A RADICAL forward angled spray nozzle launched to help wheat growers boost control of the UK's burgeoning black-grass problem has received positive farmer support.

The Hawk Nozzle, launched last October, was developed by Syngenta with Silsoe Research Institute to improve herbicide coverage on black-grass while at its vulnerable 1-2 leaf stage - but when its leaves can be less then 1 millimetre in diameter and so a difficult spray target to hit.

Using a forward facing spray angle it was found to more than double the amount of spray deposited on the weed compared with the current standard nozzles - field testing also confirming improved control when used with the herbicide Hawk.

Now, a new survey of 135 users to assess the nozzle's performance on-farm has revealed nearly two thirds of respondents rated it as 'better' than the standard nozzles for black-grass control - and with over ninety percent saying they would use the Hawk nozzle again.

Ninety nine percent of respondents also rated black-grass control with the new nozzle as either 'very good' or 'good'.

"Other features such as uniformity of output and ease of fitting to the sprayer were also investigated," says Syngenta application specialist Tom Robinson, "to test in more detail how well the new nozzle performed.

"For uniformity, some 85% of respondents gave it top scores of one or two on a one to five scale - where one represented 'very uniform' and five represented 'very uneven'.

"Likewise, on a one to five scale for ease of fitting, where one represented 'easy' and five represented 'hard', nearly two thirds of respondents again gave it the top scores of one or two.

"And when asked how consistent the Hawk nozzle spray pattern was compared with the standard nozzles, 90% rated it as 'better' or the 'same'."

With black-grass a growing problem for many winter wheat growers - and with resistance to most of the main herbicide groups increasing - Mr Robinson says that achieving top spray coverage is becoming increasingly important for control.

"Fundamentally, autumn is the key time for removing black-grass from winter wheat. Leave it too long and it becomes tougher to control and does more damage to yield.

"We've shown in trials that spraying when black-grass has 1-2 leaves is the optimum time - and applying Hawk with the Hawk Nozzle increases control and it was precisely for this reason that the Hawk nozzle was developed.

"Now that we have these positive survey results to back up spray deposition and weed control findings, it should give growers even more confidence to try the Hawk nozzle this autumn."