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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

MINIMUM RECROPPING PERIODS

Use of GRINDSTONE Herbicide may prevent early re-establishment of many crops including grasses after treatment. Aminopyralid remains active in the soil for extended periods depending on rate of application, soil type (clay content), rainfall, temperature, humidity, soil moisture and soil organic matter. Breakdown is fastest in warm and wet conditions and slower in cold and dry conditions. The following tables show plant-back periods to specific crops following application of GRINDSTONE in different areas/situations of Australia. Land previously treated with GRINDSTONE should not be rotated to crops other than those listed in the table below. Tolerance of other crops (grown through to maturity) should be determined on a small scale before sowing into larger areas (see field bioassay in PROTECTION OF CROPS, NATIVE AND OTHER NON-TARGET PLANTS section).

Note: Before using GRINDSTONE in tank mixes with other herbicides, check the plant-back information on all product labels. The most residual product, i.e. the product with the longest plant-back period, will determine the time between spraying and planting the next crop. See also PROTECTION OF CROPS, NATIVE AND OTHER NON-TARGET PLANTS.

Stubble from Treated Crops

Ensure that harvesters effectively spread crop straw and do not leave a heavy ‘header trail’ after harvest. Burn (if legal in the area) or bale and remove, slash or incorporate stubble as soon as practical after harvest and for as long as possible before planting next year to allow microbial breakdown of any residues in straw. Heavy stubble loads may carry more residues into the following season. Where heavy stubble burdens and/or nonwetting soils exist and less than the recommended amount of rain has fallen from application to planting the susceptible crop (see above), only plant a winter or summer cereal.

Where GRINDSTONE residue carryover is suspected and susceptible crops are to be planted, test the treated area as follows:

Field bioassay – where rain allows, plant a small area of the susceptible crop 4 to 6 weeks before desired planting date and take note of any symptoms of injury. If any herbicide symptoms are observed, only plant a cereal crop (see plantback recommendations).

Pot bioassay – where not practical to do field bioassay, a simple bioassay can be conducted 4 to 6 weeks before desired planting date by collecting at least 10 spade spits of soil to a depth of 200 mm from around the paddock and thoroughly mixing the soil together. Place some of this soil in a shallow container to a depth of 3-5 cm and sow 100 seeds of the susceptible plant to be grown (subterranean or white clover is a good indicator plant where it is not practical to use the susceptible plant) into the soil. Keep in a warm and well-lit location and ensure the soil does not dry out. After crop emergence, check the number of plants that have germinated and seedling vigour. Symptoms of GRINDSTONE residues include non-germination or low plant emergence, leaf cupping, leaf whitening, stem elongation and twisting. If these symptoms occur do not grow the susceptible plant. Repeat the bioassay again after a further time interval.

Lentils are highly sensitive to GRINDSTONE and therefore are a good test species for a bioassay.

MIXING

GRINDSTONE can be mixed with water only.

Mix only sufficient chemical for each day use and avoid storing mix.

Half fill the spray tank with water and add the required quantity of GRINDSTONE and complete filling. Agitate continuously to ensure thorough mixing before and during application.

Tank mixtures: Wettable powder or dry flowable formulations (e.g. water dispersible granules) should be added to the spray tank first, followed by suspension concentrates (flowables), water soluble salts (e.g. GRINDSTONE) and then emulsifiable concentrate formulations (e.g. Flagship® 400 EC). Add spraying oils and surfactants (wetters) last, if required.

USE OF SURFACTANT/WETTING AGENT

• Use BS-1000* or equivalent Biodegradable surfactant (when mixed with metsulfuron-methyl) • Uptake* Spraying Oil (when mixed with Mandate®) Not all surfactants or crop oils are of equal quality. ADAMA Australia does not support the use of alternative products other than those listed in the compatibility section.

Instructions specific for woody and herbaceous weed control • If a specific surfactant/wetting agent is not listed in the DIRECTIONS FOR USE table, or when mixing with glyphosate use BS-1000* or equivalent at 100 mL/100 L of final spray solution (0.1 % v/v). • When Pulse Penetrant is recommended in the DIRECTIONS FOR USE table, use 20 mL/10 L (gas gun application) or 100 or 200 mL/100 L (boom or high-volume applications) (i.e. 0.1 or 0.2% v/v) • When Uptake Spraying Oil is recommended in the DIRECTIONS FOR USE table, use 500 mL/100 L of final spray solution (i.e. 0.5 % v/v).

Instructions specific for treatment of pasture and pasture renovation • Always add BS-1000* or equivalent at 200 mL/100 L of final spray solution (0.2 % v/v).

APPLICATION

1. Cropping and Fallow Situations Ground Boom Spraying: Apply in 50-100 L water/ha using a coarse spray through accurately calibrated equipment. Avoid overlapping and shut off spray booms while starting, turning, slowing or stopping as injury to the crop may occur. For tank-mix with Flagship® 400 only- A. Apply with an accurately calibrated boom sprayer to give COARSE spray quality, in at least 80 L/ha water. Set the boom at a height to ensure a double overlap of the nozzle pattern. Aerial Application: Apply in not less than 30 L water/ha using a coarse spray through accurately calibrated equipment. Blanket Wiper Application: Blanket needs to be made from durable and wettable material with a rigid backing. Blanket should be rigidly mounted behind motorised vehicle (eg. tractor, 4-wheel drive vehicle) and set low but never touching the ground. The chemical solution should be fed to the blanket at a flow rate sufficient to keep the blanket wet but not dripping. In thick patches the blanket may require more frequent solution recharge (rewetting). Ideally, a scraper bar should be mounted in front of the blanket in order to scrape or damage the bark (but not sever the stems) prior to the blanket wiping the stems. This scraper may be mounted at the front of the vehicle. Two passes (in opposite direction) with the blanket increases the contact with the plant. Ground speeds of 10– 15 kph are ideal for blanket wiping application.

2. Pasture and Non-cropping Situations

WOODY WEED SITUATIONS Weeds need to be actively growing for herbicides to have optimum effect. Delay treatment until all regrowth has had time to grow to approximately 1 metre in situations which have been bulldozed, slashed, burnt, ploughed, or areas having a previous chemical treatment. High Volume application: Spray foliage stems and canes until wet. Ensure coverage is uniform and complete. Use larger nozzles and higher pressures for larger bushes. Indicative spray volumes are 500‑1000 L/ha for small herbaceous weeds such as ragwort. Handgun: Apply the recommended mix to give full coverage of leaves and stems through a No. 6 to 8 tip at 700 to 1500 kPa (400 to 500 kPa for St John's wort). A spray volume of 3000 to 4000 L per infested hectare of 1 to 2 metre high blackberry (30 to 40 L/100 m2 ) should be used. Use 2000 L of spray mixture/ha of galenia infestation (i.e., 20 L/100 m2 infested area). Knapsack & 12 volt Sprayer Packs: Apply the recommended spray mix to give full coverage of leaves and stems. Only recommended for the control of herbaceous weeds, such as capeweed, fireweed and spear thistle, and woody weeds that are not regrowth less than 60 cm high or 60 cm diameter. Low Volume High Concentrate Application Techniques Good control will be achieved, similar to high volume application, where bush size enables good coverage of entire bush. Use a marking agent, as recommended by the equipment manufacturers, to check spray coverage. Gas Gun Application: Apply 50 mL shots to 4-5 m2 of surface area of the weed to ensure good coverage of all foliage is achieved. This relates to 20 droplets/cm2 of leaf surface. The use of a suitable marker dye is recommended. Sprinkler sprayer: This technique involves using a micro sprinkler that is connected to a hollow fibre glass rod attached to a pneumatic knapsack sprayer. Use at low pressures (50 to 200 kPa) and apply with a slow sweeping action over the top of the plants ensuring even coverage on the leaves. Ground Boom Spray Application: Apply in a minimum of 70 L prepared spray/ha using a coarse spray. Increase to 200 L/ha or more in dense stands (200 L/ha for galenia and St. John’s wort and 600 L of water/ha for sickle pod) Aerial Application (by helicopter only): Apply using at least a coarse spray through accurately calibrated equipment. Apply in a minimum of 100 L/ha on blackberries or 60 L/ha on Mimosa pigra. Higher water volumes up to 200 L/ha may be necessary on Mimosa pigra to ensure adequate coverage where bushes are large, and terrain is steep. Spray using the half overlap opposite pass technique. Aircraft: Apply in 200 L of water/ha using an aircraft to apply 100 L per pass on a double overlap pattern using nozzle configurations to produce coarse to very coarse droplets. Controlled Droplet Application (C.D.A.) Results similar to high volume spraying can be obtained using Micron Herbi or similar equipment. Select a nozzle to give a flow rate of 2 mL/sec and sweeping action of approximately 1 m/sec to ensure a droplet density of 20/cm². Use a marking agent, as recommended by the equipment manufacturers, to check spray coverage. Also, consult directions provided with C.D.A. unit.

CLEANING SPRAY EQUIPMENT

Rinse water should be discharged onto a designated disposal area or, if this is unavailable, onto wasteland away from desirable plants and water courses. Rinsing: After using GRINDSTONE Herbicide, empty the tank completely and drain the whole system. Thoroughly wash inside the spray unit using a pressure hose. Drain, and clean any filters in the tank, pump, lines, hoses and nozzles. After cleaning the tank as above, quarter fill with clean water and circulate through the pump, lines, hoses and nozzles. Drain and repeat the rinsing procedure twice. Decontamination (before spraying cotton and other sensitive crops; see PROTECTION OF CROPS, NATIVES AND OTHER NON-TARGET PLANTS): For tank-mixtures with FLAGSHIP® 400 EC or FIGHTBACK®: Wash the tank and rinse the system as above. Then quarter fill the tank and add a standard alkali-based laundry detergent at 500 g (or mL)/100 L water and circulate throughout the system for at least 15 minutes. If using a concentrated laundry detergent use 250 g (or mL)/100 L water. Do not use chlorine-based cleaners. Drain the whole system. Remove filters and nozzles and clean them separately. Finally flush the system with clean water and allow draining. For tank-mixtures with metsulfuron-methyl: • After rinsing the tank as above, fill the tank with clean water and add 300 mL household chlorine bleach (containing 4% chlorine) per 100 L of water. Household bleach should be less than 12 months old and stored away from direct sunlight. Flush through boom and hoses then allow to stand for 15 minutes with agitation engaged, then drain. • Drain tank, then flush tank, boom and hoses with clean water for a minimum of 10 minutes. • Nozzles, screens, filters, relief valves, dump lines, caps and taps at the end of spray lines, tank lids, flow meters, lines to pressure gauges, external tank indicators, induction hoppers, etc should be removed/pulled apart and cleaned separately. To remove traces of chlorine bleach, rinse the tank thoroughly with clean water and flush through hoses and boom. CAUTION: DO NOT use chlorine bleach with ammonia. DO NOT clean equipment in an enclosed area.