Despite continuing dry weather, potato growers still need to control weeds effectively in order to get the crop off to a strong start and some are electing to use more traditional herbicides which they have found offer a better chance of performing under dry conditions.
According to Phil Brown of BASF, there has been a strong revival in the interest in pendimethalin. Pendimethalin (Stomp Aqua) is seen as an effective, safe residual herbicide in many crops and it is now finding its rightful place in potatoes.
Its longer persistence is an advantage in potatoes, especially as it is applied that little bit earlier than other residuals.