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In the January edition:
- Gearing up for spring: tackling early weed pressures in cereals
- Give your spring cereals the best possible start with Ympact seed treatment
- Protect your nitrogen and minimise losses this spring with Instinct
- Astrokerb and Kerb Flo 500: winter application advice
- PACTS maize results out now: 2026/27 PACTS book now available to download!
- Grain maize results in the UK at a glance
- Experts fear extensive SDHI resistance: Inatreq could be the key
- News and views from the Corteva team
- Update your communication preferences, enter our monthly prize draw, plus ways to earn BASIS & NRoSO points
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Gearing up for spring:
tackling early weed pressures in cereals
As we approach spring, the focus shifts to the next stage in weed management, controlling emerged weeds using contact herbicides. These herbicides act only on the foliage of the target and therefore good coverage is critical for effectiveness, particularly in dense, early drilled or fast developing crops like we are seeing this year, where canopy biomass is increasing fast.
Early applications are key in forward crops, to hit weeds sitting below or shielded by the crop canopy. Once past this stage we will not see them again until they pop out of the canopy in June and can no longer be controlled.
Grass weed pressure is currently variable across the country. Fields that missed residuals are showing significant populations of ryegrass, brome, wild oats and annual meadow grass, and should be prioritised once conditions are suitable. In cleaner fields, continue close monitoring as residual activity declines. New flushes are already appearing due to the reduced residual longevity and soil surface disturbance from recent weather.
Broadway® Ultra is the best tool for this job and can be applied early (from 1st January) to maximise activity on challenging grass weeds and minimise crop competition. It is effective on bromes, ryegrass, meadow grasses and a wide range of broad-leaved weeds, apply at 100 g/ha + adjuvant for best results. Apply as soon as conditions support active growth.
When targeting difficult grass weeds or challenging broad-leaved weeds, applying early often increases effectiveness of the herbicide and lessens the impact these weeds can have on the crop.
Broad‑leaved weeds including cleavers, volunteer beans and poppies are also emerging now. Where these are already sizeable, consider tank mixing Zypar® with Broadway Ultra. Alternatively, a Zypar application at T0 can be a cost‑effective option for controlling difficult broad‑leaved weeds early and is far more effective than waiting for temperatures to rise to use phenoxy or SU chemistry.
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Competition time!
WIN one of 30 Broadway® Ultra VELTUFF® Protex1 jackets - tough, comfortable and built for farm life.
Take our short quiz by 30 April 2026. Enter via our product page here.
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Give your spring cereals the best possible
start with Ympact® seed treatment
Although we are still in winter with snow in the past weeks, spring drilling isn't far away.
As in recent years, spring drilling often begins with challenging conditions including cold soils, variable moisture and early-season stress, all of which can hinder crop establishment.
Ympact is designed to help growers overcome these challenges by enhancing germination, root development and early crop resilience.
The combination of humic and fulvic acids bonded with chelated micronutrients including Mn, Zn and Cu in Ympact supports enzymatic activity, nutrient movement and early plant development - particularly valuable when spring cereals face abiotic stress or sub-optimal seedbeds.
How Ympact supports establishment in spring drilling conditions:
- Accelerates emergence and early vigour - promotes uniform crop establishment even when soils are cool or dry.
- Improves root system development - deeper, stronger rooting supports nutrient uptake and resilience.
- Optimises metabolic processes and abiotic stress tolerance - supports seedlings through early stress events.
- Enhances moisture and nutrient movement in the seed - humic substances draw moisture into the rhizosphere and aid micronutrient transport.
- Supports tiller and biomass development - aiding overall yield potential.
Want to find out more?
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Protect your nitrogen and minimise losses
this spring with Instinct®
With increasingly unpredictable early-season weather and high leaching risk, Instinct offers a reliable way to protect your fertiliser investment and maintain crop nitrogen supply until roots develop fully.
Instinct, powered by Optinyte™ technology, is a nitrification inhibitor that slows the conversion of ammonium to nitrate by inhibiting Nitrosomonas bacteria. This keeps nitrogen in the stable ammonium form for 10-12 weeks, reducing the risk of loss during early spring when soils are wet and conditions are variable.
Key benefits for January-March applications:
- Keeps more nitrogen available for the crop: typically ~28% more nitrogen retained in the soil and accessible to roots.
- Reduces nitrogen losses: up to 50% less nitrate leaching and 50% fewer GHG emissions, helping protect the environment while improving nutrient use efficiency.
- Supports strong growth: more consistent nitrogen availability improves tiller development and crop uniformity during early growth.
- Improves flexibility: enables earlier fertilisation applications with reduced risk, supporting spring workloads and operational efficiency.
Apply Instinct in February or March, ideally just before or with your first ammonium-containing fertiliser or slurry application.
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Astrokerb® and Kerb® Flo 500:
winter application guidance
With cold and snowy weather conditions in the first half of January, oilseed rape crops are opening up and with bare ground this may bring germination of weeds.
If an Astrokerb or Kerb Flo 500 application hasn't been possible to apply in the autumn, there is still time. Astrokerb or Kerb Flo 500 must be applied to oilseed rape by the 31st January.
Before application, remember to check the weather forecast and individual field conditions, following the propyzamide stewardship guidelines.
If snow is present, before making an application, wait for it to melt, because this can increase potential for run-off. If applying Astrokerb, then wait for the leaves to become frost-free before an application.
For applications that were made in the late autumn, you should start to see Astrokerb or Kerb Flo 500 working on the blackgrass, with swollen stem bases and root tips. Remember it can take up to 12 weeks before symptoms appear.
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PACTS® maize results out now:
2026/27 PACTS book now available to download!
Following a full programme of on-farm PACTS trials in 2025, the latest maize hybrid results are now finalised and ready to support growers in selecting the best-performing Pioneer® hybrids for the coming season. The trials once again covered the key maize-growing regions across the UK and Ireland, offering robust, locally relevant data to guide hybrid choice.
We're pleased to announce that the PACTS book for 2026/27 selection is now available, providing updated hybrid descriptions, the newest trial results and insights across both forage and grain performance. This year's line-up includes exciting additions such as P68106 and P72847, alongside established high-performing favourites.
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Grain maize results in the UK at a glance
While most UK maize is still harvested as whole‑crop silage at around 28% dry matter, the area harvested for grain continues to rise. Grain maize is typically 65–75% dry matter and requires a specialist maize header for combining.
Once harvested, grain can either be dried to 15% moisture for long‑term storage or used as high‑moisture grain by crimping or grinding before ensiling. Pioneer® inoculants 11A44, 11A44 Rapid React, and 11B91 Rapid React help improve aerobic stability and fermentation for crimped maize.
Decades of Corteva breeding have produced earlier‑maturity, dual‑purpose hybrids suitable for both silage and grain - supporting growers in cooler regions. PACTS® grain trials now span over 10 years, with an increasing number of test sites and clear multi‑year performance comparisons.
Latest PACTS grain maize data for favourable sites:
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Experts fear extensive SDHI resistance:
Inatreq™ could be the key
Recent studies have shown that Isoflucypram (as found in Vimoy®) and Pydiflumetofen (as found in Miravis®) exhibit cross-resistance. Current advice from experts such as Jonathon Blake and Aoife O'Driscoll is to utilise as many different modes of action as possible within a fungicide programme.
Additionally, recent work carried out by ADAS has demonstrated that substituting one SDHI in a spray programme can have a strong positive impact on delaying SDHI resistance, thereby extending the life of this valuable chemistry. Therefore, the use of Inatreq active in a spray programme not only delivers excellent disease control and yield benefits, but also helps extend the life of valuable SDHI chemistry.
Recent articles from Farmers Weekly cover this in more detail:
Univoq™ and Inatreq™ information:
Resistance management video:
How long have we been reliant on the same modes of action and the impact this has on resistance? And, what can be done about the situation without adding cost?
Find out more in this 50 second video:
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News and views from the Corteva Team
Events
This month has been a busy but exciting one for Team Corteva! We recently attended CropTec, where we had the opportunity to share technical insights and discuss the latest developments in crop protection and stewardship. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand!
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We're now looking ahead to the MGA Conference in Hinckley on 4-5 February, where we look forward to meeting even more growers, agronomists and colleagues from across the agricultural industry. You can also find us at DairyTech on 4 February, at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. If you're attending either event, be sure to stop by and say hello - we're excited to continue the conversations, hear your thoughts and answer any questions.
Agronomy Exchange Conference: Planting Seeds for the Future - 11 February 2026:
We were delighted to be the first sponsor on board for the new Agronomy Exchange, a one-day conference and awards evening for agronomists, researchers and industry leaders to explore the technologies shaping the future of UK crop production. From AI‑driven decision tools to next‑generation data systems and precision agronomy, the event will look at how digital innovation is transforming advice, management and resilience in arable farming.
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Spotlight on cereal farmers - new video
In our new Advancing the Farm video, Essex arable farmer Bryony Graham joins growers from across Europe to share what’s happening on their farms - the pressures they’re under, the solutions they’re using, and how crop protection from Corteva is helping them drive more productive seasons.
Learn more about how Corteva is supporting cereal growers:
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Follow us on Instagram!
We are excited to share that we have launched a new Instagram page! Follow @Corteva_UK for insights, updates, giveaways and more! We look forward to keeping you up to date with everything happening across UK agriculture and within the Corteva Team.
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Want to hear more from us?
Update your preferences and tailor your choices to make sure you receive the communications that are right for you. Don't forget to enter into our monthly prize draw by ticking the box before submitting to be in with the chance to win!
You can also stay in the loop with all the latest updates by following @CortevaUK on X and Facebook, and @Corteva_UK on Instagram.
Next month we will be launching our Korvetto® Spring Clean Challenge, exclusively on social media, so make sure you're following us. The first challenge will be published on 2 February, and there will be great prizes to be won each week for five weeks.
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Get in touch with our hotline team
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CPD points
Subscribing to Corteva Agriscience Arable Update gives eligibility for 2 CP BASIS points and/or 2 NRoSO points and/or 2 CP points for those who are part of the BASIS Environmental Advisors Register (EAR) annually.
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USE PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS SAFELY. Always read the label and product information before use. For further information including warning phrases and symbols refer to label. ®, ™ Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. All other brand names are trademarks of other manufacturers for which proprietary rights may exist. All manufacturers tradenames and trademarks are duly acknowledged. © 2025 Corteva. Ympact® contains Fulvic Acid, Humic Acid, trace elements including Copper (0.45%), Manganese (0.74%), Zinc (1.1%), Boron, Cobolt, Sodium. Instinct® contains nitrapyrin. Astrokerb® contains aminopyralid and propyzamide. Kerb®Flo 500 contains propyzamide. Broadway® Ultra contains pyroxsulam and mesosulfuron-methyl. Zypar® contains florasulam and halauxifen-methyl.  | | | | |