Prepare for 2016 Now with Weed Strategy

by | Dec 29, 2015 | HAT News Feed

Hoosier Ag Today by: Cayla McLeland

Weed Management Priority for 2016

Dawn Refsell-ValentGetting prepared for a new growing season should include a weed management strategy. Whether or not farmers plan to cut input costs this year, a good weed management strategy will go a long way come harvest. Dawn Refsell with Valent tells HAT that farmers should consider a few things when selecting a pre-emerge herbicide.

?It?s important to highlight that length of residual because when we have unfavorable conditions like we did in Indiana, the stronger your pre is, the less pressure you have on the post-application timing. So if you have a weaker pre up front, your timeliness of your post has to be accurate. And so that important to consider when deciding what pre to use.?

Refsell says Valent?s post-emerge portfolio has a wide offering for different field conditions.

?In the post-application market, we have Cobra, we have Resource and Select Max. Cobra and Resource are for broadleaf weed control. Resource is great for velvet leaf. And then Select Max controls volunteer corn.?

A popular Indiana product is Valor. Refsell says that?s because of its flexibility.

?For the product that it is, we have really good residual. And so rotational flexibility; you can apply it in the fall or in the spring and plant corn or beans, so some flexibility on the indecisive acre. On top of that, it has great residual control. We?re talking four to six weeks depending on weather conditions for a residual control of weeds.?

As farmers make decisions for their weed management strategy this year, Refsell reminds them that it?s much easier to prevent a mess than to clean one.

?Reflecting back on 2015 I think only reiterates that. Applying residuals pre-emergence and post-emergence to never let the weeds get up are key. And so, if we don?t control these weeds, they are competing with our crops; we?ll lose yields that way.?

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