Planning Herbicide Applications for Success

February and early March 2024 were unusually warm across most parts of the Midwest. Many winter annual, biennial, and perennial weeds have resumed growth earlier than usual and are going to be more challenging (read bigger) as we get closer to planting season.

📸: BASF employee/Featuring winter annual weeds.

Early Weed Growth Threat: Get Ahead with Pre-Planting Herbicides 

Below, I have some ideas that you could consider to help get ahead of these weeds and also help get more acres treated with burndown and residual herbicides. We all know that when planters get rolling, sprayers can't keep up. Why not give the sprayers a head start?

📸: BASF employee/Featuring a spayer applying pre-planting burndown herbicide.

Maximize Spraying Efficiency: Give Your Herbicide Applications a Head Start 

Here are a few ideas and reminders to help give the sprayers a head start and improve efficiency:

1. Don’t be afraid to apply Zidua^® PRO Herbicide up to 3 weeks before a field may be planted with soybeans.
2. Soybean fields sprayed with Zidua^® PRO Herbicide can be vertically tilled or even cultivated (shallow) prior to planting.
3. Zidua^® SC Herbicide can be applied 45 days before planting corn or soybeans. Zidua SC Herbicide can be incorporated before planting corn or soybeans. Add atrazine (corn) or metribuzin (soybeans) and get some acres sprayed early.
4. Verdict^® Herbicide can be applied 30 days before planting corn and can be incorporated, so we can spray some fields, fit them, and then plant.
5. Soybean fields that are going to be vertically tilled before planting:
6. Apply Zidua PRO Herbicide at least 3-5 days before vertical tillage.
7. Apply Sharpen^® Herbicide (1 oz) or Verdict Herbicide (5 oz) early and follow up with Zidua PRO Herbicide right after tillage or planting, before the beans emerge (minimum 14 day interval).
8. Apply Sharpen Herbicide (1 oz) or Verdict Herbicide (5 oz) now and come back early post-emerge with your trait appropriate herbicide (e.g., Liberty^® Herbicide and Zidua SC Herbicide).

📸: BASF employee/Featuring a spayer applying herbicide onto emerged soybeans.

Balancing Residual Control with Early Activation: Weighing the Benefits 

Some of these strategies may somewhat reduce the length of residual control due to dilution in the soil profile. The upside to applying herbicides earlier or incorporating them is that they are more likely to be "activated." Remember last year? A lot of pre-emerge herbicides were applied after planting and did not get that activating rainfall.

Get Local Support for Your Herbicide Application Plan

I am sure this is not an exhaustive list. Please reach out to your local BASF representative if you would like to discuss other options or ideas.

Always read and follow label directions. Grow Smart, Zidua, Verdict, and Sharpen are registered trademarks of BASF. Copyright 2024 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

Before mixing components, always conduct a compatibility jar test. Always consult respective product labels for specific mixing instructions. The most restrictive label applies.