Bayer CropScience Ltd
230 Cambridge Science Park
Milton Road
Cambridge
CB4 0WB
News Release
Straw rake and roll: beating black-grass on heavy land
Cambridge, 21st August 2012–
Growers on heavy land have been thrown a black-grass control lifeline, thanks to a team
of independent agronomists who were frustrated at being unable to deploy full cultural
control techniques for their clients.
Using a straw rake and roll makes stale seedbeds a realistic option for reducing blackgrass numbers on heavy land, say independent agronomists J K Senior and Sons,
following a demonstration held in Yorkshire this week.
“Cultural control is our number one weapon against black-grass,” says Simon Senior. “But
on heavy land, any cultivation deeper than 10mm followed by even a little rain leads to
dire conditions and makes this type of land completely unsuitable for travel.
“Like Bayer CropScience, we have always emphasised the importance of cultural control
as being an essential part of any grass-weed control programme. In the battle against
black-grass our growers always had a significant handicap, since stale seedbeds have
not been a viable option.
“The straw rake and roll may change all that, however,” enthuses Mr Senior.
The machine in question is the Tillso straw rake and roll. Convinced of its potential as a
black-grass germinator that preserves soil structure and water drainage, JK Senior and
Sons chose to share their insight and organise a demonstration.
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“Tickling the soil surface at a depth of no more than 5mm, the rake evenly distributes
straw, shaking seed onto the floor and exposing it to UV light,” explains John Cook,
commercial technical manager at Bayer CropScience, who supported JK Senior and
Sons’ event.
With the roll following, this ensures good soil-to-seed contact. Importantly at this depth it
doesn’t impact on the structure of the upper soil layer, so that even with heavy rain, the
soil retains its drainage qualities.
“Even distribution of straw also maintains the efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides,” he
says. Mr Senior agrees. “Product falling onto accumulations of straw, rather than the soil
surface, is missing its target and will not be as effective. Pre-ems in particular are
designed to ‘seal’ the soil surface; germinating black-grass must grow through this layer,
absorbing an effective dose of herbicide.”
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For further information:
Chris Cooksley
Bayer CropScience
+44 (0)1223 336615
Chris.cooksley@bayer.com
Issued by:
Natalie Reed
Whisper.pr
+44 (0)1608 637805
natalie.reed@whisper.pr
Find more information at www.bayercropscience.co.uk.
About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer
CropScience, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 7.255 billion (2011), is one of the world’s leading
innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and traits. The
company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and
for non-agricultural applications. Bayer CropScience has a global workforce of 21,000 and is represented in more than
120 countries. This and further news is available at: www.press.bayercropscience.com.
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This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer
Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to
material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company
and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on
the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking
statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
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