Farm Progress

Don't wait until next year to start a better weed control program.

August 26, 2016

1 Min Read

Weed control for 2017 should start in 2016; through planning for next year this fall/winter one can get a head start on weed control from pastures to crop ground. As resistance issues increase in different weed populations across the United States including South Dakota, producers should always have multiple ways of controlling weeds on their land. This list includes different control strategies. None of them are necessarily better than the other, which just shows that diversity in weed control is critically important.

Top 10 Tips for Weed Control

1.    Know your weeds and life cycles (identification and biology).

2.    Rotate crops (different GMO and/or non-GMO, (e.g. Roundup Ready-Liberty Link-Enlist Duo).

3.    Rotate herbicide SOA (Site of Action) and MOA (Mode of Action).

4.    Use tank mixes of herbicides with multiple SOA and MOA.

5.    Use herbicides at their full rate.

6.    Scout fields after spraying. Look for weed survivors or regrowth.

7.    Incorporate alternative methods (row spacing, cover crops, livestock integration)

8.    Manage weeds in field borders (shelterbelts, fence rows, waterways, seasonally wet areas, etc.)

9.    Clean equipment after purchase, and when moving from field to field (combine, planters, grain carts)

10. Know the cost of poor weed control!

Posted by South Dakota State University Extension. 

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