The latest addition to growers’ herbicide armoury could even help manage the typical two-spray strategy employed against challenging broadleaf weeds, which, amid concerns over diesel supply and cost, would be highly valuable this year.
Marathon, developed by ADAMA Australia, is a new high-load solo pyrasulfotole herbicide with an in-built crop safener which, when mixed with other post-emergent herbicides, offers superior weed control whilst providing good crop safety.
Growers will have the flexibility to apply it with a wide range of herbicides to control more weeds and help improve herbicide resistance management.
Marathon comprises 230g per litre of the Group 27 pyrasulfotole herbicide and provides particularly robust control of wild radish, wild turnip and Indian hedge mustard, as well as sow thistle, Paterson’s curse, prickly lettuce, climbing buckwheat, bifora, deadnettle and many others.
Applied from the two-leaf crop stage, depending upon the tank-mix partner, it incorporates unique, patent-pending formulation technology which enhances its solubility, stability and performance under diverse environmental conditions.
ADAMA Australia herbicides portfolio manager Rob Walker says the unique, stable, efficient and highly concentrated liquid formulation prevented the crystallisation that could occur with other pyrasulfotole herbicides under certain conditions.
Rob says other co-formulation herbicides can apply a high rate of pyrasulfotole that may not be required, whereas with Marathon, growers and advisers can tailor the pyrasulfotole rate and fully customise tank mixes with an extensive range of ADAMA post-emergent herbicide options to broaden the weed spectrum controlled.
“The solo pyrasulfotole offers strong flexibility with tank mix options, it’s a good formulation, it’s highly competitive compared with other similar herbicides, and the Group 27 mode of action is excellent for resistance management,” he says.
“Marathon enables a cost-effective spike by introducing a Group 27 mode of action to current spray programs.”
Market development manager Bevan Addison says several formulations were tested during the development phase before selecting Marathon for its performance, excellent stability and unique formulation trait.
“We also deliberately chose a formulation with added crop safener for grower and adviser peace of mind with all tank-mix partner options, offering strong performance whilst ensuring crop safety,” Bevan says.
He says Marathon will allow growers great flexibility to customise their applications based on their weed spectrum and burden, as well as herbicide resistance status, which is always a focus with weeds like radish.
Bevan says independent surveys suggested including more modes of action into spray applications was effective to help achieve better outcomes against herbicide-resistant weeds.
Marathon is compatible with many ADAMA tank-mix partners, including Bronco 400, Quadrant, Triathlon, Colt, Legacy MA, LVE MCPA 570, Priority and Picoflex.
“Mixes with Bronco or LVE MCPA offers the ability to customise versions of other similar herbicides, whereas mixes with Quadrant or Triathlon, or LVE MCPA plus Picoflex, provide broader spectrum weed control, with the added benefit of residual activity,” Bevan says.
“Marathon with Quadrant brings together four modes of action and five active ingredients,” he says.
“You get multiple modes of action for broad spectrum coverage and a combination of very robust knockdown and residual control, so there are plenty of wins.
“It’s really robust even against populations with levels of resistance – and you get residual control.
“The long-term control could mean growers may not need a two-spray strategy, but even if they do, it will be so much delayed that they will have plenty of flexibility.”
Development trials have been carried out across the country since 2021 prior to the introduction of Marathon and they have demonstrated its strong success.
“It has been in our trials throughout Australia, incorporating different weed spectrums and difficult-to-control weeds like radish in Western Australia and South Australia, and it has performed well everywhere,” Bevan says.
“Its knockdown effect is comparable with common pyrasulfotole brews which are used, and then with Marathon and novel mix partners you get the residual control.”
He says all major reseller groups and many consultants and farmers had seen the trials and acknowledged the performance of the Marathon tank mixes.
“They have clearly seen it working and understand the flexibility the product offers, allowing growers to tailor their applications to the particular weed challenges they face.”
Bevan says early interest in the Marathon tank-mix partner for applications this upcoming season already was strong.
