5th June 2023

Oats can be an efficient way to fill the winter grazing gap, or even represent lucrative export hay opportunities, though the latter can hinge on effective weed control.   

Selective herbicide options for in-crop control – particularly annual ryegrass and other grass weeds – are especially limited, with many ryegrass control options having potential to cause crop injury to oats.   

The new registration of BOXER GOLD® pre-emergent herbicide has been anticipated by growers who have observed excellent results in other cereals, throughout the establishment phase.   

“The industry came to us and said, ‘look, we’d like to see this registered in oats’,” Syngenta Senior Portfolio Lead Garth Wickson said.   

“Finding a herbicide that’s affordable, efficacious [and] selective without crop effect isn’t easy with oats and the various consultants we spoke to were very supportive, they even wanted to help with the trials.”   

BOXER GOLD® herbicide (Group 15) offers suppression of barley grass and control of annual ryegrass, including populations with confirmed resistance to other modes of action, while being a flexible option during the establishment window. In broadacre, BOXER GOLD® is now also registered in triticale.   

“Unlike some other pre-emergent herbicides, BOXER GOLD® is low in volatility meaning growers have up to seven days until incorporation by sowing (IBS),” Mr Wickson said.    

BOXER GOLD® contains prosulfocarb and S-metolachlor, unique in that it provides tri-uptake through the shoots, roots and foliage of emerging weeds, with the primary uptake via the mesocotyl (base of the coleoptile).    

Benefits of tri-uptake:   

• Improved ability to control both surface germinating and deeper germinating weed seeds  
• Some uptake through the foliage of susceptible grass and broadleaf weed species  

Syngenta is a gold sponsor of WeedSmart, which supports holistic, science-backed weed control solutions to growers and advisors for long-term productivity in Australian agriculture.   

Studies into integrated weed management (Draper, 2003), found that crop choice can help manage annual ryegrass seed set, with barley being 18 percent less effective compared to wheat, while canola and pulses are other effective alternatives. Higher seeding rates are another important tool (26-80 percent reduction in wheat), while windrow burning can be highly beneficial (54-99 percent in 3 tonne wheat). Cutting of crop or pasture for hay resulted in a 74-84 percent reduction in seed set, with no follow-up herbicide application.   

“We’re delighted to see this new registration for BOXER GOLD®, as advocates for a range of weed control measures,” Mr Wickson said.    

“Employing non-herbicide based integrated weed management techniques will considerably increase the longevity of all herbicides, meaning the fewer weeds we allow to set seed means we can drive down the weed seed bank, resulting in fewer weeds in our paddocks and much lower odds of any survivors conferring resistance to various herbicide modes of action,” Mr Wickson said.   

BOXER GOLD® is also registered in chickpeas, faba beans, lentils and lupins, as well as wheat, barley, and potatoes.   

For more information about BOXER® Gold or other herbicides contact your local Syngenta representative.   

®Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.   

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