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Minnesota farmers urged to wrap up herbicide applications

An extension weed specialist is urging corn and soybean growers to wrap up herbicide applications by the end of the month.

Jeff Gunsolus with the University of Minnesota says their message right now is “July One-and-done.”

“Historically, anytime you go into July, that’s when greater problems occur.  There’s less effectiveness on weed control, and (the herbicide) is more likely to move over to crops that are moving into the reproductive phase.”

He tells Brownfield off-target movement of herbicides like Dicamba can significantly impact yield.

“If (the herbicide) moves to sensitive crops like soybeans that are starting to flower, the impact on yield is much greater than if you’re just seeing vegetative injury at this time.”

Gunsolus says Dicamba drift isn’t currently an issue in Minnesota like it is in Arkansas and Missouri, partly because crop development is further behind in the Upper Midwest.

He also cites the proliferation of Palmer Amaranth in the southern U.S. and the heavier use of new chemistries to combat the resistant weed in that region compared to northern states.