For many, corn and soybean planting is just around the corner. Finalizing hybrid and variety choices might be top-of-mind, but there are other input choices that also need to be nailed down. It’s critical to have a strong weed management plan in place going into planting to give crops the best chance at success.

Choose a herbicide program featuring overlapping residuals to help ensure weeds are managed throughout the entire growing season. Weed escapes have the potential to make a dent in ROI, and crop losses due to unmanaged weeds in corn and soybeans could cost the industry billions, according to Kansas State Research and Extension.

Here’s why overlapping your residuals is so important:

• Weeds have the potential to take root and start growth if there is a break in treatment.
• There’s a greater risk of weeds becoming resistant if they are able to emerge between treatments.

Soybean growers:

You should apply full labeled rates of pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides with several effective sites of action for the best output. Soybean growers can count on a pre-emergence application of Boundary^® 6.5 EC or BroadAxe^® XC herbicides, followed by Flexstar^® GT 3.5 herbicide for post-emergence control.

Corn growers:

If you’re growing corn this season, we recommend a program of Acuron® or Acuron Flexi corn herbicides followed by Halex^® GT herbicide. Acuron and Acuron Flexi offer growers flexibility when it comes to making post-emergence applications while ensuring control of weeds.

Herbicide resistance has become a top concern over the years as tough weeds like waterhemp, giant ragweed, kochia and Palmer amaranth challenge growers. When it comes to herbicide programs, the decisions made at the very beginning of the season will have a major impact on both the rest of the season and your fields’ future.

Visit ResistanceFighter.com to learn more about this and other techniques to manage tough and resistant weeds.

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