IP soybeans growers need to take a close look to see if eastern black nightshade is gaining a foothold in their fields.
The premium killer is often confused with pigweed seedlings and growers think they have plenty of time and spray options to gain control, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food weed control specialist Mike Cowbrough. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Cowbrough recommends scouting fields seven to 10 days after pre-plant herbicides have been applied and planting is complete. “It’s critical to get nightshade when it’s small,” he says. “If it gets too large, we lose ability to control it adequately.”
In this video, Cowbrough zooms in for a close-up look at nightshade and pigweed seedlings and points out how the underside colours of the leaves (deep purple versus light violet) and the shapes of the cotyledons (diamonds versus long and narrow) are key distinguishing marks.
Cowbrough also discusses herbicide options once growers have determined they indeed have eastern black nightshade escapes in their field.
