Cotton, soybean, and canola farmers will have a new tool this spring to augment weed control in their glufosinate trait-enabled varieties.

ZALO herbicide, from AMVAC Chemical Corporation, Newport Beach, California, will be available for spring planting.

Key advantages of ZALO include improved efficacy, no risk of danger to off-target glufosinate tolerant cotton, canola, or soybeans, and as a weed resistance management option.

“ZALO offers the convenience of two different modes of action in the same jug,” says AMVAC Corn, Soybean, and Sugar Beet Marketing Manager, Mark Foster. “The second mode of action provides a second way of killing the grass weed itself. ZALO includes both contact and a systemic activity for grass weeds. By adding a true grass weed control product to Glufosinate, growers are able to control taller weeds and get better, more consistent control of the target grasses.”

ZALO includes AMVAC’s ProLease technology, described as a “unique process that protects herbicide molecules from performance inhibitors, allowing them to reach the target weed where the molecules are released for superior activity.”

Foster says ProLease limits degradation, separation, and compatibility or mixing issues in the container and as a mixture in the sprayer.

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ZALO  is a premix of glufosinate (active ingredient in  Liberty 280 SL) and quizalofop (active ingredient in Assure II).

“Farmers like to have options and better efficacy on target weeds,” Foster says. He explains that although glufosinate includes grasses on the label it is better known as a broadleaf weed product. “By adding a true grass herbicide, we get better efficacy, as opposed to Liberty, and control grass weeds that are a bit taller.”

He adds that ZALO will not damage off-target glufosinate tolerant canola, soybeans or cotton.

Foster says ZALO will work well in a weed resistant management system as a substitute for dicamba.

“ZALO offers broad spectrum control of broadleaf weeds and substantially greater grass efficacy. A grower can put ZALO in the toolbox to substitute for dicamba or an auxin treatment like 2,4-D in Enlist products.

“This offers an alternative to hitting the same field with the same products all the time.”

Foster says producers may spray ZALO on cotton and canola from emergence until two weeks before flowering. Cutoff date for soybeans is at flowering. Two applications may be made in-season.

Target weeds include a broad spectrum of broadleaf weeds and labeled annual grasses including non-Enlist trait volunteer corn, giant foxtail, fall panicum, and shattercane. Labeled perennial grass species include johnsongrass and quackgrass.

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Foster says ZALO is designed for grower applicators and custom applicators with the following needs:

ZALO herbicide has received federal registration. “We are currently working on state registrations,” Foster says, “and we fully expect it to be available for the 2024 planting season.”

Foster explains that launching ZALO is part of AMVAC's three core platforms: Proven solutions for growers (new herbicides), Green solutions (Biological products) and Precision agriculture.

AMVAC is an American Vanguard Company. For more information about ZALO herbicide, visit zaloherbicide.com or amvac.com/zalo.