Soybean School: How Long Do I Need to Keep Soybeans Weed Free?

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Start clean, stay clean is a smart motto when it comes to corn and soybean fields, but what’s the right amount of “clean” in relation to weed cover and yield potential?

Dr. Peter Sikkema, professor of plant science with the University of Guelph — Ridgetown Campus, took to the field to answer that question. If, as you walk your soybean fields shortly after the second trifoliate is out, you notice weeds beginning to germinate and grow, do you leave them or do you spray? What’s the impact of those late-germinated weeds on yield?

Want more Soybean School episodes? The entire library is at this link.

In the Soybean School below, Sikkema answers that question, and then goes on to explain other factors that may also sway your decision of another spray pass — things like harvest ease and weed seed bank management. What’s more, he adds in a quick tip for those with corn in the rotation, too.

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Other Episodes

Soybean School (view all) Season 4 (2015) Episode 29
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