A Well-Balanced Weed Management Strategy Remains Key in Minimizing Weed Escape
There is not one thing that can make your weed control better or worse, writes Dr. John McNamara, Wilbur-Ellis Agronomist. There are many things to consider. This is part of the reason why the industry continues to provide options that are “add-on” modes of action to the wide-based platform of Roundup Ready crops. Combinations with Dicamba, 2,4-D, and Glufosinate (Liberty) are all current herbicide-traited options available for use in post-emergence weed control within Roundup Ready Crops. As the industry continues to develop additional herbicide tolerant combinations for soybeans, it is inevitable that scrutiny of these herbicide tools will also increase.
For example, stories about glyphosate-resistant weeds and concern about the use of Roundup Ready crops have circulated for years since the introduction occurred into row-crop use back in the mid-late 1990s. Most of these stories actually create fear of using beneficial technology and provide use recommendations not based not on scientific data but largely on emotions and assumptions. This can create consumer concern about using technology that has proven to provide many benefits, including facilitation of conservation tillage systems, excellent weed control, and excellent crop safety. But, as the years of broad spread application have continued to develop, the incidence of more weeds (waterhemp/marestail mainly) escaping a treatment has also increased.
Over the past 10 years or so, weed species such as pigweeds (waterhemp, palmer amaranth, redroot pigweed) and marestail, have become routine candidates for weed control escapes from a Roundup treatment — primarily in soybeans.
Why does the treatment kill one waterhemp plant fine and not kill another waterhemp plant of the same size three feet away?
Why are there seemingly more escapes this year than in past years?
Why do certain fields that had tillage pass earlier have more weeds/more escapes now?
Glyphosate/Glufosinate have no soil residual, and is tightly bound to soil organic matter and dust. These two facts play important roles in why there continues to be weed escapes after application — even with high use rates. These facts also aid in the potential development of resistance.
The long and short of this discussion really comes down to this; a balanced weed management strategy combined with the “right” genetics is always key to your success. Not many growers I visit with fault their herbicide programs in October if the soybeans don’t yield. Yes, you might have/will have weed escapes, but I doubt whether they will have any yield reduction capabilities if you are just seeing them now.
Read more at Wilbur-Ellis.
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