Laser

Manufacturer
BASF
Category
Herbicides
Registered until
2025-11-26
Registration number
17339
Active materials
Links
An emulsifiable concentrate containing 200 g/litre (21% w/w) cycloxydim for post-emergence control of annual and perennial grass weeds in winter and spring oilseed rape, sugar beet, fodder beet, mangels, potatoes, peas, winter and spring field beans, dwarf French beans, swedes, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, linseed, carrots, parsnips, bulb and salad onions, leeks, strawberries, ornamental bulbs, commercial, farm and nursery forestry and green cover on land temporarily removed from production e.g. set aside.
 
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Laser is a systemic herbicide for the post-emergence control of a range of grass weeds and cereal volunteers in the listed crops. Only weeds which have emerged at the time of application will be controlled. Optimum timing is when weeds are still small and have not begun to compete with the crop.
Laser is rapidly absorbed mainly through the leaves and is translocated through the plant to the growing points, culminating in the rapid decay of stem and root tissues. Foliage death is usually complete within 3 to 4 weeks under optimum conditions, - warm and moist so that weeds are actively growing. Under cool conditions activity will be slower, particularly for late applications to winter oilseed rape.
Laser can be used on all soil types and is rainfast within 2 hours of drying on the foliage.
 
Restrictions/Warnings
Consult processor or contract agent before using on crops grown for processing or for seed.
Prevent drift onto other crops especially susceptible types such as cereals and grasses or severe damage can result.
For best results, apply within the recommended growth stages when weeds are actively growing. Drought, cool conditions, stress or other negative factors can reduce effectiveness by interfering with the uptake and translocation of Laser.
Weeds emerging after application will not be controlled.
Do not apply to crops which are damaged or stressed from factors such as previous herbicide use, adverse weather conditions (e.g. drought or waterlogging) or pest or disease attacks.
Apply to dry foliage when rain is not expected for at least 2 hours.
Ensure sprayer is free from previous chemical residues which may harm the crop. Use of a detergent cleaner is advised before and after use.
This product must not be applied to land managed under the Habitat Scheme. Before using on land taken out of production as part of a grant aided scheme, ensure compliance with the management rules of that scheme. Laser MUST be used with an approved adjuvant at the rates indicated in Mixing and Spraying (Section 5). When a choice of rates is given the higher rate should be used if weeds are beyond the optimum timing or any of the following applies: – poor growing conditions exist, e.g. dry soils or cool temperatures – weeds are overwintered – weed infestations are high, especially in non competitive crops such as sugar beet or thin rape crops – target weed has been grown as a cover crop. When using for control of common couch and other perennials do not cultivate for at least 14 days after spraying to allow Laser to translocate to the underground rhizomes. Leave a longer interval (up to 21 days) if growing conditions are poor. If applying in sequence with Basagran SG in field beans, a minimum of 14 days between applications must occur to allow recovery of the wax layer. In peas, a satisfactory crystal violet wax test (see PGRO information sheet 143) should be carried out before application to check if leaf wax may have been affected by unfavourable growing or weather conditions. Other post emergence crop protection products will also affect wax levels and a wax test may be necessary. Before using on conifers in a nursery situation or at an early stage of establishment, treat a small number of plants of any one species first to observe if any adverse effects occur before making wider scale treatments.
 
Weed control
Susceptibility of Grass Weeds to Single Applications of Laser Laser MUST be used with an approved adjuvant at the rates indicated in Mixing and Spraying.
Grass weeds vary in their susceptibility to Laser. Identify the species to be controlled and then consult the table below to select the appropriate rate of use.
 
 
Weed:Cultivated Oats , Wild-oat
Rates of aplications:0.5 or 0.75 L/ha
Time of aplications:Optimum: 2 fully expanded leaves to 2-3 tillers. Max. GS: Before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Barley (Volunteer) ; Black-grass , Canary Grass, Italian Ryegrass, Loose-silky Bent, Perennial Ryegrass ,Sterile Brome, Soft Brome
Rates of aplications:0.75 or 1.0 L/ha
Time of aplications:Optimum: 2 fully expanded leaves to before 3 tillers. Max. GS: Before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Wheat (Volunteer)
Rates of aplications:1.0 or 1.25 L/ha
Time of aplications:Optimum: 2 fully expanded leaves to before 3 tillers. Max. GS: Before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Black Bent (Red Top)
Rates of aplications:1.5 or 2.0 L/ha
Time of aplications:Optimum: 4 fully expanded leaves to before 3 tillers. Max. GS: Before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Onion Couch (false oat grass)
Rates of aplications:1.5 or 2.25 l/ha** 
Time of aplications:Optimum: 4 fully expanded leaves to before 3 tillers. Max GS: Before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Creeping Bent Common Couch
Rates of aplications:2.25 L/ha**
Time of aplications:When majority of shoots have emerged and are approx. 15 cm tall. Usually corresponding to the 4-9 fully expanded leaves up to before first node detectable stage.
 
Weed:Red Fescue 
Critical Comments: Resistant
 
Weed:Annual Meadow-grass 
Critical Comments:- Resistant
 
Weed:Rough Meadow-grass
Critical Comments:Moderately resistant
 
Weed:Black-grass 
Critical Comments:Moderately resistant
 
(Applications made after the optimum timing may give reduced levels of control. Common Couch and Other Perennials – Sufficient foliage should have emerged to absorb the spray. Shoots not emerged or just emerging at application will not be controlled. Do not cultivate for at least 14 days after spraying to allow Laser to translocate to the underground rhizomes. Leave a longer interval (up to 21 days) if growing conditions are poor.
The effects on the long term control of couch and creeping bent, i.e. in succeeding crops, has not been investigated. Established Common Couch – To improve control a thorough pre planting cultivation to a depth of 10 cm is recommended to fragment the rhizomes and encourage uniform emergence. Onion Couch – Control of top growth can be expected in the season of application but the effects of long term control, i.e. succeeding crops, has not been fully established. )
 
Resistance
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 the HGCA, CPA, your distributor, crop adviser or product manufacturer.
This product contains cycloxydim which is an ACCase inhibitor, also classified by the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee as ‘Group A’.
Use only as part of a resistance management strategy that includes cultural methods of control and does not use ACCase inhibitors as the sole method of grass-weed control.
Applying a second product containing an ACCase inhibitor to a crop will increase the risk of resistance development; only use a second ACCase inhibitor to control different weeds at a different timing.
Do not use reduced doses of Laser on resistant grass weed populations. Populations of black-grass and other grass weeds with high levels of resistance will not be fully controlled. Adopt a long-term strategy integrating cultural and chemical measures. Achieving maximum benefits from cultural and chemical control depends on attention to detail. This is the most important factor determining the success of any anti-resistance strategy. Key elements of the resistance management strategy for Laser: Always follow WRAG guidelines for preventing and managing herbicide resistant weeds. Maximise the use of cultural control measures wherever possible (e.g. crop rotation, ploughing, stale seedbeds, delayed drilling, etc). Use tank mixes or sequences of effective herbicides with different modes of action within individual crops, or successive crops. For the control of herbicide resistant grass weeds, always use Laser in sequence with other effective graminicides with different modes of action. Apply post-emergence to small, actively growing weeds, especially where high levels of resistance are suspected and to reduce the risk of resistance development. Identify the herbicides to which your grass weeds are resistant. This can help determine the most appropriate herbicides to include in your management strategy. Monitor fields regularly and investigate the reasons for any poor control.
 
 Crops
WINTER AND SPRING OILSEED RAPE:
Laser may be applied from when the crop has fully expanded cotyledons until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
SUGAR BEET, FODDER BEET, MANGELS
Laser can be applied from the two true leaf stage of the crop until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
EARLY AND MAINCROP POTATOES
Laser may be applied at any crop stage before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.  
PEAS
Laser may be applied to all varieties of combine and vining peas. Apply from the third node stage of the crop until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration. A satisfactory crystal violet wax test (see PGRO information sheet 143) should be carried out if leaf wax may have been affected by unfavourable growing or weather conditions. Other post emergence crop protection products will also affect wax levels and a wax test may be necessary. Ideally, Laser should follow applications of broad leaf herbicides, but where Laser is applied before other products (i.e. because grass weeds are the major problem) it is essential to conduct a satisfactory crystal violet wax test before applying the next treatment.
WINTER AND SPRING FIELD BEANS
Laser may be applied from the two leaf pairs stage of field beans until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration. If applied in sequence with Basagran SG, a minimum of 14 days between applications must occur to allow recovery of the wax layer.
DWARF FRENCH BEANS
Laser may be applied from when the crop has 1½ trifoliate leaves until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
SWEDE AND CAULIFLOWER
Laser may be applied from the two expanded leaf stage until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
LINSEED
ser may be applied from when the crop is 2.5 cm tall until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
CARROTS
Laser may be applied from the two leaf stage of the crop until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration.
SALAD ONIONS AND LEEKS
Laser may be applied from when the crop has two true leaves until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration. Before use on these crops, either alone or in sequence with post emergence products, ensure that leaf wax levels are adequate to afford protection from crop damage.
STRAWBERRIES
Laser may be applied from when the crop has four true leaves until before the crop canopy prevents adequate spray penetration. If temperatures are likely to exceed 20°C at or after spraying, delay application until the cool of the evening.
Ornamental plant production:
a) Bulbs (propagating material) Laser may be applied when the crop is 5 10 cm tall. It has been used on tulips, narcissi, hyacinths and irises. However, certain species and varieties may be more sensitive to chemical treatment than others and growers are therefore advised to first spray a small proportion of the plants to check their tolerance before treating the rest of the crop.
b) Christmas trees Laser may be applied to Christmas trees at any time after transplanting once plants are established.
 
Green cover on land temporarily removed from production (set-aside) and industrial crops of oilseed rape and linseed:
Laser may be applied to areas temporarily removed from production where the green cover is made up predominantly (ie sufficient to maintain reasonable cover) of tolerant crops that are present on the label, for the control of grass weeds and volunteer cereals. Use on industrial crops of linseed and oilseed rape is also permitted. When applying Laser to industrial crops of linseed and oilseed rape, the user must refer to the statutory conditions and directions for use relating to linseed and winter and spring oilseed rape respectively.
 
 
Following Crops
If a crop treated with Laser should fail for any reason, then as a guide, the following intervals should elapse between using Laser and redrilling subsequent crops following normal seedbed cultivations:
After one week: Field bean, pea, sugar beet, rape, kale, swede, radish, white clover, lucerne.
After four weeks: Dwarf French bean
After eight weeks: Wheat, barley, maize
Oats should not be sown as the subsequent crop after failure of a crop treated with Laser.
 
Mixing and Spraying
Half fill the spray tank with clean water and start the agitation. Pour in the required amount of Laser and then adjuvant. Add the remainder of the water and continue agitation until spraying is completed. Rinse empty containers and empty into the tank.
When tank mixes are to be used, each product should be added separately to the spray tank, taking due note of any instructions given as to the order of mixing, (see Section 6).
The standard water volume is 200 litres/hectare but 100 litres/hectare may be used in open crops for control of annual weeds which are easily accessible to the spray (i.e. at rates of Laser up to 1.25 litres/ hectare only).
DO NOT use the 100 litre spray volume for control of perennial grasses or when applying tank mixtures, except where directed (see Section 6.1). Use 330 litres/hectare if either of the following conditions apply:
: dense weed growth or crop cover
: when spraying ridged crops with a prevailing side drift
All applications should be made as a FINE spray, as defined by BCPC, unless the highest water volumes are used when FINE or MEDIUM sprays are permissible.
When using a knapsack sprayer for directed applications or spot treatment, mix as above. A sprayer containing 20 litres of spray solution will require 36 mls Laser + 160 mls Actipron 2 to apply 1.0 l/ha Laser over 360m².
 
 Laser MUST be used with an approved adjuvant at the rates indicated in the table below.
ADJUVANT:Toil (or alternative ≥95% methyl esters of rapeseed fatty acids adjuvant)
CONCENTRATION (AS % OF SPRAY VOLUME):0.5%
EXAMPLES OF ADJUVANT RATES/HA (100 l/ha water)-0.5 l
EXAMPLES OF ADJUVANT RATES/HA (200 l/ha water)-1.0 l
EXAMPLES OF ADJUVANT RATES/HA (250 l/ha water)-1.25 l.
 
 
Registered for culturesRatePreharvest Interval
Spring rape2.25 l84
Beets2.25 l56
Beans2.25 l56
Cauliflower2.25 l28
Carrots2.25 l56
Onions2.25 l28
Leeks2.25 l56
Winter rape2.25 l84
Sugar beets2.25 l56
Winter flax2.25 l84
Spring flax2.25 l84
Potatoes2.25 l56
Rutabagas2.25 l56
Strawberries2.25 l56
Peas2.25 l35
Mangels2.25 l56