Diagnosing contact herbicide damage in narrow-leafed lupins

This includes herbicides from a range of chemical groups that require uniform spray coverage to be fully effective.

 

The pattern of damage reflects spray coverage
Numerous pale necrotic spots
Severely damaged plants shrivel up within four days of application
Bromoxynil damage

Symptoms appear within hours (Group L), or one or two days (Group G) of application.

What to look for

    Paddock

  • Widespread plant bleaching and limpness.
  • Wind drift damage is worst on paddock edges. Temperature inversion drift occurs in low lying areas.

    Plant

  • The pattern of damage reflects spray coverage and may be worse on one side of the plant. Plants die or recover with fresh new growth appearing.
  • Numerous pale necrotic spots sometimes with a brown edge or streaks on the leaves and stems.
  • More serious damage includes leaf wilting, marginal leaf burn and leaf death.
  • Severely damaged plants shrivel up within four days of application.

What else could it be

Condition Similarities Differences
Diagnosing group F herbicide damage in narrow-leafed lupins Pale leaf blotches and streaks on sprayed leaves These fade without causing any lesions.

Where did it come from?

Time of herbicide application
Time of herbicide application
  • Serious damage is generally caused by direct spraying. Contact herbicide spots may be caused by spray drift, but plants will generally recover.
  • Group G damage symptoms are greater when spraying occurs under humid, high temperature, high moisture, dewy and high sunlight conditions.
  • Plant symptoms will also be greater where adjuvants such as oils are used. There has been no reported yield loss associated with adjuvent use.
  • Bipyridl herbicides have some movement within a plant if sprayed at night, and consequently cause more damage than when sprayed in daylight
Page last updated: Thursday, 5 February 2015 - 9:51am