Cereal Plant Growth Regulators
Spring Product Range
Achieving good standing crops to prevent harvesting difficulties and to maximise yields often relies on effective use of growth regulators
Trusted plant protection solutions.
Clayton Plant Protection formed in 1991, recently celebrated over 30 years in the Ag industry, and have evolved rapidly to market and distribute a wide range of crop protection products across UK and European markets.
The company is wholly family owned with an excellent reputation in the industry for trust, building established relationships and highquality products with a known provenance.
Clayton is continuously innovating to provide cost effective product options and uniquely, ensures an alternative choice for customers and growers to the larger multinational Ag businesses.
HERBICIDES FUNGICIDES INSECTICIDES PGR’S BIOSOLUTIONS
David O’Mahony Managing Director
Trusted PGRs for targeted Lodging Risk Management this spring.
Achieving strong, well-structured crops that resist lodging is essential to ensure ease of harvesting and to optimise yield and quality.
Successful results depend on timely application and appropriate product selection.
Key Benefits of PGRs
• Rapid, consistent results across a range of conditions
• Strengthening of lower and upper internodes
• Thicker stems, even tillering and improved root anchorage
• Reduced stem lodging and brackling risk, especially in barley
Assess Lodging Risk Early
• Monitor for wet or waterlogged soils, which increase root lodging risk
• Assess fields for history of lodging or poor drainage
• Implement lodging risk assessments as a routine part of crop planning
Early intervention allows for the most effective use of PGRs and maximises yields.
Consequences of Lodging
• High yield loss in severe cases (especially if it occurs at ear emergence)
• Reduced grain quality (e.g. low Hagberg falling numbers)
• Higher drying and combining costs
• Delayed harvest and diminished crop value
SPRING PGRs - PRODUCT OVERVIEW
SC formulation, 480 g/l ethephon
CLAYTON SQUAT ™
SC formulation, 720 g/l chlormequat
CLAYTON TRUSS™
EC formulation, 250 g/l trinexapac-ethyl
TEPHON™
Assess lodging risk early, especially in wet or waterlogged conditions. Routine checks help identify vulnerable crops in time to protect yield and quality.
Root lodging caused by loss of anchorage of the crown roots in the soil is the most damaging and prevalent type of lodging in the UK, often occurring during very wet periods in early summer.
Whilst stem lodging often occurs closer to harvest when stem strength can reduce by up to 50% during grain fill in the ear.
Good agronomic practices e.g. later drilling date and lower seed rates help produce stronger roots and better anchorage to protect against root lodging, alongside using PGRs which can be vital to prevent stem lodging and also help against root lodging as well.
PGR benefits include;
• Quick, safe and reliable activity
• Shorten and strengthen lower internodes
• Stem thickening, even tillering and improved rooting
• Shorten upper internodes to prevent stem lodging and reduce brackling
Plant Growth Regulators
Application programme
Early (GS31/GS32): e.g. Clayton Squat, Produces shorter lower internodes, thicker and stronger stems, reducing lodging and improved rooting for anchorage and uptake of water and nutrients.
Early chlormequat-based products provide the cornerstone of PGR programmes and offers growers security for yield and quality.
Modes of action
Gibberellins (natural plant growth hormones) are produced at the nodes to initiate cell elongation below the growing point and PGRs such as chlormequat, prohexadione and trinexapac all act by inhibiting the biosynthesis of gibberellin, whereas ethephon breaks down ethylene to inhibit elongation.
Early PGRs applied at GS30/31 or at GS32 needs to work quickly to shorten and strengthen the lower internodes.
PGRs are an integral part of effectively managing lodging risk and growers should carefully monitor crop growth stage to ensure accurate timing application.
Potential implications of lodging
Reduced yield, lower quality and increased combining and drying costs, with economic loss greatest when crops lodge early in the season.
On average 20% of the UK wheat area is lost to lodging every 3-4 years. In severe cases between 50-75% of field yield can be lost if crops lodge at ear emergence.
Later lodging has less effect on yield but will impair quality e.g. Hagberg falling number and often causes harvesting delays which reduce farm profitability.
Mid to late (GS37 onwards): e.g. Tephon, Clayton Truss or prohexadione-based PGRs
Flexible application window targets shortening/strengthening of upper internodes to prevent stem lodging, late lodging protection of yield & quality or to reduce brackling in barley to improve harvest efficiency.
Preventing or suppressing lodging during the vital later ‘crop heading’ stage allows optimum fertiliser use for maximum yields, and lodging control may be enhanced by using an approved chlormequat product earlier followed by later applied ethephon-based PGRs.
Tephon ™
Mid-to-late season PGR for upper stem strength and final height control.
Cereals
Active Ingredients: 480 g/l ethephon
Crops (Cereals)
Use Rate & Timings:
SC Formulation Soluble Concentrate
Winter and spring barley, winter wheat, winter rye, winter triticale.
Winter Barley: See product label for full details
High lodging risk crops: use a sequential treatment of an approved formulation containing chlormequat e.g. Clayton Everest followed by Tephon at 0.75 L from GS37 up to and including GS49. Optimum timing for Tephon is at GS37.
Low lodging risk crops: where lodging is not expected to be severe, the crop may be treated with a sequential programme of an approved formulation containing chlormequat e.g. Clayton Everest followed by a reduced rate of Tephon at 0.5 L from GS37 up to and including GS49.
Winter Wheat: See product label for full details
For best control use a sequential programme of an approved chlormequat product e.g. Clayton Squat followed by Tephon at 0.5 L/ha from GS37 up to and including GS45. Where the crop has not received prior chlormequat treatment apply Tephon at 0.75 L/ha from GS37 up to and including GS45.
Water volume: Apply the recommended rate of Tephon in 200-400 litres water/ha.
• Flexible application window – effective lateseason lodging protection.
• Reduces stem elongation and brackling –especially in barley.
• Complements early PGR programmes – Ideal for follow-up after chlormequat.
• Reliable performance under high lodging pressure.
For further information on Tephon, please refer to the product label and for information on compatibility tank mixes, please contact us at info@claytonpp.com
Clayton Truss ™
Advanced, late-season PGR for height control and harvest optimisation.
Cereals
Active Ingredients: 250 g/l trinexapac-ethyl
Crops (Cereals)
Use Rate & Timings: (See product label for full details)
Winter and spring wheat, winter and spring barley, winter and spring oats, rye, triticale and durum wheat.
Winter Wheat: Apply at 0.4 l/ha between the leaf sheath erect stage (GS30) but before the flag leaf extended stage (GS41).
Spring Wheat: Apply at 0.4 l/ha from the leaf sheath erect stage (GS 30) but before the third node detectable stage (GS 33).
Winter Barley: Apply at 0.4 l/ha between leaf sheath erect stage (GS30) but before the third node detectable stage (GS 33) or Apply at 0.6 l/ha from the flag leaf just visible stage (GS 37) but before the flag leaf extending stage (GS 41).
Spring Barley: Apply at 0.5 l/ha from the leaf sheath erect stage (GS 30) but before the third node detectable stage (GS 33).
Winter and Spring Oats: Apply at 0.4 l/ha from the leaf sheath erect stage (GS30) but before the 2nd node detectable stage (GS32).
Rye, Triticale and Durum Wheat: Apply at 0.4 l/ha between the leaf sheath erect stage (GS30) but before the 3rd node detectable stage (GS 33).
• Trinexapac-based formulation – Proven performance in reducing stem lodging.
• Targets final height to prevent late-season leaning and improve combine entry.
• Barley-specific benefits – Reduces brackling and maintains ear position.
• Complements early applications of chlormequat for season-long protection.
For further information on Clayton Truss, please refer to the product label and for information on compatibility tank mixes, please contact us at info@claytonpp.com
Clayton Squat ™
Effective lodging management by promoting stronger stems, improved root anchorage, and more uniform crop development in Cereals.
Cereals
Active Ingredients: 720 g/l chlormequat
Crops (Cereals) Winter and spring wheat, winter and spring barley, winter and spring oats.
Use Rate & Timings: See product label for latest application timing and max. individual & total dose for each crop. Water volume: Apply the recommended rate of Clayton Squat in at least 200 litres water/ha.
• High-concentration SC formulation containing 720 g/l chlormequat
• Strengthens roots and stems – Enhances anchorage and root lodging resistance.
• Promotes even tillering - Improves standability and crop structure.
• Flexible tank-mix compatibility for broader crop protection and nutrition programmes.
mixes, please contact us at
PRODUCT OVERVIEW SPRING PGRs
TEPHON™
SC formulation, 480 g/l ethephon
CLAYTON SQUAT ™
SC formulation, 720 g/l chlormequat
CLAYTON TRUSS™
EC formulation, 250 g/l trinexapac-ethyl
For further information on products in this guide and our full product range please click on the button to visit our website. Find
*Information in this product guide does not constitute a recommendation, it is for guidance only. Up-to-date information can be found on our website claytonpp.com. Brand names used in this update are trademarks of Clayton Plant Protection and of other manufacturers, in which proprietary rights may exist. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. info@claytonpp.com www.claytonpp.com