March 28, 2024

Harvest herbicide notes can help with planting planning

MARKLE, Ind. — One of the best views of how a farm’s herbicide performed is a windshield view. A combine windshield view, that is.

“I always encourage growers at the end of the season, from the combine is the best time to do this, as we are going through the fields, to take down notes on how their crop protection products performed,” said Chad Threewits, a Syngenta agronomy service representative for Indiana.

The conversations that Threewits has with growers in his area around herbicides typically focus on what the weed control goals were and are, and if the farm’s current herbicide program achieved those goals.

“I think it’s important, at the end of the season, to evaluate how your herbicide option worked and how it fits with what your goals are and how it fits in your management program. Cost is always going to be a factor, but there is a definite return on investment with a successful herbicide program,” Threewits said.

That’s why Threewits recommends Acuron® corn herbicide. With four active ingredients and complementary modes of action from Group 27, Group 5 and Group 15, Acuron provides the total herbicide package and control of grass weeds, small-seeded broadleaf weeds and large-seeded broadleaf weeds.

For growers in the area that Threewits covers, waterhemp continues to be the primary weed of concern.

“Waterhemp continues to be a real driver. We’ve always talked about it in corn, but I’ve had more conversations than ever this year about waterhemp in corn. In 2021, waterhemp had a great reproductive season. I had waterhemp emerging the first week of May in Indiana and that was as early as I’ve ever seen it,” Threewits said.

Acuron provides the flexibility to growers to control tough weeds like waterhemp before they emerge and also to conquer any weeds that may emerge after planting.

“The nice thing about Acuron, all four of the ingredients can be applied preemergence or post-emergence after the corn is up, up to 12-inch corn, so that gives us flexibility. If we can get in to plant, but we can’t get herbicide application on right away because of rain, then we have a window to get Acuron applied. We can’t do that with all of the products on the market,” Threewits said.

Resistance continues to be a topic of concern among growers. With powerful weed control, longest-lasting residual and proven crop safety, Acuron offers growers with another tool to manage resistant weeds and extend the efficacy of all the herbicide tools.

“Resistance management still is a driver. We are getting more and more weeds, especially waterhemp and giant ragweed, becoming resistant to more sites of action in the Midwest. We know there are fields in Illinois that have six-way and seven-way resistance. Understanding there is no silver bullet out here, even with the new technology, and we have got to put multiple tools out there, like Acuron,” Threewits said.

As combines keep rolling, Threewits said growers should continue to evaluate their herbicide programs and how those programs performed this year.

“Look at what worked. Ask yourself — if I have weeds, why are they there? Is it the product I used? Is it because of weather? Did I plant early and the weeds got too big? Even though I sprayed, I didn’t get them all killed, so why is that? All of those things, they require a product, like Acuron that has good flexibility, that has the residual to fit different programs. I think now is a great time, as we look toward 2022, to be thinking about those things,” Threewits said.

© 2021 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all state or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Acuron is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Acuron® is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This column was contributed by Indiana AgriNews for Syngenta.

Jeannine Otto

Jeannine Otto

Field Editor