TouchdownQuattroPlant Protection Product ComparisonPlant Protection Product ComparisonReport inaccuraciesReport inaccuracies

TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO is a soluble concentrate formulation containing 360 g/litre glyphosate, a surfactant and water conditioning system.

Strains of some annual grasses (e.g. black-grass, wild oats and Italian rye-grass) have developed resistance to herbicides which may lead to poor control. A strategy for preventing and managing such resistance should be adopted. Guidelines have been produced by the Weed Resistance Action Group and copies are available from your distributor, crop advisor or product manufacturer.

 

Treat only when a full emergence of actively growing green leaf is reached. Common Couch (scutch) reaches this susceptible stage of growth from the beginning of tillering and new rhizome growth, usually when plants have 4 or 5 leaves with at least 10 cm of new growth.

Best treated when actively growing and at or near flowering, but before senescence begins.

Must be actively growing, with sufficient leaf area for uptake of the spray. Annual grasses should have at least 5 cm of leaf and annual broad-leaved weeds at least 2 expanded true leaves before spraying. Annual weeds emerging after treatment will not be controlled.

 

All varieties of wheat, barley, oilseed rape, mustard, linseed, combining peas and field beans may be treated to control annual weeds and perennial weeds such as Common Couch (scutch) in following crops. To allow direct combining of oilseed rape, mustard and linseed, TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO can be used to desiccate the crop prior to harvest. TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO may be applied to all cereals to be used for feed, to wheat crops intended for milling, to barley crops intended for malt and to oilseed rape and linseed for crushing. DO NOT treat crops grown for seed, or undersown crops. Consult your grain merchant before treating any crop being grown on a contract.

 

Cereals
Apply to wheat or barley at least 7 days before harvest. All cereal grain must be under 30% moisture content. If dull weather persists after application allow up to 14 days before harvest – particularly on broad-leaved weeds.
Oilseed rape and mustard
Do not treat oilseed rape until the crop seeds have less than 30% moisture content. This is not likely to be before BBCH growth stage 85 (50% of pods fully ripe, seeds black and hard) has been reached across the whole field to be treated. Apply to oilseed rape 14-21 days before harvest and to mustard 8–10 days before harvest. DO NOT treat laid crops with significant levels of green growth, or crops with areas of uneven ripening due to factors such as bird damage or poor drainage.
Linseed
Apply to linseed when crop seeds have less than 30% moisture content, at least 14 days before harvest. A delay of up to 28 days may be necessary prior to combine harvesting.
Combining peas and field beans
Apply to combining peas and field beans when seeds have less than 30% moisture content, at least 7 days before harvest. If dull weather persists after application allow up to 14 days before harvest – particularly on broad-leaved weeds.
Straw may be chopped and incorporated, or used for all purposes except as a horticultural mulch or growing medium. Normal cultivation may be made after straw removal. Direct drilling may be used in fields suitable for this technique. Allow at least 14 days after spraying TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO before cultivating or direct drilling.

RATES OF USE – CROP DESICCATION
Oilseed Rape and Mustard
Rate (litres PER hectare): 3.0
Apply to standing crops of oilseed rape and mustards when the crop seeds have less than 30% moisture content. Apply to oilseed rape 14–21 days before harvest and to mustards 8-10 days before harvest. DO NOT treat laid crops with significant levels of green growth, or crops with areas of uneven ripening due to factors such as bird damage or poor drainage.
Linseed
Rate (litres PER hectare): 3.0
When applied to linseed for weed control at doses above 3.0 l/ha, TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO will provide a level of desiccation of the crop. This product may not provide adequate desiccation of linseed in all circumstances. Where users need rapid desiccation and the control of perennial weeds is not a requirement, Syngenta Crop Protection recommends the use of REGLONE (PCS 02453).

APPLICATION
Apply TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO pre-harvest in the following water volumes:
Wheat, barley, linseed, combining peas and field beans: 80–250 litres per hectare
Oilseed rape and mustard: 200–250 litres per hectare 200–250 litres per hectare is the preferred volume where crop or weeds are dense and good coverage is necessary.

WEED CONTROL IN STUBBLES AND BEFORE DRILLING OR PLANTING ANY CROP
Conditions for use For Couch (scutch) control in stubbles, applications made from late September up to mid November give the best results. In some years, performance can be reduced during this period by insufficient foliage re-growth, and/or reduction of growth activity due to onset of cold conditions e.g. frost before or soon after application.
In spring, allow at least 3 weeks of weed growth before spraying with TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO. Re-treatment may be necessary pre-harvest or in the autumn to control any further weeds emerging after treatment.
DO NOT CULTIVATE BEFORE SPRAYING. Allow at least 5 days after spraying perennial or annual weeds before cultivation or drilling. Direct drilling may be used in fields suitable for this technique.

RATES OF USE IN STUBBLES AND BEFORE DRILLING OR PLANTING ANY
CROP Weeds are controlled by TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO at rates shown. Select the lowest rate which controls all required weeds.
Weed/Use: Common Couch (scutch)
Rate (litres per hectare): 3.0–4.0#
Notes On Us: For best control use the full rate. Rates may be reduced as shown in good growing conditions, and where weed growth stage is suitable#.

Weed/Use: Other perennial grasses Volunteer potatoes (autumn only)
Rate (litres per hectare): 4.0
Notes On Us: Ensure plenty of active top growth before treatment, especially for volunteer potatoes.

Weed/Use: Annual broad-leaved weeds Annual grasses Volunteer cereals
Rate (litres per hectare): 1.5
Notes On Us: All infestations of all species.

# See ‘Optimum Control Of Weeds’

APPLICATION
Water volume: 80–250 litres per hectare
200–250 litres per hectare is the preferred volume where crop or weeds are dense and good coverage is necessary.

GRASSLAND DESTRUCTION
CROPS
Do not use on grassland if the crop is to be used for animal food or bedding. Exclude stock from treated fields. Livestock may not graze or be fed the treated forage, nor may it be used for silage or bedding. After grazing or cutting, allow a re-growth period varying from 3-6 weeks before spraying with TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO:
Short rotation grasses and annual broad-leaved species:
Treat at any time of year when growth is active, grass plants have at least 5 cm of new leaf growth and annual broad-leaved weeds have at least 2 true leaves.
Perennial grasses in 2–4 year old leys:
Treat when rhizome, stolon or tiller growth is active and grass plants have at least 5 leaves with 10–15 cm of new leaf growth. The listed perennial broad-leaved weeds will often be susceptible at times when perennial grasses are suitable for treatment.
Perennial broad-leaved weeds in long leys: Treat when these weeds have produced a flowering stem which is up to the stage of flowering but before seeds are set. The period of treatment can range from early June to late August and is influenced by location, climate and sward management.
Well established perennial weeds in permanent pastures: These pastures may contain many fine-leaved grasses and many broad-leaved weeds. Take care to identify the species present and spray only at their sensitive stage of growth.

CONDITIONS OF USE
Allow at least 14 days after spraying perennial grasses and weeds, after which normal cultivations for the next crop can be made as usual. Alternatively, there are two situations where grass may be direct drilled:
a) Following a 1–2 year old ley – without mat. It is essential to remove or destroy all surface trash once desiccation is complete. Grass and clover may be direct drilled once all trash is cleared.
b) Following a long ley – with some surface mat. Spray the ley in the autumn. Delay direct drilling until the following spring to give the surface mat time to decompose. Destruction of any remaining trash, followed by harrowing to break the soil surface to the depth of decaying roots and rhizomes, will aerate the soil, speed breakdown of the organic mat and reduce the risk of toxins being present when grass seeds are drilled in the spring.

RATES OF USE
Weeds are controlled by TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO at rates listed. Select the lowest rate which controls all required weeds, and it will destroy all grass species present in the sward. Well established swards and permanent pasture will need higher doses.
Rate: 3.0 Litres per hectare
Annual Meadow-grass
Barren Brome
Black-grass
Italian Rye-grass
Rough Meadow-grass
Smooth Meadow-grass
Wild oats
Cleavers
Common Chickweed
Dock seedlings
Mayweed species
Spear Thistle
Speedwell species

Rate: 4.0 Litres per hectare
Annual Meadow-grass
Barren Brome
Black Bent
Black-grass
Cock’s-foot
Common Bent
Common Couch (scutch)
Creeping Bent
Creeping Soft-grass
Crested Dog’s-tail
False Oat-grass
Italian Rye-grass
Meadow Fescue
Perennial Rye-grass
Rough Meadow-grass
Smooth Meadow-grass
Soft Brome
Timothy
Wild oats
Yorkshire Fog
Broad-leaved Dock
Cleavers
Common Chickweed
Common Mouse-ear
Dandelion
Dock seedlings
Hogweeds
Mayweed species
Mugwort
Plantains
Speedwell species
Willowherbs

Rate: 5.0 Litres per hectare
Annual Meadow-grass
Barren Brome
Black Bent
Black-grass
Cock’s-foot
Common Bent
Common Couch (scutch)
Creeping Bent
Creeping Soft-grass
Crested Dog’s-tail
False Oat-grass
Italian Rye-grass
Meadow Fescue
Meadow Foxtail
Perennial Rye-grass
Rough Meadow-grass
Sedges
Smooth Meadow-grass
Soft Brome
Timothy
Tufted Hairgrass
Wild oats
Yorkshire Fog
Bracken
Broad-leaved Dock
Cleavers
Common Chickweed
Common Mouse-ear
Common Nettle
Common Sorrel
Creeping Buttercup
Creeping Thistle
Curled Dock
Dandelion
Dock seedlings
Hogweeds
Mayweed species
Mugwort
Perennial Sow-Thistle
Plantains
Red Clover
Sheep’s Sorrel
Spear Thistle
Speedwell species
White Dead-nettle
Willowherbs
Yarrow

Rate: 6.0 Litres per hectare
Annual Meadow-grass
Barren Brome
Black Bent
Cock’s-foot
Common Bent
Common Couch (scutch)
Creeping Bent
Creeping Soft-grass
Crested Dog’s-tail
False Oat-grass
Italian Rye-grass
Meadow Fescue
Meadow Foxtail
Perennial Rye-grass
Red Fescue
Rough Meadow-grass
Sedges
Sheep’s Fescue
Smooth Meadow-grass
Soft Brome
Timothy
Tufted Hairgrass
Wild oats
Yorkshire Fog
Amphibious Bistort
Bracken
Broad-leaved Dock
Cleavers
Common Chickweed
Common Mouse-ear
Common Nettle
Common Ragwort
Common Sorrel
Creeping Buttercup
Creeping Thistle
Curled Dock
Dandelion
Dock seedlings
Ground-elder
Hogweeds
Japanese Knotweed
Mayweed species
Meadowsweet
Mugwort
Perennial Sow-Thistle
Plantains
Red Clover
St John’s Wort
Scotch Thistle
Sheep’s Sorrel
Spear Thistle
Speedwell species
White Clover
White Dead-nettle
Willowherbs
Yarrow

APPLICATION
Water volume: 150–250 litres per hectare.
200–250 litres per hectare is the preferred volume where crop or weeds are dense and good coverage is necessary.

GREEN COVER ON LAND TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM PRODUCTION, AND LAND NOT INTENDED TO BEAR VEGETATION
When TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO is to be applied to land taken out of production as part of a grant aided scheme, users must ensure that use complies with the management rules of that scheme. TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO can also be used for vegetation control in a variety of other non-cropped areas, such as:
Creation of sterile strips around field margins.
Along roads, paths, fences and ditch edges.
Around buildings and in yards, storage areas and waste ground.
Root-crop storage areas – including re-growth of roots/tubers which will not be consumed.
DO NOT USE in hedgerows, or allow drift into hedgerows.
DO NOT USE in covered areas such as glass houses or under polythene. Allow 14 days after spraying before cultivating, drilling or planting.

RATES OF USE
Weeds are controlled by TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO at rates shown in the previous section on Grassland Destruction. Other weed species should be treated at the rates shown below. Select the lowest rate which controls all required weeds.
Perennial broad-leaved weeds: 6.0 Litres per hectare
Perennial grasses: 4.0 Litres per hectare
Annual weeds: 1.5 Litres per hectare

APPLICATION
Water volume 80–250 litres per hectare through conventional mounted or knapsack sprayers
OR
20-40 litres per hectare through rotary atomisers 200–250 litres per hectare is the preferred volume where crop or weeds are dense and good coverage is necessary.

COMPATABILITY
TOUCHDOWN QUATTRO must NOT be tank mixed with pesticides, fertilisers or adjuvants (except as directed). Such mixtures may lead to reduced weed control.