Inter-row

Weeds and weed control

Paraquat is used to control a huge range of weeds worldwide, but to control weeds effectively and sustainably it is important to understand them.
Why does a plant become a weed? How can different types of weeds be described? What are the features of weeds and the way they grow which can be targeted by herbicides for successful control?

Will farming and soil quality collide?

Will farming and soil quality collide?
World Agriculture and the Environment is an important new book addressing the fear that increasing demand for food and fiber is on a “collision course” with soil quality.
This article is in two parts. In Part One, some of the main issues discussed in the book are reviewed. Part Two then explains how more than 40 years of research and practical use have shown that controlling weeds with paraquat can help provide improved and sustainable crop management practices to improve soil quality.
Part One: What ‘World Agriculture and the Environment’ says
In World Agriculture and the Environment authorJason Clay (World Wildlife Fund-US vice president, Center for Conservation Innovation) reviews the production and environmental impact of 21 of the world’s major food commodities. The main threats to the environment posed by crops, fish and meat are identified and explored, as well as the trends that shape those threats.
Major Issues
A fundamental acknowledgement in the book is that low intensity cropping can not support current, let alone future, levels of world population. There are two underlying reasons. First, using more land for farming destroys natural forests and grasslands.

Safety to the environment

Extensive long-term field studies confirm - and governments and regulatory authorities, worldwide, agree - that normal use of paraquat in accordance with the approved label instructions does not cause an unacceptable environmental impact.
These studies have shown that:
Paraquat is inactive in soil
When paraquat residues come into contact with the soil the paraquat active ingredient rapidly becomes adsorbed and strongly bound to clay and organic matter in the soil. It becomes biologically inert and as a result it cannot be taken up by plant roots or other organisms. Paraquat treated soils still maintain an active soil ecosystem with no adverse effects on soil microbes, microorganisms and earthworms. Paraquat cannot be released from the soil or re-activated by the application of water or other agrochemicals.
All agricultural soils, not only those with high clay content, have a high capacity to absorb paraquat.

Paraquat - a unique contributor to agriculture

Mr. Prasanna Srinivasan of New Dehli, India, is a recognized expert in the field of economics, policy and regulatory development and specializes in the impact of global environmental treaties on developing countries. Syngenta commissioned Mr. Srinivasan to provide a balanced assessment of the benefits and risks of pesticides in general and paraquat in particular. Mr. Srinivasan recently completed this review entitled, “Paraquat: A unique contributor to agriculture and sustainable development.
Please click on this link to download a copy of the review:
Paraquat: A Unique Contributor to Agriculture and Sustainable Development
 

Paraquat in perspective

Worldwide, paraquat's use brings substantial benefits to food production and sustainable agriculture; farmers remain enthusiastic about the value that it adds.  In contrast to this, some groups have been very vocal in their demands for its restriction or banning and this has led to the production of a large number of reports that contain allegations regarding its safety in use.  Syngenta, the leading manufacturer, treats any expression of concern over safety very seriously and continues to work with authorizing bodies, academics and local organizations to understand and improve the safe handling of pesticides, including paraquat.  The objective this paper in Outlooks on Pest Management is to consider the need for and benefits of paraquat alongside the issues raised by its critics and thereby to put paraquat in perspective. 
Click here to download the PDF.
 

Vegetable cropping

Vegetables are essential to a healthy diet. In many countries, eating at least five portions a day is recommeneded for health.
Although the term ‘vegetable’ implies coming from the vegetative parts of plants, such as leaves, stems and roots, a few fruit, notably tomatoes, are also commonly called vegetables. Therefore, the classification is a culinary one. Arguments over whether tomatoes are fruit or vegetables have even been aired in court. In 1893, the US Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes are vegetables for legal purposes, in particular, relating to trade tariffs in force at the time.
Vegetables also straddle agriculture and horticulture. Some are grown on a field scale like, say, wheat or maize, many are grown in sophisticated glasshouses, while all are grown by smallholders and in domestic gardens. Peas and other legume vegetables have bacteria associated with their roots which convert nitrogen from the air into forms which can be used by plants as nutrients and these remain in the soil to fertilize following crops.

Tea cropping

Next time you are relaxing with a nice cup of tea, you might remember that this is the beverage that once sparked a revolution. On a cold December evening in 1773, The Sons of Liberty, a group protesting against unfair taxes, dressed as Mohawk Indians and tipped the cargo of tea carried by ships of the British East India Company in to Boston Harbour. The Boston Tea Party rallied support for the revolutionaries in the 13 Colonies and, some say, started the American War of Independence.
Now, tea is a crop leading another revolution, one in agriculture. It is becoming accepted that to ensure the production of abundant and wholesome food, while protecting the environment for future generations and giving those who work on the land good standards of living, all those involved must adopt a sustainable approach to agriculture.
The major environmental issues in growing tea include:

Loss of habitats and effects on biodiversity
Soil erosion on the often hilly terrain
Water pollution and reduction in soil health by agrochemicals
Deforestation as a result of the need for wood for drying tea leaves

Using the non-selective herbicide paraquat for weed control can address three of these four issues. Paraquat can be used to maintain a managed, non-competitive weed flora which provides habitats to encourage biodiversity and helps prevent soil erosion.

Soybean cropping

Soya stands out from other major crops: broad leaved rather than a grass; a legume, so plants supply their own needs for nitrogen fertilizer while increasing the fertility of the land; soya beans are rich in oil, protein and carbohydrate; and the crop has been highly developed by plant breeders and agronomists. This makes soya arguably the world’s most versatile crop.
With such a broad nutritional base, soybeans are a staple food and animal feed. Whole beans provide flours; soya oil is used in cooking and food; protein-rich soya meal left after oil extraction is an important livestock feed; and soya protein is used in drinks, baby food, noodles, and as a meat and dairy substitute.
With petroleum prices escalating, it’s no surprise that interest in alternative fuels has also increased. In 2007, 17% of the US soya crop went to make biodiesel and the USDA forecast that this will rise to 23% over the next few years.
Biodiesel is not soya’s first connection with motor vehicles. In 1941, Henry Ford’s enthusiasm for finding industrial uses for crops resulted in the manufacture of the ‘Biological Car’ made for an exhibition.

Maize cropping

Maize, or corn as it is always called in North America, along with wheat and rice is one of the world’s top crops. As the current craze for ‘maize mazes’ suggests, it is truly an ‘amazing’ crop.
Maize is often seen as a highly advanced crop grown for breakfast cereals, sweet corn and popcorn - fast-foods of western society. However, maize also provides more basic staple foods for much of the world’s population in developing countries where it is used to make porridge, bread and tortillas. All around the world, maize grain is a basic livestock feed, and the crop can be cut while still green to make silage as a winter feed.
In a world increasingly aware of its dependence on oil and the climate change issues arising from its use, there is growing interest in the production of bioethanol from the starch in maize as an alternative fuel.
Maize, perhaps more than any other crop, reaches both high and low extremes of sophistication, mechanisation and technology in crop production. But, all farmers need to maximise the yield and quality of their produce, while saving the costs, time and labour needed to grow it.
Protecting maize from weeds, pests and diseases is essential to avoiding heavy losses in yields and quality of grain. Weed control is usually most important.

Paraquat for vegetables

Paraquat has an important role to play in vegetable cropping because its unique characteristics are particularly suited to the challenges posed by controlling weeds in these diverse crops. Growing vegetables also helps with growing other crops in a sustainable way. Legume vegetables have bacteria associated with their roots which convert nitrogen from the air into forms which can be used by plants as nutrients and these remain in the soil to fertilize following crops. A vegetable break crop, such as peas or potatoes, prevents the build-up of pests and diseases in cereal rotations and provides an opportunity to control weeds by alternative approaches.
Using paraquat for weed control helps to address many of the challenges to vegetable production including soil erosion, leaching of agrochemicals, early harvests for best prices. Paraquat is used to prepare the land for sowing or transplanting and is safe to use for inter-row weed control in growing crops by careful application with knapsack sprayers or from tractor mounted sprayers with shielded spray nozzles.