Glyphosate: why water conditioners matter
Glyphosate remains one of the most important tools available to growers for managing weeds and preparing seedbeds ahead of drilling. However, resistance pressures have sadly only continued to increase. As our crop management systems become more focused on sustainability, maximising performance when applying glyphosate is vital. Growers in the UK and Europe are now required to do all they can to ensure every application delivers the best possible result.
Confirmation of glyphosate resistance in UK grassweed populations last year has highlighted the importance of applying attention to detail to every application. Every surviving weed increases selection pressure and will go on to create additional challenges for future seasons. Active stewardship is about protecting the long-term sustainability of glyphosate.
While application timing and dose rate remains one of the most critical parts of glyphosate applications, there are many more factors that can influence performance before the spray reaches its target. Water quality, spray coverage, drift, retention and environmental conditions all play a role in determining how much active ingredient is ultimately absorbed by the weed.
Hard water presents one of the most common challenges. Calcium and magnesium ions can bind with glyphosate molecules, reducing the amount of active ingredient available for uptake by the plant. Water conditioning technologies help overcome this issue by sequestering these ions before they can interfere with herbicide performance, ensuring more of the applied glyphosate remains biologically active.
Coverage and retention are equally important considerations. If spray droplets fail to adequately cover the target leaf, bounce from the surface or run off before absorption can occur, efficacy may be compromised. Environmental conditions can further increase these risks, particularly during periods of high temperatures, low humidity or variable weather. Effective technology can help improve spray deposition, coverage and retention, ensuring more of the applied product reaches its intended target.
Drift management has also become increasingly important. Every droplet that moves away from its target represents a reduced return on investment and increases the risk of resistance. Independent trials have shown that IntraCrop’s Inferno can reduce the number of fine droplets most prone to drift and reduce overall spray drift by up to 75%. This helps ensure more product remains within the target area while supporting responsible stewardship practices and protecting non-target areas
In practical terms, ensuring the long-term effectiveness of glyphosate is about stacking small advantages. Better water quality, improved coverage, increased retention and reduced drift all contribute towards maximising performance. Independent trials have demonstrated improved blackgrass control when Inferno is included alongside glyphosate applications, highlighting the cumulative impact these factors can have in the field.
As growers face increasing pressure to manage resistant weeds, optimise input costs and improve operational efficiency, attention to application performance is becoming just as important as product choice. By ensuring every glyphosate application performs to its full potential, growers can improve weed control, support resistance management strategies and maximise the value of every hectare treated.
