Farm Progress

Develop an effective weed control strategy in six steps

With every new season comes a new opportunity. Here are quick tips to jumpstart your weed control program and keep your fields clean this year.

2 Min Read

Don’t let weeds rob your crop of valuable nutrients and yield potential. Ryan Miller, Ph.D., market development and new technology specialist, reminds farmers to remain proactive to control tough weeds. You can implement a successful weed control program with a few key steps.

Here are Miller’s six suggestions for developing an effective weed control strategy:

  1. Know the field history. It’s important to know what weeds have been in the field, especially during the previous year, when implementing a weed control program. If a field harbors resistant marestail, Palmer amaranth or any other tough weed, make sure to use herbicides that are effective against those species.

  2. Start with a clean seedbed. Aim for a weed-free field at planting. Consider a burndown program that targets key weeds. Glyphosate and 2,4-D often are effective burndown options.

  3. Use herbicides with residual activity. Add residual herbicides for additional modes of action that help control weeds in the current year and preserve the efficacy of postemergence herbicide technologies.

  4. Rotate modes of action. Rotating modes of action helps prevent the development of herbicide resistance. Scout fields and, when weeds emerge, hit them with postemergence herbicides that deliver more than a single mode of action, whether with a tank mix or a pre-mix product. Enlist Duo® herbicide, consists of new 2,4-D choline and glyphosate, while Enlist One™ herbicide is a straight-goods 2,4-D choline that allows you to tank-mix with other effective partners such as glufosinate. Both Enlist Duo and Enlist One feature Colex-D® technology, which reduces drift and provides near-zero volatility.

  5. Keep field borders clean. It’s important to control weeds in ditches and turnrows to prevent weed escapes. Weeds in these areas may develop resistance because they often avoid exposure to full rates of effective herbicides.

  6. Adopt a zero-tolerance policy. Controlling weeds effectively throughout the growing season is essential to curbing the expansion of herbicide resistance.

It’s vital to be good stewards of effective herbicides. This will preserve their efficacy as we strive for long-term weed control.

Sound weed management plans are critical to boosting opportunities for long-term profitability. The best practice is to keep the farm free of weeds. A field that’s clean helps protect more of the yield potential of every seed planted. 

Visit Enlist.com to learn how the Enlist™ weed control system helps show weeds who’s tough now.

 

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”) or affiliated companies of Dow or DuPont. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use on Enlist crops. Always read and follow label directions. ©2018 Dow AgroSciences LLC

 

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