Environmentally Friendly Weed Controllers

"Speaking of palm oil disturbing weed solutions, Corteva products are very complete. Our herbicides are selective on target, "said Nelson Sihombing, District Demand Manager Corteva Agriscience.

Corteva Agriscience is an agricultural division that was established after the Dow Agroscience merger, DuPont Crop Protection, and Dupont Pioneer. The joining of the three companies has made the company focus on agriculture to support product solutions, plant protection, hybrid seeds and others.

Corteva has three main products controlling weeds, including Garlon 670EC, Gallant 108 EC, and Starane 480 EC. All of these products are very useful for weed control. Nelson said the presence of weeds is very dangerous for oil palm plantations because it can reduce palm fruit production from 30% -40%. Especially weeds that are on the palm plate because it can interfere with the effective absorption of nutrient elements by plant roots. Usually, these woody weeds appear naturally.

Garlon products consist of two types, Garlon 670EC and Garlon Mix 333/17 EW. Nelson said Garlon 670 EC can control broad and woody leaf weeds for oil palm and rubber plants. Based on company data, there are five reasons to use Garlon 670 EC products. First, this product has the highest active content of trichopir which is systemic. Based on the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture No.1991 / Kpts / SR.140 / 4/2019 that Garlon 670 EC is the highest trichoplear active product compared to other herbicide products on the market.

Second, application costs per hectare are cheaper than other triklopir-based products. Because, the active ingredients are higher so the application dosage is less. Third, the application of Garlon 670 EC in oil palm plants does not result in the effect of parthenocarp (fruit formation without going through the fertilization process). Fourth, Garlon 670 EC can be applied to "spray on crop" according to the application dosage to control broad and woody leaf weeds that propagate in oil palm plants.

Fifth, Corteva also guarantees quality and after-sales service to consumers. For this reason, assistance and training is provided to loyal users of Garlon 670 EC products.

Nelson explained that the active ingredients of tricoplides follow the standards of sustainable palm oil such as RSPO and ISPO. This indicator can be seen from the green label. This label indicates the product is environmentally friendly.

"This active ingredient is safe because it has passed the selection process and is very environmentally friendly. In Indonesia, the product (Garlon) has been circulating for 30 years, "Nelson explained.

Meanwhile, Garlon Mix 333 / 17EW products try to answer market needs. According to Nelson, in Garlon Mix there is a mixture of other active ingredients, aminopiralid. This product formula was only introduced around 3-4 years ago. Garlon Mix 333 / 17EW can be formulated in the form of oil-in-water emulsion (EW). With the combination of these trichoplear and aminipyralid active ingredients, this product can control a variety of weeds and is safe for oil palm.

This Garlon Mix 333 / 17EW is a long residual control so it can last 4-5 months after application. Interestingly, the ability of this product is very effective in dealing with recalcitrant weeds such as Clidemia Hirta, Tetracera sp, Melastoma Malabatricum, and Lantana Camara. The workings of the active ingredients are very selective with minimal effects on ferns and weeds. As a result, it can be used in gardens that have conservation programs for Nephrolepis sp. In addition, this new formulation also has eco-friendly, odorless and non-volatile organic solvents.

Corteva also offers Gallant 108 EC which contains the active ingredient Haloksifop. This active ingredient has never been used in oil palm cultivation so it is an alternative solution for controlling narrow leaf weeds that are resistant to glyphosate. Its ability to work systemically after growth with an easily absorbed formulation of weeds and environmentally friendly.

Nelson said the Gallant 108 EC is very suitable for use in nursery activities. The active ingredients are very selective. Weeds can die but palm oil plants are safe. Then how does the Gallant 108 EC work? The active ingredient of this product is absorbed by weeds through the leaves and translocated through phloem tissue. In the body of the weed, the Gallant 108 EC works to inhibit the work of fatty acid-forming enzymes which are components to produce lipids and vital parts of cell membranes and plant growth.

"Although it is suitable in nurseries, plants can be applied to TM (red-yielding plants) and TBM (red-yielding). When applying, users are advised to be careful and not carelessly spray directly into the palm. Even though, the active ingredient of this product is certainly safe for plants, "he explained.

Meanwhile, Starane 480 EC is a full-grown systemic herbicide in the form of emulsifiable concentrates, dark brown to control weeds in oil palm (TM and TBM) and rubber (TM) plants.