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With the rising number of herbicide-resistant weeds, it’s become more important to use a varied approach to weed control in "order" to manage resistance more effectively.
Planting the same crop in the same field year after year allows weeds to adapt and become harder to control. Learn how growing a variety of crops in rotation can reduce weed populations.
📸: by mdmworks via canva | Corn Field
While research indicates that tillage and herbicides are the primary drivers of reducing weed density, crop rotation is a key practice to decrease the diversity of weed species since each crop has unique natural abilities to suppress weeds.¹
Planting timing also impacts weed suppression. For example, planting soybeans early gives soybeans a head start in canopy growth, increasing their competitiveness against early-season weed growth. Starting off strong with weed control is critical as research shows that early-season weed control (before the V3 growth stage) has the greatest impact on corn and soybean yields.²
Weeds thrive in monoculture environments, so alternating between broadleaf (soybean) and grass (corn) crops opens up weed control options. Even better, incorporating new crops to the rotation, like wheat and alfalfa, can help diversify weed-management tactics.
Additionally, research conducted in the Northern corn belt found that including winter wheat once every four years in rotation with corn and soybean produced many benefits, including increased corn and soybean yields. Further benefits include improved soil structure and, subsequently, reduced soil erosion and runoff risk.³
📸: by Smithore via canva | alfalfa field
Rotating between two warm-season crops, such as corn or soybeans, and two cool-season crops, such as wheat or alfalfa, can provide a weed control advantage by disrupting the weed’s life cycle.
Research showed the lowest weed density occurred when two years of cool-season crops were followed by two years of warm-season crops because weeds are forced to survive three years before they are able to grow and multiply.⁴
If you’re thinking about crop rotation weed control and need help selecting seeds, experts are available to help you make your decisions. Reach out to your seed retailer, a nearby extension office agent, or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative.
Generally, you should avoid making two consecutive applications of herbicides with the same mode of action in one field without adding other methods of control. Crop rotation allows for flexibility in applying various herbicide formulations.
Herbicide formulations that contain multiple modes of action and have long-lasting residual control on resistant weeds like Palmer amaranth and waterhemp can be effective to keep resistant weed populations in check.
Verdict® herbicide can be used in both corn and soybeans and contains multiple modes of action which are both effective on Palmer amaranth and waterhemp. An additional soil applied herbicide for soybeans with multiple modes of action is Zidua® Pro herbicide.
Read more about crop rotation and weed control:
Zidua and Verdict are registered trademarks of BASF.All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of any such trademark does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by its owner
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Corn
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457.5
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January 8, 2025
Soybean
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996.25
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Wheat
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