Welcome to the Corteva™ Agriscience
Forage Agronomy Update for Ireland
These regular technical notes come with CPD points and will help those interested in improving grassland and forage productivity on dairy, beef, sheep and equestrian enterprises. We post frequently on our social media channels, so you’ll want to make sure you’re following @CortevaForage and @CortevaIE on X and @CortevaIE on Facebook.
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Weather changes | Autumn weed control in newly sown leys | Autumn dock control | Turning early maize into top-quality silage | Preserve the value of your grass silage | Tullamore Show | FAQs | Want to hear more from us? | IASIS points
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Active growth is an important requirement for translocation of herbicides into the extensive root system of perennial weeds such as docks and thistles. Past months have been hot and dry, but now we are seeing rain and cooler temperatures return which should allow both the crop and the weeds to recover. This is key as active growth will lead to better control of these unwanted grassland weeds.
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Autumn weed control in newly sown leys
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The common weed problems with autumn reseeds are chickweed, docks and thistles. Other weeds could also take advantage of warm temperatures and a moist seedbed to germinate, including mayweed, groundsel and charlock. Perennial weed seedlings such as docks are more susceptible to herbicides and higher control levels are achieved at the seedling stage versus waiting for them to establish into more mature plants which then require higher rates of herbicide use and more expense.
Many grassland herbicide products can only be applied to 'established' grass. This is grass that is 12 months old, or more, at the time of treatment. Corteva Agriscience has three selective herbicides for use in newly sown leys - ProClova® XL, Pastor® Trio and Envy®. These products can be applied once the grass has grown beyond the 3-true leaf stage.
ProClova XL is safe to white clover and can be applied at 85g/ha with 125ml of XL adjuvant up until 31st October. It controls many broad-leaved weeds including seedling docks, chickweed, charlock, groundsel and mayweeds. Optimal weed control is achieved with applications made when minimum temperatures exceed 8oC for 3 days before and after the application date.
Pastor Trio can be applied to newly sown leys at 1.0L/ha up until 31st August. So with a cut-off date of 30th November, Envy should be the go to solution for grass leys where clover safety is not a consideration. It works well in cooler conditions and can be used on most weeds at optimal sizes at 1.0L/ha. Use the higher rate of 1.5L/ha where docks are growing from root fragments or weed sizes have grown beyond optimal levels.
Pastor Trio and Envy are not safe to clover, but clover can be stitched in 3 months after after application.
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As autumn settles in, now is an ideal time to tackle persistent dock infestations in established grasslands.
Doxstar® Pro is a concentrated herbicide formulation containing triclopyr and fluroxypyr. These actives combine together to give long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks - key culprits in reducing forage quality and yield.
After a dry, hot summer, recent rains and cooler temperatures are now triggering growth which means more competition for the light, nutrients, and moisture that grass desperately needs. Docks have a feed value that is just 65% that of good grass. Left untreated, they will ingress into further areas and significantly impact productivity and palatability.
Doxstar Pro is a proven and reliable control solution that translocates deep into the roots, ensuring sustained control even after cutting.
Application advice:
- Apply when docks are actively growing and in the rosette stage (up to 200mm high or across).
- If spraying post-cutting, allow 2-3 weeks for sufficient regrowth.
- Avoid grazing for at least 7 days post-treatment.
- For best results, cut the treated area 4 weeks after spraying to enhance long-term control.
With no label restriction on last use dates, Doxstar Pro is the most flexible and effective option for late-season dock control.
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Turning early maize into top-quality silage
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With this year’s maize harvest expected to arrive up to six weeks earlier than usual, it’s important to plan ahead. The crop is likely to have a higher dry matter content and lower overall yield, but with the potential for excellent starch levels. This makes it an ideal time to focus on preserving feed quality.
Pioneer® brand silage inoculants are specifically designed to help you make the most of these conditions. By enhancing fermentation and reducing spoilage, they support the production of high-quality, stable silage, ensuring you retain as much of that valuable starch as possible.
Discover the Pioneer Inoculant range for use on maize:
- Pioneer Brand 11A44 and 11A44 Rapid React delivers significant improvement of aerobic stability; it suits situations where maize has very high dry matter and there is a very high risk of aerobic spoilage.
- Pioneer Brand 11C33 Rapid React contains heterofermentative bacterial strain LN4637 which converts lactic acid into acetic acid and propanediol. 11C33 is an all-round ensiling agent which is designed to increase ensiling efficiency and improve the aerobic stability of silage.
- Pioneer Brand 11CFT is a patented inoculant for maize silage with unique Fibre Technology. 11CFT reduces dry matter losses by rapidly lowering pH, and it contains a novel strain of enzyme producing Lactobacillus buchneri to improve fibre digestibility. It also significantly reduces aerobic losses at feed out.
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Preserve the value of your grass silage
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The quality of grass silage can be compromised without the right preservation strategy. Whether you're dealing with high-sugar first cuts, or wetter, later-season grass, effective fermentation is key to locking in nutrients and minimising losses.
That’s where the Pioneer range of silage inoculants comes in. Formulated with proven strains of Lactobacillus, these inoculants help:
- Speed up fermentation, reducing pH quickly to inhibit spoilage organisms.
- Preserve more dry matter and energy, especially in wetter or more challenging cuts.
- Improve aerobic stability, keeping silage cooler and fresher at feed-out.
Discover the Pioneer inoculant range for use on grass:
- Pioneer Brand 1188: Ensures the best possible preservation in wetter grass (<25% dry matter) and low sugar situations because of the unique proprietary and complimentary bacterial strains it contains. These strains work in harmony to rapidly and efficiently lower the pH.
- Pioneer Brand 11G22 Rapid React: In addition to lowering the pH quickly, 11G22 is able to achieve aerobic stability from as soon as 7 days sealing, weeks faster than when compared to non-Rapid React formulation Pioneer inoculants. This inoculant is also available in a special formulation for organic producers, simply ask for 11G22 organic use when ordering.
- Pioneer Brand 11GFT: Triple mode of action; improves fermentation, aerobic stability and fibre digestibility. Incorporates patented microbial technology that leads to improved fibre digestibility due to the production of ferulate esterase enzymes. `
- Pioneer Brand 11A44: Dramatically reduces heating in a wide range of high dry matter silages including high dry matter grass. Good choice where heating is a significant challenge due to high dry matter content, longer chop, summer or slow feed-out, or low compaction levels.
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The Tullamore Show brings together the best cattle, sheep, and equine breeders from all over the country. An average of 60,000 visitors and 700 stands from various sectors such as agriculture, home industries, farm produce, and more were present at the event.
TP Whelehan Crop Protection sponsored the class: Super €2,500 National Holstein Heifer in Milk (1st and 2nd prize winners from class 33 qualify to compete in this class).
The winner was Jones Lambda Fame exhibited by Gary and Isobel Jones.
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Pictured: Isobel Jones, Corteva Agriscience's area manager Liz Glynn and Chris Maughan from TP Whelehan Crop Protection.
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A: The activity of spraying ragwort with Grazon Pro will make the weed more palatable to livestock. This means that horses or stock will not be able to return to the field until the ragwort has fully recovered and is actively growing again. This is likely to take some weeks, so do not apply Grazon Pro to ragwort. If the problem is in a grazing field, then use Forefront®T and apply via a boom sprayer. This product is very effective and works quickly, but ensure that there is no visual sign of the dead weed, and that partially controlled weeds have fully recovered before allowing animals to resume grazing the treated area. Forefront T has an application window of 1st March to 31st July so target application on this weed in the spring.
Q: What is the re-seeding interval for grass and clover post an application of ProClova® XL?
A: Grass and clover can be safely over sown into grassland that has previously been sprayed with ProClova XL from 8 weeks after the application date
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Want to hear more from us?
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10 IASIS points will be awarded to those subscribing to the Forage Agronomy Update.
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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 Corteva Agriscience Limited and its affiliated companies. All other brand names are trademarks of other manufacturers for which proprietary rights may exist. All manufacturers trade names and trademarks are duly acknowledged. © 2025 Corteva. ProClova® XL contains florpyrauxifen-benzyl and amidosulfuron. Envy® contains fluroxypyr and florasulam. Forefront® T contains aminopyralid and triclopyr. Grazon® Pro contains clopyralid and triclopyr. Pastor® Trio contains fluroxypyr, clopyralid and florasulam. Doxstar® Pro contains triclopyr and fluroxypyr.
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