In rice cultivation in mountainous areas, Hokko Chemical Industry's Wazaari Rakuryu herbicide has enabled one-sided application, with producers in Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture, reporting strong suppression of barnyardgrass and shorter application times. Hatakeyama Isao (畠山 功) began using it this year and is considering expanding its use.
Hatakeyama Isao (畠山 功) of Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture, has been using Wazaari Rakuryu, a rice herbicide developed by Hokko Chemical Industry, since the beginning of this year. He valued the substantial reduction in application work compared with conventional jumbo formulations when cultivating rice in mountainous areas.
In particular, he uses Rakuryu, which can be applied along a single edge, in fields of 30 ares or more, while continuing to use the conventional method in smaller fields of less than 20 ares. In trials, treatment from the upwind side could be completed along a single edge, shortening the time required for the work.
This year, the product was highly effective at suppressing weeds such as barnyardgrass and bulrush, eliminating the need for mid- to late-season herbicides and leaving fields in good condition close to harvest. Hatakeyama Isao (畠山 功) said he would like to make active use of it with other varieties from the next fiscal year onward, taking labor savings and costs into account.
Hatakeyama Isao (畠山 功)'s use of the product has attracted attention as an example of reducing the burden of weed-control work in the region, and interest in its future adoption is growing.