Don’t forget about plantback intervals

As harvest of some crops ends, it is time to start planning for next season. When considering what crop you will be planting next season don’t forget about herbicide plant back intervals. Depending on your level of record keeping it can be easy or a bit challenging to determine exactly what herbicides were applied to a field during the season. However, it is critical to know what was applied, when and how much. 

Plantback intervals can be one of the most challenging aspects of a herbicide label to interpret. They are written for a national level, but crops are grown in a very wide range of natural precipitation and irrigation and other environmental conditions. Because of this it is important to pay attention to any “fine print” or footnotes in the plantback sections. Tillage can be a key factor in herbicide dissipation and many herbicide labels have different intervals based on tillage practices. Moisture and temperature also play a big role in herbicide dissipation. Some labels specify that months when the ground is frozen do not apply to the interval. If the season was much drier than normal the plantback interval may be longer for certain crops. In some areas, planting was delayed by weeks this season, so if herbicide applications were later than normal make sure the plantback intervals still work.

When in doubt about any plant back intervals, don’t hesitate to reach out to your crop advisor or local BASF representative.