Nufarm CRUCIAL has quickly established itself as a market leader in the pre-emergent knockdown space. It all comes to down two things, according to Alex Tier, Agronomist at Nutrien Ag Solutions Lockhart. 

“The first thing is compatibility – it’s the main reason we started using CRUCIAL when it first came out, particularly with the triple salt formulation,” said Alex. “For pre-em knockdown, I think the compatibility is definitely the biggest benefit. We’ve been using it with standard pre-emergent herbicides like trifluralin and Sakura and it mixes really well with Group 14 spikes. With the amount of new chemistry coming out, it’s also going to put us in a really good position in the future.”  

And the second thing? “Simplicity. It’s easy to use and easy to mix. Growers don’t have to worry about other surfactants and additives, which just makes it so much simpler. There are less products and drums to worry about and the efficacy is on par if not better than what we were getting before, without all the hassle of adding surfactants,” said Alex.  

The most widely registered glyphosate on the market 

Beyond its exceptional knockdown performance, CRUCIAL is setting itself apart with an added advantage – versatility. As the most widely registered glyphosate on the market, it can be used year-round, from summer to pre-emergent knockdown, to post-emergent and pre-harvest.  

“CRUCIAL is an excellent all-rounder,” said Alex. “The wide registration package means we don’t have to swap out to other glyphosates for summer spraying or pre-harvest spraying. We’ve had growers using it year-round.” 

The results speak for themselves. Tough weeds can make summer spraying a challenge for glyphosate products, but CRUCIAL has delivered consistently good results. “CRUCIAL stacks up to target problem weeds over summer and it does an excellent job. That was something very noticeable for us from the start. It gives us much quicker burndown on heliotrope, which is quite a big advantage in summer, and it’s a plus not having those high rates of amine in the mix that we’ve had to use in the past. The short spray-to-sow windows and the rapid uptake give us a lot of flexibility,” said Alex.  

“It’s just a great package. The ability to use it in Roundup-ready canola systems and for desiccating crops pre-harvest – along with the knockdown performance and the action on summer weeds – is a huge benefit. It helps us move away from those complex programs, chopping between different forumlations and using other glyphosates that may not have the best surfactant package.” 

Less drums, less wastage 

For growers, the benefits are clear.  

“It’s about peace of mind. Growers know they’ve got a really effective, reliable glyphosate they can use throughout the year. CRUCIAL simplifies things a lot using the one glyphosate product all year round. It means less drums sitting around, less carryover product getting wasted and more flexibility,” said Alex. “It’s the best of both worlds really. It’s more effective than the typical hi-load glyphosates on the market and it offers more flexibility.” 

“We’re going to be using a lot of CRUCIAL moving forward, and it’s something I’ll definitely be recommending to growers in this area. It’s got a good surfactant package, it can fit in every system throughout the year, it reduces wastage and it’s fast and effective – CRUCIAL is going to be very hard to beat in this space.” 

Speak to your local store for more information or visit https://nufarm.com/au/crucial/ for more information. 

DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Information contained in this article has been provided by the manufacturer and although Nutrien Ag Solutions has taken all due care to provide accurate information in this article, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date you read it, or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. 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, such as planting times and environmental conditions. This article does not take into account variable conditions such as climactic conditions, soil type and individual circumstances that may impact performance. 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.