A fall herbicide treatment that offers residual activity can decrease spring weed pressure. Sometimes, though, Mother Nature changes those plans and growers find themselves dealing with weeds they would not normally be fighting.

Unfavorable fall and winter weather may affect weed growth and weed spectrum, resulting in weeds competing with early spring crop growth.

When that happened to North Dakota wheat growers Jon and Brady Betlaf, they knew it was time for a change in plans. Facing spring populations of kochia, Canada thistle, common lambsquarters and grasses, including green and yellow foxtail and pigeon grass, the Betlafs turned to their agronomist for help amending their weed control program.

Their agronomist, Steve Marmon with Helena AgriEnterprise in New England, North Dakota, got the farming duo enrolled in a field trial for Rezuvant® herbicide with Arylex^® active. 

“Rezuvant really took care of our winter annuals and helped with kochia control,” Jon Betlaf says. “It gives us a wider application window to better manage spring spraying and helps break up resistance development.” 

Other advances offered by Rezuvant, Marmon says, include improved control of Persian darnel, wild oats, foxtail, marestail and barnyardgrass, including those with Group 2 resistance. 

“Rezuvant provides us with a Group 1 grass product and a new site of action to minimize resistance development,” Marmon says. “Rezuvant also allows for crop rotation flexibility, controls bigger kochia, gives us both a higher rate of the active ingredient in Starane (fluroxypyr) plus Arylex active, and has a barley label.” 

In addition to field-testing Rezuvant, the Betlafs swapped from WideMatch® herbicide to WideARmatch® herbicide in their crop protection tank mixes. 

They spray their spring wheat with a tank mix including WideARmatch, Everest 3.0 herbicide, Unison herbicide, fertilizer, an adjuvant and a fungicide.  

“With the new Arylex technology and 20% more Starane, WideARmatch gives us extra control of kochia, a new site of activity to fight resistance, and better control of bigger weeds,” Marmon says. “It also picks up marestail and common mallow. That’s a lot of additional weed control value for a small difference in price.” 

Without a fall burndown herbicide treatment, Marmon says, his growers are often faced with increased weed pressure, larger weeds and weeds that have emerged after planting, such as tansymustard.  

“If our weeds are coming up at the same time the wheat crop is beginning to grow, we can’t afford to get any further behind,” Marmon says. “We need to make sure we get the weeds under control when wheat is at the three- to six-leaf stage.” 

^{™ ®} _{Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Rezuvant®, WideMatch® and WideARmatch® are not registered for sale or use in all states. Arylex® is a registered active ingredient. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. © 2022 Corteva. CA27-454-026 (03/22) BR   CAAG1WARM059}