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Fathen

Fathen

Fathen – Chenopodium album

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Fathen

DESCRIPTION

Fathen is an erect summer annual weed, and is considered to be one of New Zealand’s most competitive cropping weeds.

It will grow to as much as 2 metres in height, although in some situations it can be much smaller, flowering while only a few centimeters in height.  

Fathen has grey-green leaves growing to about 7cm in length with toothed edges. The lower leaves are lance shaped, while upper leaves are much narrower. The foliage often appears to have been sprinkled with flour. 

Flowers are very small and numerous, but are quite similar in colour to the leaves, and so are relatively inconspicuous. They develop into tight seed clusters that are up to 30cm in length.  The fathen flowers from December to May.  It is then killed off by the late autumn frosts.  Its seeds remain in the soil for long periods of time, and normally germinate between mid-spring and early summer.

Fathen is a particular problem in fodder brassica crops, where its ability to remove moisture from the soil and thrive even in dry conditions can significantly reduce crop yields.

It is also a common weed in new pasture.

Distribution is throughout New Zealand, and it appears in all types of cultivated land, as well as disturbed soil, waste land and in gardens.

Although Fathen is suspected of being poisonous to cattle, it is quite palatable to humans and its cooked leaves and seeds are a tasty and nutritious pot-herb.

CULTIVATION CONTROL

Fathen is relatively easily controlled by cultivation, but this is of course not an option with either new pasture or fodder brassica crops.

HERBICIDES TO CONTROL FATHEN

Fathen is easy to kill with many herbicides, so the choice will come down to what will do the job without doing unwanted collateral damage to pasture or crops.

Herbicide Sprays to Kill Fathen in New Pasture
  • PastureMate applied at 3-4L/ha in 200L of water can control Fathen at all growth stages before flowering and will not damage the new grasses or clover.
  • Decision can be used on newish pasture (after clover has developed 2 trifoliate leaves). The rate is 50g/ha and it needs to be applied before the 4th leaf has formed and should be applied with a crop oil such as BioWet.
  • WHACK – 2,4-D 800 – this needs to be applied at 45g/10L covering an area between 250m2 to just over 300m2
Herbicide Sprays to Kill Fathen in Established Pasture
  • PastureMate applied at 3-4L/ha in 150-250L of water before flowering. Use the higher rate once past the 2-3 leaf stage or growing strongly. Will not damage established grasses or clover.
  • MCPA750 and WHACK – 2,4-D 800 are often used together to control larger plants in established pasture, but this will damage clover.
  • Dicamba 500 Select - 100ml plus 260ml MCPA750 in 100L water per hectare. Not effective on the dicamba resistant biotype.
  • Dicamba 500 Select - 120-140ml plus 535ml WHACK – 2,4-D 800 per 100L water per hectare. Not effective on the dicamba resistant biotype.
  • WHACK – 2,4-D 800 at 1kg/ha for seedlings and 2kg/ha for established weeds.
  • GrassMate at 60ml per 10 litres of water, applied to actively growing plants by spot spraying, will provide control but will temporarily remove clover from the sward.
  • Decision 50g/ha and it needs to be applied before the 4th leaf has formed and should be applied with a crop oil such as BioWet.
Herbicide Sprays to Kill Fathen in Maize and Other Crops
Non-Selective Herbicides to Kill Fathen in non-cropland areas