There’s no doubt the severe weather we’ve seen this spring may cause a late start to planting. As it comes time to rethink some decisions such as seed treatment and herbicides, it is important to consider the impact wet weather will have on planting conditions and crop production.

Choosing the Right Treatment

You’ve likely seen wet soils inhibit germination and stand establishment in your fields and understand how seed treatments help jumpstart a healthy growing season. But not all seed treatments are created equal. Your choice of seed treatment can make all the difference for germination, stand establishment, disease protection and ultimately potential yield.

Mike Leetch, Syngenta agronomy service manager for the Western Midwest, shares his thoughts on addressing seed treatment decisions.

To reduce the risk of early-season disease and insect pressure, protect your seed with a proven seed treatment. Our many seed treatment solutions, including CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Beans, a combination of separately registered products, can help get your soybeans off to a strong start and have a better chance of reaching their maximum yield potential.

Timing is Key

Using soil-applied residual herbicides is an effective way to fight off weeds. However, applying these herbicides is often a race against time, as there is a stopping point for many herbicides that limit the timeframe for applications. Not only is it important to control weeds before they reach 4” tall, there are also crop growth stage restrictions for post-emergence herbicide applications.

It’s best to start with a strong weed management foundation during planting time, or shortly after. Leetch offers this advice to help you get a head-start on weeds.

Syngenta provides a number of herbicide options that can give you a head-start on weed management. For your corn:

• Acuron®: Excellent pre- and post-emergence crop safety enables application from 28 days preplant up to 12” corn.
• Acuron® Flexi: Delivers improved and more consistent control of broadleaf weeds and annual grass with added flexibility from 28 days preplant up to 30” corn.
• Halex® GT: Flexible post-emergence application up to 30” corn delivers residual control of more than 90 grass and broadleaf weeds until crop canopy.

For your soybeans:

• BroadAxe® XC: Provides flexible application timing for up to 3 days after planting, but prior to crop emergence.
• Boundary® 6.5 EC: Extends the post-application window up to 5 weeks after planting, keeping fields cleaner longer and allowing for more timely post-emergence applications.
• Tavium® Plus VaporGrip® Technology: Offers built-in resistance management and convenience as a premix.
• Flexstar® GT 3.5: Formulated to combat weeds that are difficult to manage with glyphosate alone, or are resistant to glyphosate and ALS-inhibitors.

The quest for effective weed management is never ending. Visit ResistanceFighter.com for insights on managing against resistance and herbicide options that fit your farm.

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