Magunya Kalimashe,
Portfolio Lead: Herbicides
Weed control remains an essential practice in small grain production. The benefits of effective weed control practices have been documented extensively and the consequences of ignoring this essential crop need are widely known.
Herbicides are the most used solution but resistance in weeds is an increasing concern with several reports of unsatisfactory control in winter cereal crops in South Africa’s winter rainfall regions. Anti-resistance strategies can delay this, including herbicides with different modes of action, either rotating or mixing them.
Villa’s CARNIVORE® 420 EC mixes MCPA, bromoxynil, and fluroxypyr. This is a combination of active ingredients classified under Group 4 and Group 6 in the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee classification system. Group 4 herbicides disrupt weed growth by imitating plant hormones (auxins), causing uncontrolled growth and eventually death. MCPA and fluroxypyr, two active ingredients in CARNIVORE® 420 EC, fall under this classification.
The plant’s leaves and roots absorb MCPA. It is then translocated upward and downward through the phloem and xylem, accumulating in the regions of active growth, hindering growth. Similarly, fluroxypyr disrupts plant growth by mimicking auxin, leading to uncontrolled cell division and growth, ultimately causing distortion and abnormal plant tissue development.
Group 6 herbicides like bromoxynil have a different mode of action. Bromoxynil is a contact herbicide, disrupting the photosynthetic process of the treated weeds.
These three active ingredients with two different modes of action are a unique combination and the only one on the South African herbicide market. While all active ingredients in CARNIVORE® 420 EC have efficacy against broadleaf weeds, their specific control spectrum is different, giving CARNIVORE® 420 EC effectiveness against tough-to-control weeds like Arctotheca calendula (gousblom), Emex australis (Kaapse dubbeltjie), Erodium moschatum (turknael), Raphanus raphanistrum (ramenas), and Senecio consanguineous (hongerbos). Timing is important – apply when the weeds are fully germinated, but not later than the 4-leaf stage. By mixing active ingredients that act on different biological pathways within the weeds, this herbicide significantly reduces the risk of weed resistance development.
The unique capability of CARNIVORE® 420 EC arises from the synergistic interaction of its herbicide modes of action, providing a powerful solution. It prevents weed infestations without compromising crop health. Keep your field clean, use CARNIVORE® 420 EC.
