A breakthrough herbicide to give cereal growers a new option to tackle the growing black-grass problem is being launched this autumn.Defy, from Syngenta, is designed for using as the first spray in a herbicide sequence - at pre-emergence timing - before weeds have a chance to compete with the crop.

A breakthrough herbicide to give cereal growers a new option to tackle the growing black-grass problem is being launched this autumn.

Defy, from Syngenta, is designed for using as the first spray in a herbicide sequence - at pre-emergence timing - before weeds have a chance to compete with the crop.

Besides black-grass, it tackles rye-grass, annual meadow-grass and a range of broad-leaved weeds, says Syngenta technical mana-ger Iain Hamilton, seen here with a baby black-grass plant.

"As well as providing a solid start to control programmes, a pre-emergence herbicide such as Defy also reduces pressure on later herbicides and offers flexi-bility with later herbicide choice," he said.

"All these should give growers new confidence to make use of this valuable timing for dealing with problematical grass weeds, plus new confidence that crops won't be held back during vulnerable early stages of growth."