HERE’S THE FIX.

Weeds are one of the BIGGEST YIELD ROBBERS every year in soybeans,
and it doesn’t take many of them to cause a big problem…

Weeds are also prolific seed producers, and any weed escapes can add to the seedbank in your soil that you’ll be fighting for years.

HERE’S A SIMPLE PLAN THAT, IF EXECUTED WELL, CAN LEAD TO WEED-FREE FIELDS ON YOUR FARM.

1

You must apply a top-performing residual herbicide program PRE-EMERGENCE and preferably PRE-PLANT.
2

Your PRE program must use three or more effective modes of action at full rates for your situation. If any one of the three is not excellent on the worst weed in your field, pick a different herbicide.
3

Plant into a clean field. Burndown or tillage will set you up for success.
4

Plant early in narrow rows at higher populations.
5

Follow your PRE program 21-28 days later with an effective contact plus residual weed control tankmix. Kill volunteer corn at this time, as well.
6

Clean up any weed escapes with another post-emerge application roughly 14-21 days later. If there is more volunteer corn, finish it off here.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

PRE-EMERGE PROGRAM

Use the 3 Pre’s including a yellow (Trifluralin or Prowl), metribuzin, and either Authority or Valor.
Lightly incorporate the herbicides OR spray them early (fall application or early spring application).
Add another mode of action as allowed in your crop rotation – the best example is Pursuit (2 ounces costs around $2/acre), which doesn’t control most pigweeds but does add broad-spectrum weed control to your program on many other weeds.

PLANTING

Adding a residual herbicide like Zidua or Warrant helps hold down weeds further into the season.
Killing weeds before they exceed 2 inches of height gives you the best chance to knock them out completely.
You will often need 2 in-crop applications of herbicide. Keep scouting and don’t miss the ideal window for application.

Spray a volunteer corn herbicide with your first post-emerge pass.
Spray a second time if necessary with your next post-emerge pass.
Volunteer corn not only causes yield loss, it is a home for corn rootworms. If you wait to stop volunteer corn until your second post pass, the rootworm larvae will have completed their life cycle and defeated your crop rotation.