Cranesbill are a common group of plants with about 15 naturalised species found across Great Britain.
Cranesbill
What is cranesbill?
Cranesbill (Geranium species) are a common group of plants with about 15 naturalised species found across Great Britain. Throughout the group the flowers are 5 petalled and the leaves are toothed and palmately lobed (finger like lobes) and usually cut to more than half way. Within arable cropping two species are more common; Cut-leaved cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) can be found in England, Wales and Ireland (and to a lesser extent Scotland). Dovesfoot cranesbill (G.molle) can be found in England and Wales and to a lesser extent in Scotland. In pasture, especially on lime soils Meadow cranesbill (G. pratense) can be found.
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Dovesfoot cranesbill is a short/medium, hairy annual plant growing to a height up to 40cm with pink-purple flowers. It germinates in the spring and autumn and prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Meadow cranesbill, a medium/tall perennial plant that can grow to 1m in height. It has violet blue flowers and can be found in grassland, though being a perennial it is not a weed of arable rotations.
Biology
Cut-leaved cranesbill is a hairy, short/medium height (up to 60cm) annual plant with pink-purple flowers that germinates in the spring and autumn. Preferring neutral to slightly alkaline soils it reproduces by seed, with seed lasting in the soil for approximately 1-5 years.
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Why is cranesbill a problem?
Mature plants can be prostrate or upright in growth and are competitive with the crop. In spring planted crops they grow rapidly and can smother cereals, oilseed rape and maize crops. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in recent years cranesbill has become more problematic and this may be due to increase in minimum tillage.
How do I control cranesbill?
In cereal crops, control is achieved using pyroxsulam containing products; Avocet®, Broadway® Star and Memphis® and will control cranesbill up to 6 true leaves. Zypar®, containing florasulam and halauxifen methyl can be applied from 15th September to 30th June and will control cranesbill up to 10cm. Pixxaro® EC, (fluroxypyr and halauxifen methyl) can be applied from 1st February to 30th June and will give control up to 10cm.
In potatoes, Titus® (rimsulfuron) plus Vivolt adjuvant provides suppression of cranesbill.
In maize, Principal® Forte (containing dicamba, nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron) + adjuvant can be applied from 1st May to 31st July and will provide moderate control of cranesbill up to 4 true leaves. Dragster®, containing rimsulfuron + thifensulfuron plus adjuvant can be applied from 1st May to 31st July provides suppression up to 2 true leaves. Titus® (rimsulfuron) plus Vivolt adjuvant provides suppression of cranesbill. Accent® (nicosulfuron) can be applied from 2-8 leaf stage of maize and will provide suppression of cranesbill up to 4 true leaves.
In oilseed rape, the following products have activity against cranesbill; Astrokerb® (propyzamide + aminopyralid) can be applied from 1st October to 31st January and will provide suppression of cranesbill up to 6 true leaves. Belkar® (picloram + halauxifen methyl) can be applied from 1st September to 31st December controls cranesbill up to 8 true leaves when applied at 0.5 L/ha or Korvetto® (clopyralid + halauxifen methyl) can be applied from March 1st to before June 1st and controls cranesbill up to 2 cm in size.
Product choice
Accent Herbicide
Accent® provides broad-spectrum weed control in forage maize.
Astrokerb Herbicide
Astrokerb® is a contact and residual herbicide delivering control of blackgrass, poppy, mayweed and other grass and broad-leaved weeds in winter oilseed rape.
Avocet Herbicide
Avocet®, a post-emergence ALS inhibitor for use on winter wheat, rye and triticale for the control of blackgrass and other grasses and broad-leaved weeds.
Belkar Herbicide
Belkar® is a new post-emergence autumn applied herbicide for superior control of a wide range of broad-leaved weeds in winter oilseed rape.
Broadway Star Herbicide
Broadway® Star delivers outstanding performance in winter wheat against yield robbing grassweeds including wild oats, ryegrasses and bromes.
Dragster Herbicide
Dragster® is a post-emergence herbicide that controls a wide range of both grass and broad-leaved weeds.
Korvetto Herbicide
Korvetto® is a selective post-emergence spring applied herbicide for use on winter oilseed rape.
Memphis Herbicide
Memphis® provides a robust solution for control of key grassweeds and broad-leaved weeds in winter wheat, winter rye, winter spelt and winter triticale.
Pixxaro EC Herbicide
Pixxaro® EC is a herbicide for the control of broad-leaved weeds in winter and spring cereals, based on innovative chemistry.
Principal Forte Herbicide
Principal® Forte is a post-emergence herbicide that controls a wide range of both grass and broad-leaved weeds.
Titus Herbicide
Titus® is a sulfonylurea herbicide to control broad-leaved weeds in potato and forage maize.
Zypar Herbicide
Zypar® is a herbicide for the control of broad-leaved weeds in winter cereals (wheat, durum wheat, spelt, barley, rye, triticale, oats) and spring cereals.