Pulse crops are notoriously poor competitors against weeds due to their slow growth in the spring. This makes fall weed control essential for establishing a healthy pulse stand in the following year.
According to Lyle Jensen of Agro Plus Inc., there are several key reasons why fall is the preferred time for weed control. First, it allows growers to target perennial weeds that would be difficult to control the following spring. Controlling perennials in the fall prevents their re-emergence.
Secondly, fall applications of residual herbicides allow time for the chemicals to bind to soil particles before spring growth begins.
“This provides months of residual control of summer annuals like wild oats and kochia,” he explains, in the Pulse School below.
It’s also important to note soil temperatures, as they influence herbicide activity and longevity in the fall. Applying residuals when soil temperatures are consistently below 10 degrees Celsius slows herbicide breakdown over the the winter, “maximizing the length of control provided in the spring.”
Check out the full conversation between Jensen and RealAgriculture’s Kara Oosterhuis, below:
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