Drilling Depth:

• Pre-emergence treatment: Wheat, durum wheat, rye and triticale: At least 4cm (1.5"): Barley. 2.5-4cm (1-1.5"): Winter beans: normal depth.
• Post-emergence treatment. All winter cereal crops may be drilled at normal depth. No post-emergence use in beans.
• Shallow drilled cereals: Apply only post-emergence of crop when rows first visible.
• Direct drilled cereals: Apply only post-emergence of crop when rows first visible.

Seedbed Conditions:

• Consolidate puffy seedbeds pre-application
• Do not consolidate after application as crop safety and weed control may be compromised, in particular before crop emergence.
• Ensure clod size does not exceed 5cm (2.5").
• Do not use on soils with over 10% organic matter e.g. peat, fen, moss
• Some moisture is required to activate the Avadex Excel granules.
• Dry seedbeds: in drier seedbeds the vapour action of Avadex Excel provides more reliable control than pre-emergence herbicides that rely on root uptake. Granules may be applied provided the seedbed is dry to a reasonable depth. However, if the top 5-8cm (2-3") of soil is bone dry but below that the soil is moist, Wild-oats and some other weeds can germinate from depth and grow through Avadex Excel before it is activated.

Timing: Pre or post emergence?

• For optimum results the Avadex Excel should be applied immediately after drilling, harrowing and/or rolling and pre-emergence of both crop and weeds. Where high or resistant populations of Black-grass or Wild-oats are to be controlled, this timing is essential for optimum results. It is particularly important when warm, moist conditions prevail, as these are conducive to rapid weed germination.
• Post-emergence applications will control Wild-oats up to the 2 leaf stage. While control of Black-grass and Brome is effective at the spike stage (GS 10), control falls off once the first true leaf unfolds.

Weather Conditions:

• RAIN: Can be applied in wet and damp conditions provided the deflector plates are kept clean and dry.
• WIND: Granules may be effectively applied in light winds up to 8km/h (5mph).

DRY SEEDBEDS: Many areas of the country now have dry seedbeds. Where rain is expected then there will be little loss of activity if granules are applied a few days before the rain. Otherwise wait until early post-emergence of the crop.

DRY SOIL CONDITIONS: Where dry soil conditions prevail, it may be best to delay application until the rows are just visible. This option is not available with liquid pre-emergence herbicides. Even if application is delayed until the first leaf is unfolded the sensitisation effect is still provided, and excellent control can still be achieved in conjunction with the sequence partner.

Sequences:

• Optimum control of weeds will be achieved where an appropriate sequential application is made within 6-8 weeks. Avadex Excel works by de-waxing the leaf and weeds not killed initially will not be sensitised to the following programme.