Spring is fast approaching and with it, the start of the planting season for 2022 is right on its heels.
But before you start planting your crop this year, you will need to check out your weed population in your fields.
“Scouting is always a good first step in preparing for the upcoming season,” says Errin Willenborg, agronomy and market development lead at WinField® United Canada. “Spending time to get an inventory of early emerging weed species and staging will be more important than ever as we move into the 2022 seeding season.”
Once you have a good grasp on what’s out there, you’re going to start thinking about your pre-burn application. For decades, glyphosate has been a quick go to for farmers when looking at pre-burn tank mixes for their fields.
“Over the last number of years pre-seed application rates of glyphosate have increased. Higher rates can provide more consistent weed control and can help with less-than-ideal spray application practices, including water quality concerns,” says Willenborg.
However, in 2022 the global glyphosate shortage due to a multitude of factors including trade sanctions, shipping challenges, COVID and extreme weather events, puts farmers in a tough spot.
“This shortage has skyrocketed the price of glyphosate to twice the 2021 price for farmers. This means that farmers are going to need to do more with less product,” explains Willenborg.
Since the demand of pre-burn products will still be needed in most cases across the country, a great place to start for help is in your tank mix partners to go along with your glyphosate.
WinField United has several tank mix partners that can be used in a pre-seed application with glyphosate, including Foremost™ carfentrazone (Group 14) and Starbuck™ bromoxynil (Group 6).
Along with selecting a strong tank mix partner for your weed spectrum – evaluating your spray water quality is an important step in making the most out of your glyphosate investment.
“I believe that in 2022, farmers will be looking to use the lowest labeled rate of glyphosate – either due to price or availability. And there is nothing wrong with that,” says Willenborg. “But, when looking at lower glyphosate rates, you should do your best to make sure that any other factors you can control are properly managed.”
Poor quality water, and in particular hard water, or water high in cations can hinder your glyphosate performance. Following the dry year of 2021, water quality may not be the same as what you are used to.
Willenborg suggests contacting your local
WinField United retailer to have your spray water tested so you know where you’re starting from. WinField United retails will be able to interpret your water tests and provide a recommendation to help improve your water quality. AMS based products like Crimson® NG are designed to decrease glyphosate antagonism due to hard water.
No matter the conditions this spring growers should be on the lookout for early germinating weeds.
“If you have a dry spring, you might not have much in the field for weeds, but those few weeds could be stealing precious moisture and nutrients from your seed,” explains Willenborg. “And if you’re dealing with a wet spring, weeds can quickly take over your field if you don’t get on top of them.”
Everyone is going to be dealing with similar issues of supply and demand with glyphosate this year, so you’re not alone. But if you take a little extra time and explore your options, you can have a successful spraying season this spring.
Featuring: Errin Willenborg, agronomy and market development lead – WinField United Canada
