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Protect Winter Wheat with Fall Herbicide ApplicationsIndianapolis - September 21, 2010 As winter wheat growers monitor crop emergence this fall, climbing wheat prices likely will compete mightily for their attention. Losing focus can be risky, explains Doug Shoup, assistant professor and Extension agronomist at Kansas State University, especially with the crop price stakes elevated this year. The good news is that Shoup sees more growers keeping closer watch on their wheat crops during the fall, especially when it comes to managing weed competition. “Sometimes, when growers get row crop harvest going in the fall, they don’t think about weed control in wheat until the spring, and that’s often too late,” Shoup adds. “Between unpredictable spring weather and weeds hardening off in the winter, growers can have a more difficult time getting a complete kill in spring.” With the typically tight economics of wheat production, growers sometimes find it hard to justify investing in weed control. That view is changing dramatically given today’s market conditions. In fact, Chad Cummings, field scientist with Dow AgroSciences, says that fall weed control nearly always makes good business sense. “The main benefit of a fall herbicide application is decreased early weed competition, which can pay off in higher yields,” Cummings says. “And at the end of the season, less weed seed and dockage mean a premium price at the elevator.” Winter wheat weeds “Many of these grasses have been bred to have increased genetic vigor and are even more competitive than broadleaf weeds,” Cummings adds. Among the most vigorous is Italian ryegrass, which is showing some resistance development in many wheat-growing areas, including the southern Plains. Dow AgroSciences is partnering with Kansas State and other universities to identify areas where there is demonstrated Italian ryegrass resistance to ALS herbicides. Italian ryegrass can be a difficult weed to control in wheat. Research conducted at Kansas State University shows a marked difference in the level of control when treating in the fall versus the spring (see Table 1).
“ALS resistance in Italian ryegrass and other weeds is an increasing problem. Fall herbicide applications give the grower the lead time to come back with a rescue treatment in the spring using a herbicide with a different mode of action if resistance occurs,” Shoup adds. “If they wait until the spring, it could be too late.” Tips and recommendations Shoup recommends growers consider weather when timing their fall herbicide applications, as actively growing weeds exhibit better herbicide uptake. “A stretch of five to seven days in the fall with temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees is an ideal situation for a fall herbicide treatment,” Shoup adds. For growers who no-till, Cummings suggests a burndown herbicide to control any weeds pre-plant. “Seedbeds that are not prepped well give an unfair advantage to weeds and weedy grasses, making it tough for the wheat crop to establish,” Cummings adds. Shoup says that PowerFlex fits well with winter wheat growers because of its broad-spectrum control of important grass and broadleaf weeds, including mustards, Russian thistle and pigweed; excellent crop safety; and rotational flexibility, a feature of growing importance. “Double-cropping is a big part of crop rotation in eastern Kansas, and the short rotation restriction of PowerFlex is a real plus for growers,” Shoup says. “PowerFlex is one of the best herbicides for grass control in wheat.” About Dow AgroSciences ®PowerFlex is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
PowerFlex is not registered for sale or use in all states. 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. For Editorial Information:
Lisa Frymark
Alejandra Chavez Green |
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