Time is of the Essence When It Comes to Weed Control
I've been encouraged as I've talked to producers this fall. Many are making plans to incorporate residual herbicides into their weed management programs for 2010. Yet, as the adage goes, old habits die hard for some growers who continue to rely on glyphosate alone.
For those who have recognized the need for a residual, it doesn't matter what the herbicide is, if weeds get a big enough head start, it'll knock them down but it won't take them out. The importance of timing is clear in trial results and in the field as University of Arkansas weed scientist Ken Smith depicts in a recent podcast.
As you're making your weed management plans for 2010, be mindful that pre-emergence applications of residual herbicides are critical to glyphosate-resistant weed control. While both of the fields below were sprayed with glyphosate, the plot on the left did not receive a pre-emergence herbicide and Palmer pigweed has a strong foothold. The field on the right received a pre-emergence treatment of Prefix® herbicide. The results speak for themselves.
