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Review AccountLike Yields, Pre’s are King
Apr 11, 2022
When crop input costs are high, and commodity prices are rising, using a pre-emerge herbicide to protect a crop’s potential is the best way to reign over ROI.
“Pre’s are king,” said Nick Schaps, Federated agronomy sales rep at the Ogilvie location. “Weed control programs that start with effective preplant/preemergence applications help to maximize net returns,” he added.
“Weeds that germinate, emerge, and grow with the crop cause the most yield loss, so getting ahead of them is essential. Preplant and pre-emerge herbicides can provide critical early season weed control when crops are most vulnerable to competition and weeds are easiest to treat,” Schaps said.
Beat the canopy. Managing weeds during the critical period from emergence to canopy is best handled with the use or pre-emerge herbicides in both corn and beans.
Competition is stiff during the six-week interval between corn emergence and when it reaches canopy. If the weeds win, yields lose.
Pre-emerge herbicides are “especially effective in controlling glyphosate-resistant weeds, such as waterhemp and giant ragweed, by both targeting weeds at their most vulnerable [point] and by providing additional modes of action to kill resistant weeds [in soybeans],” he said.
Avoid two mistakes. First common mistake: applying too late. “Ideally a pre is applied when the top four inches of the soil reaches 55 degrees … and not saturated with water,” said Schaps. Wet soils prevent herbicides from penetrating below the surface.
Second common mistake: Improperly calibrating the sprayer or spreader, which can lead to over-applying (causing crop injury) or under-applying (resulting in poor weed control).
Crunched for time? Impregnating the preplant fertilizer with a herbicide to save both time and money with one less pass over the field with a sprayer. Federated offers impregnation services for both custom- and grower-applied fertilizer.
Reach out to your Federated Agronomist with any questions. Federated’s the team of applicators and precision equipment stand ready to accurately and efficiently apply your pre-emerge herbicides – or impregnated fertilizer – this spring.
“Pre’s are king,” said Nick Schaps, Federated agronomy sales rep at the Ogilvie location. “Weed control programs that start with effective preplant/preemergence applications help to maximize net returns,” he added.
“Weeds that germinate, emerge, and grow with the crop cause the most yield loss, so getting ahead of them is essential. Preplant and pre-emerge herbicides can provide critical early season weed control when crops are most vulnerable to competition and weeds are easiest to treat,” Schaps said.
Beat the canopy. Managing weeds during the critical period from emergence to canopy is best handled with the use or pre-emerge herbicides in both corn and beans.
Competition is stiff during the six-week interval between corn emergence and when it reaches canopy. If the weeds win, yields lose.
Pre-emerge herbicides are “especially effective in controlling glyphosate-resistant weeds, such as waterhemp and giant ragweed, by both targeting weeds at their most vulnerable [point] and by providing additional modes of action to kill resistant weeds [in soybeans],” he said.
Avoid two mistakes. First common mistake: applying too late. “Ideally a pre is applied when the top four inches of the soil reaches 55 degrees … and not saturated with water,” said Schaps. Wet soils prevent herbicides from penetrating below the surface.
Second common mistake: Improperly calibrating the sprayer or spreader, which can lead to over-applying (causing crop injury) or under-applying (resulting in poor weed control).
Crunched for time? Impregnating the preplant fertilizer with a herbicide to save both time and money with one less pass over the field with a sprayer. Federated offers impregnation services for both custom- and grower-applied fertilizer.
Reach out to your Federated Agronomist with any questions. Federated’s the team of applicators and precision equipment stand ready to accurately and efficiently apply your pre-emerge herbicides – or impregnated fertilizer – this spring.