It's always interesting when a new product like SHARPEN moves from the research trial plots to the grower’s field for the first season of full scale use. The product has to stand up to scrutiny from the most critical of users - growers and spray contractors. Those of us who have been around for a few years will remember that many years ago there used to be a progression in registration where a new product went through what was essentially a " Limited Sale" period for a season which gave the chemical company the opportunity to fine tune the label before it was fully registered and into wide scale use the next season. Not nowadays - its straight from trial plots to full scale use and so it has to be right.

With the launch of SHARPEN last season there was quite a challenge to get across the totally new concept of a Dual Purpose herbicide that could be used at low rates in combination with glyphosate as a burn down product, and also at higher rates as a maize residual herbicide in combination with a grass active chemical such as Acetochlor to take the crop from early establishment through to canopy closure. 

Well role on another season and we are already into maize planting for 2013 -  and already seen some extra benefits of using Sharpen starting to show up.

Attached are a couple of photos taken of a maize block in the Waikato where the pre emerge combination of 3 ltrs Acetochlor + 150 grams Sharpen was applied through the sprayer mounted behind the press wheel on the planter. This was a particularly weedy block with established broadleaf weeds such as twincress, scrambling speedwell, docks and chickweed present. The knockdown ability of Sharpen on these weeds is apparent from the photos and the spray miss due I suspect to an issue with a nozzle acts as the " control' -


4 days post treatment - 3 ltrs Acetochlor + 150 grams Sharpen per Ha




9 days post treatment - 3 ltrs Acetochlor + 150 grams Sharpen per Ha

This third photo basically showing what weeds would be there competing with the soon to emerge maize seedlings if Sharpen hadn’t been used. The only improvement in this situation would have been to add a one litre of Roundup Transorb to the pre emerge to take out the poa annua (as grass weeds are not affected by the Sharpen).

So for you growers /contractors out there with weedy maize blocks ready to plant - use 3 ltrs Acetochlor and 150 grams Sharpen with a basic non-ionic surfactant to stick everything to the weed foliage  ( and perhaps a litre of Roundup if grasses are present ) - then stand back and watch the results.

Knockdown if required plus pre emerge weed control covered in a single pass