Wheat farmers will have a new product this season that promises to provide more management flexibility across their whole operation while giving them advanced grass and broadleaf weed control.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently registered Bayer Crop Science's Olympus Flex for postemergence control of 19 grasses including cheat, downy brome, Japanese brome, wild oat and annual (Italian) ryegrass, as well as a host of broadleaf weeds in winter wheat.

“Excellent control is great as long as it doesn't compromise other critical management decisions,” says Dave Feist, product manager for Bayer CropScience. “Olympus Flex provides the flexibility to rotate to most crops under normal conditions. It is very easy to use because it's effective at one recommended rate in the fall or spring with a wide window of application.

“There's no reason to get locked into a special winter wheat variety because Olympus Flex may also be applied with good crop safety on any variety that fits your farm and market opportunities.”

Olympus Flex is effective at a rate of 3 ounces per acre in the fall or spring when grass weeds are in the one-leaf to the two-tiller stage of growth and before broadleaf weeds are 2 inches in diameter. Up to 3.5 ounces per acre may be used in one application under more adverse conditions.

When using crop stage to time the treatment, apply Olympus Flex before jointing when the majority of wheat plants have one leaf (fully expanded first true leaf) to a maximum of six total leaves on the main stem plus any number of tillers.

The active ingredients in Olympus Flex come from a new generation of effective, grass and broadleaf herbicides developed by Bayer CropScience. Olympus Flex is the fourth new herbicide the company has introduced for wheat since 2004.

“As one of only a few remaining manufacturers investing in new product development for small grains, we are very committed to helping growers produce the most profitable crops for years to come,” Feist says. “With Olympus Flex, growers can manage just about any tough grass problem while keeping their cropping options open. This product should be a welcome addition for winter wheat growers who take an integrated approach to managing their business.”

Registration of Olympus may be pending in some states.