass weed herbicide, helps reduce seedset and delay the development of herbicide resistance,” Andrè said

“Ultro controls most annual grass weeds, it’s not broken down by sunlight, it moves off stubble well and it offers good length of control provided the appropriate rate is applied according to soil type, with higher rates used on heavier paddocks.”

Daniel Kuhndt, Agronomist with Nutrien at Clare in SA’s Mid North, said various growers in the region tackling high weed pressures, including herbicide-resistant annual ryegrass, were now growing back-to-back break crops and the new mode of action chemistry in Ultro had become attractive for the pulse phase of programs.

“It has mainly been used to target ryegrass in more premium crops like lentils, but also in faba beans, particularly where large ryegrass populations are present,” Daniel said.

“It’s a premium product, but it’s up there with the best.

“Crop safety with Ultro is also really high, whereas you can get some crop effects with other options. Plantback flexibility and an application rate range gives ‘agros’ and growers greater flexibility, which is important.”

Andrè said to aid herbicide resistance management, ADAMA Australia recommended limiting the use of Ultro to once every four years.

He said in tight cropping rotations, careful consideration would need to be given to herbicide choice, however in more common rotations featuring pulses, canola and cereals, an application every four years would be easy to achieve and would allow rotation of all herbicide options in the different phases.

For further information on the use of Ultro herbicide in pulse crops, growers can contact their local ADAMA Australia representative or visit ADAMA.com.

*DISCLAIMER:

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Information contained in this article has been provided by the manufacturer/ You should not rely on the information in this article, and it should not be considered advice. You should seek professional advice regarding relevant factors specific to your situation. This article does not take into account variable conditions that may impact performance. Always read and follow label directions before using any product in this article. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Nutrien Ag Solutions Limited and its related associated entities will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising out of any reliance on any information contained in this article.