- Clumpy soil makes herbicide protection difficult.
- If the herbicide lands on cloddy soil, it does not reach the site of action.
It is not only soil moisture that affects the effectiveness of herbicide protection
In Poland, rapeseed is still being sown, and as a result, soil herbicides are being applied to many plantations. In this context, it is worth noting a few elements that are sometimes omitted in the context of these treatments, but that have an impact on their effectiveness.
We mentioned a few days ago the time of day when it is best to perform soil treatments. This is an important element, because it takes into account the optimal temperatures for individual active substances. We discussed the topic in more detail in the article below:
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What time of day should soil spraying be used in rapeseed?
Strong soil clumping means lower treatment effectiveness
What is equally important, however, is that lumpy soil absorbs the active substance less well. Even with good moisture, and at the same time in optimal conditions for performing the treatment, the substance may be distributed worse. Therefore, soil lumpiness affects not only directly the emergence of plants, but also the quality of the protective application.
Namely, in the case of a large number of clods in a protected location, it may turn out that part of the applied active substance is not distributed in the soil, but remains on the clods. These, however, are often so fossilized that they do not transport the applied herbicide, it is accumulated in the clod.
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How quickly does rapeseed sprout?
In such a situation, light rainfall after the treatment may be of some help. However, if it does not occur, the substance will not be able to move into the soil profile, and in a place of heavy clumping, the herbicide will not get to the place where it should act. On the other hand, heavy rainfall, torrential, may move the herbicide too deep, beyond the place where the weeds germinate.
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Does it make sense to apply NPK fertilizers as top dressing?
A large number of clods on fresh crops will be a problem not only in the context of herbicide protection of rape. The same applies to winter cereals. It should be noted that autumn herbicides have two routes of action – soil and foliar. However, many substances act mainly in the soil, and only a dozen or so to several dozen percent of the herbicide is absorbed through the foliar route. Therefore, good site preparation is very important not only for emergence, but also for protective treatments, including those after emergence, in which substances with both soil and foliar action are implemented.
