Bayer unveils web tool to help U.K. farmers battle black-grass

To help growers in the United Kingdom tackle the problem of black-grass, Bayer CropScience has launched a web-based tool that provides a wealth of information on controlling the annual weed.

Bayer CropScience has been at the forefront in the fight against black-grass for more than 10 years, and the Black-Grass Task Manager (BGTM) is the latest addition to the company’s offerings, which include a range of herbicides, product-performance trials and resistance-testing.

Bayer CropScience Campaign Manager Phillippa Overson said the company started the Black-Grass Task Force (BGTF) to share information about alternative crops, rotations and cultivations because it is clear that relying solely on chemistry is not a winning strategy for many farms.

“Our new service allows growers to investigate options that may help them control black-grass, then create their own black-grass ‘to-do’ list, which will help them build a successful strategy to deal with the problem,” Overson said.

For example, at this time of year, growers are encouraged to map the black-grass in their fields and use this information in their long-term planning.

 Overson said that while many of the cultural and chemical techniques needed to control black-grass are well known, the BGTM fills a gap by helping farmers bring these together into an achievable program that delivers a profitable crop and reduces black-grass.

Growers can access the BGTM website at www.bayercropscience.co.uk/your-crop/wheat/herbicides/black-grass-task-force.