After The Flood, Read Label Before Reapplying Herbicide

May 15, 2017

Flooding probably won’t kill weeds on its own, but does pose a threat both in spreading seeds and forcing farmers to reapply herbicides.

Flooded farm fields present challenges for effective weed control, said Bob Scott, extension weed scientist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“Most herbicides do not like being under a flood,” Scott said. “Chemical processes associated with hydrolysis and leaching mean the weed control usually breaks.”

Division weed scientist Jason Norsworthy said some herbicides are going to be more tightly bound to soil and aren’t going to move as much as some others, but figuring out which chemistry you have and how the water in a particular field has interacted with it would be difficult to determine.

“Overall,” Norsworthy said, “where there has been a lot of water moving through your field, the efficacy of your weed control will be diminished greatly.”

Reapplication challenges

Norsworthy said weeds generally are going to recover better and faster than cultivated plants.

Scott agrees. “Everyone knows, after the water goes down, the weeds are going to follow,” he said.

And that means weed control will have to be reapplied. In most cases, Scott said, growers will have to apply residual herbicides in replanted fields or those in which the planted crop survived.

However, Scott said farmers must be careful to follow the label instructions for their herbicides. There are season limits on how much can be applied for some products.

For Dual herbicide, as an example, the label states an annual limit of 2.5 pints per acre, Scott said.

“Most growers usually use a pint to a pint and a quarter per acre,” Scott said. “So they can usually make another application after a flood and still be within the limit.”

Other products are only permitted for one application per season, he said. “In that case, you’ll have to move on to another technology.”

Some products require eight to nine weeks between rotations, Scott said. “Be sure to watch for this,” he said.

Read and follow the label

Norsworthy also emphasized the importance of reading and following the labels on weed control products, especially when growers have to replant crops.

“You may have to start over with a new weed control program,” Norsworthy said, “and choose a crop to plant back that works with that product.”

Norsworthy recommended Division of Agriculture publication MP519, “2015 Row Crop Plant-Back Intervals for Common Herbicides,” downloadable here: https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP519.pdf

“Growers looking at plant-back can use it to see what you can do,” Norsworthy said.

Scott also warned that growers should watch out for the unexpected. “In floods,” he said, “sometimes things wash out onto fields that present unique weed control problems.”

This has led to some strange weed control calls, he said. “One guy brought me a cottonwood seedling that had landed in his field.”

Scott said the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service website has useful publications available for download to help farmers deal with weed control problems: https://www.uaex.edu/publications/

Source: uaex.edu

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.