SPRAYING MAIZE WITH WEED-KILLER FOUND SUCCESSFUL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 78, 19 December 1949, Page 5

SPRAYING MAIZE WITH WEED-KILLER FOUND SUCCESSFUL

(By E. R. Marryatt, Fields Instructor, Whakatane) Extensive contract spraying with hormone weed-killers in crops of maize is being done in the Gisboi’ne district and I have enquired from the contractors through the Department of Agriculture, Gisborne, how successful this has been. Local farmers will be interested to hear that last seasan, the work was very successful and that as a result a large amount of spraying is being done again this year. The material used is 11 pints of “Weedar 77” to the acre. The Gisborne contractors put this on mixed with 4£ gallons of water through No. 25 low-volume nozzles at a tractor speed of 6 m.p.h., but anyone trying the hormone out should first find out how much water his machine is putting on to the acre at a certain speed and then mix 1-1 pints of the hormone with that quantity of water and work at the tested speed. Spraying took place last year When the maize was lOin to 12in high and the weeds 2in to 4in high. Late-sprayed maize, which held the spray in the axils of the leaves did suffer a slight check on one farm but a complete recovery is report,ed to have taken place in about three weeks and the yield did not appear to be affected. Common weeds in the crops sprayed were Californian thistle, Scotch and Winged thistles, Convolvulus, Bathurst Burr, Prince of Wales Feather (probably Redroot (Amaranthus retroflexus) is meant here), Fathen, Docks, Mallow, Nightshade and flatweeds.. With the exception of Californian thisle and the older plants of Nightshade, which were in the advanced berry stage, all these weeds were killed. I shall be interested to hear from any farmer who tries the spraying of weeds in maize in this district.