Maximising pasture production this autumn is more important than ever. Express® (gibberellic acid), applied in conjunction with nitrogen is a useful tool to stimulate extra pasture production, particularly once temperatures start to drop in autumn.

There are a number of factors that are important to ensure the best pasture response;

• Apply 1 - 5 days after grazing when there is sufficient leaf area to ensure foliar uptake.
• Apply Nitrogen in conjunction with Express®.
• Graze treated areas 3 - 4 weeks after application to utilise the extra pasture growth.
• Do not overgraze either before or after applying Express®.
• Pasture should have sufficient moisture and fertility, particularly N, to support the extra growth.
• Do not treat pastures less than 1 year old.

Making sure autumn-sown pastures and crops get off to a good start will also be importa​nt, so regular monitoring for weed and pest issues is a must. Slugs can be devastating, particularly in direct-drilled crops and pastures. Slug baits are still the most effective way of dealing with slug problems.

Endure® slug bait can be mixed and spread with fertiliser, which saves on application costs. If slug populations are high and/or conditions are favourable for slugs, it is important to keep monitoring at-risk paddocks regularly.

In newly sown pastures, it is better to control weeds before the first grazing, because the weeds are smaller and easier to control and this will also help the establishment of grass and clovers. In established pastures, particularly those that have suffered from moisture stress, there could be a large germination of weeds when the break comes this autumn. It will be important to monitor at risk pastures and identify areas that need treating.

We have a range of herbicide options for new and established pastures - talk to your Agri Manager or call our Customer Centre for more information.

George Kerse is Product Manger, Agrochemicals at Ravensdown.​

Ravensdown Express® is easy to use:

• Each 20g water-solubl​e bag is sufficient to treat 1 hectare.
• Simply drop into your partly-filled tank while the agitation system is running.
• The plastic bag will dissolve in seconds, releasing the water-soluble granules.
• Maintain agitation and add Widepsread® non-ionic surfactant.

Our foil packs contain 10 x 20g sachets and have a re-sealable strip to help keep any unused sachets in good condition for future use.

To get the best response from Express® it should be applied within 1-5 days after grazing, when there is sufficient green leaf area to ensure uptake.