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Rotating modes of action with a spring burn down

A herbicide specialist says spring burn down treatments are a good opportunity to rotate sites of action to combat weed resistance.

Joe Bolte with Beck’s Hybrids in Effingham, Illinois tells Brownfield a burn down is the one time all year farmers can apply a herbicide that they can’t apply in season.

“For example, Gramoxone is a group 22 product. We won’t apply that in season so that gives us the option to apply group 22 so we can hit those weeds with a mode of action that they won’t see all season long.”

He says it is also important to evaluate your timing before a burn down.

“If you know a burn down is going to be delayed, maybe look for a product that has a little more residual activity. If you know you are going to be able to plant right away, we are going to want to make sure then that we are not using products that are going to have a plant back restriction.”

He says a wet fall prevented most farmers from completing fall burn downs and a wet start to the spring season is doing the same for spring applications.