CROPPING

Be aware of residue limits with pre-harvest herbicides

Pre-harvest chemical applications require careful planning.

staff writer

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Application of herbicides close to harvest comes with the risk of detectable chemical residues being present on harvested grain.

Authorities and government bodies including Agriculture Victoria are urging growers to get up to speed with the required MRL knowledge to avoid possible grain rejection from domestic or international markets.

The risks associated with pre-harvest herbicide use for late season weed management or crop desiccation need to be weighed against potential grain market requirements.

By adhering to a product's label Directions for Use, growers will ensure that any detectable residues will meet Australian MRLs.

However, importing country MRLs may differ to the Australian MRL. Growers are encouraged to seek advice from their grain buyers regarding any additional market requirements that might impact on their management choices prior to herbicide application.

To help guide growers through their decisions, the Grains Research and Development Corporation has published a fact sheet to help with decision making and awareness. The fact sheet can be found here: https://bit.ly/2FNf2b7

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