An effective pre-seed burn-off is one of the most important steps in growing a bumper crop.
Early season weeds might look small, but they are robbing your soil of moisture and nutrients that could be needed by your crops. Winter annuals and early emerging spring weeds can aggressively compete with your crop if they are not controlled. Plus, early season weeds that don’t compete directly with your crops can still harbour damaging diseases and insects.
Luckily, these weeds are easiest to control in spring when they’re small and still actively growing. Better yet, early control of weeds will allow for the development of a strong canopy in your crop, helping to limit weed competition later in the growing season.
Start Strong
A good burn-off means more than just spraying glyphosate. Pre-seed weed control options should include herbicide groups that cannot be used in crop. The right herbicide mix for your pre-seed burn-off enhances weed control by incorporating multiple modes of action for enhanced control, increased efficacy, and will lower your risk of herbicide resistance. Repeated use of the same herbicide on the same fields reduces its efficacy and boosts the chances that weeds will develop herbicide resistance. Pre-seed herbicide application allows you to incorporate multiple modes of action. With the help of your agronomist, you can plan your pre-seed herbicides so that you are creating the best combination both before crop establishment as well as in crop.
A minimum of two modes of action will reduce the risk of glyphosate resistance. By choosing herbicides that are registered ahead of your intended crop, you will give your crop the best start. Always check that any additional herbicides tank-mixed with glyphosate are registered tank-mix partners. The use of multiple modes of action helps fight resistance, as well as making your herbicide application more effective. For a quick recap on battling herbicide resistance, you can watch our video at askco-op.ca.
Planning Ahead
Early season scouting on your farm, combined with detailed record keeping, and planning with your local Co-op agronomist can help you identify which products to use. Understanding which weeds are present and the stage of the weeds will help you choose the herbicide that will be most effective.
With detailed records on hand, you’ll also be able to determine which products have previously been applied to your fields. By using multiple modes of action in your herbicide rotation, you will ensure control of your weeds and also provide longevity of the herbicides in your cropping rotation.
Timing of your pre-seed burn off also plays a critical role in how well those early season weeds are controlled. It’s important to have the weeds actively growing. The conditions in spring can be variable, so if it is close to or below freezing, make sure to allow the weeds time to recover before spraying your pre-seed burn off. Remember to keep water volumes and glyphosate rates high when there is dust on the weeds. Dust will inactivate some of the glyphosate, so monitoring the weeds when it is dry is critical. A successful pre-seed herbicide plan includes choosing a tank-mix partner for glyphosate, crop scouting before you spray and monitoring weather conditions.
Co-op Pre-Seed Weed Control Options
A co-pack of herbicide Groups 14 and 6, Octagon, is a great option for pre-seed control of herbicide-resistant weeds prior to planting canola. This makes it a great option for pre-seed control of herbicide-resistant volunteers before your crop comes out of the ground.
Convex
A pre-seed herbicide designed to take care of broadleaf weeds before your barley and wheat crops come out of the ground.
Convex and Octagon are pre-seed solutions that mix exceptionally well with Vector® 540 glyphosate for a complete weed control package.
Still have questions? Reach out to a Grow Team member and they can help you through the pre-seed burn off choices, as well as recommend the best products for your weed spectrum.
Check out Co-op’s full lineup of crop protection products.