Glyphosate’s Big Weakness? It Can Kill Tall Weeds

Some say that in every strength lies a weakness.  Well, that may be true for glyphosate’s ability to control relatively large weeds.  On first thought, this fact means growers have more flexibility in their weed control programs to apply even when weeds have had a chance to grow tall.

However, as Purdue University researchers point out, this advantage has caused many growers to delay their application timings, and they are now making a habit out of spraying later rather than earlier.  Spraying later in the season has detrimental long-term effects for many reasons.  First, spraying weeds after they are larger reduces end yield.  Second, although spraying weeds later may still provide control, it’s harder for the glyphosate to kill the weeds.  This leads to poorer control of the weeds that may already have a higher tolerance to glyphosate due to natural selection, furthering the development of resistant weed populations.  A more in-depth discussion about the benefits of controlling weeds early can be found in the Resistance Fighter™ library.

So, although glyphosate has a wider window of application, it is a resource that should be used sparingly.  That, in combination with the other glyphosate stewardship recommendations, will ensure you have the best possible chance of keeping your fields free of glyphosate-resistant weeds.

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