Farmer wins set of harrows

Press, 20 November 1981, Page 18

Farmer wins set of harrows

A Tai Tapu mixed crop and sheep farmer. Mr H. J. (Jim) Macartney, won a set of Hooper flexi-tyne harrows this week worth $1338. His name was drawn out of a box containing the names of farmers who used the chemical Benlate and responded to a questionnaire from Du Pont (New Zealand) Ltd. The chemical is used for control of septoria leaf blotch and powdery mildew in cereal crops but this has not been a problem season for septoria and what septoria is about has been taken care of by farmers using Bayleton against stripe rust. However, the questionnaire also sought information about farmers’ spraying policies for weed control in cereal crops and their estimations of the most important weeds that they have to contend with. The reason for this is that next season Du Pont is coming out with a new cereal herbicide called Glean. In trials in Southland last year there was a 47 per cent yield increase where the chemical was used compared with where there was no treatment. The primary'physiological effect of the new chemical is to suppress or stop plant growth by inhibiting cell division in the growing tips of roots and shoots. Only very low rates need be used — about a tablespoon of powder per hectare or 15 to 25 grams. Normally about 200 litres of water are mixed with it. It can be applied pre-emergence to wheat and oats and early after emergence to wheat, barley and pats. It has very low toxicity and is said to be “environmentally” very good. In trials in New Zealand as an early post-emergence application it has controlled calandrinia, Californian thistle. chickweed, cornbind, dock, fathen, field pansy, field speedwell, fumitory, hawksbeard and parsley piert. Du Pont will shortly familiarise Ministry of Agriculture, Lincoln College and merchant representatives

with the chemical through visits to trials. Mr C. S. (Christopher) Fraser, sales supervisor for the agrichemicals division of the firm in the South Island, said this week that the responses to the questionnaire showed that wild oats, Californian thistle and wire weed seemed to be the most prevalent weeds in Canterbury. He said it seemed that there was a greater awareness now among farmers of crop husbandry techniques, including the ■ use of fungicides and agricultural chemicals, fertilisers, crop varieties and tillage systems like minimum tillage. Mr Macartney listed the most important weeds in his cereal crops as phalarais minor, wild oats, Californian thistles, wild turnips and wire weed. A former chairman of the Christchurch district of the Young Farmers' Club movement, Mr Macartney farms 160 hectares on which he grows 14ha of wheat and 22ha of barley and harvests 12ha of clover and saves seed from about 4ha of grass. He

also runs 1100 Coopworth ewes and 400 ewe hoggets. He also works in with his father. Mr K. H. Macartney, and his uncle, Mr J. G. Macartney, who farm 72ha which is all in crop. As suppliers of the chemical to Mr Macartney, the Canterbury Seed Company’s social club will also be receiving a donation from Du Pont.