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Adjuvants play key role in weed control

A member of the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology says adjuvant selection can make or break weed control.

Joe Gednalske, retired director of product development for WinField United, led a recent webinar hosted by the council.

“Most post-emergence herbicides specifically say they need an adjuvant system of one kind or another. And if that does not go in the spray tank with that herbicide, you’re reducing your performance 30 to 90 percent.”

Purdue Extension describes adjuvants as materials that facilitate the activity of herbicides, or that facilitate or modify characteristics of herbicide formulations or spray solutions.

Gednalske says there are a lot of options on the market.

“Because our industry has so many products (it) makes it too confusing, (which creates) the issue of selecting the wrong type of adjuvant that doesn’t match up with what the individual herbicide wants.”

He says the wrong match can reduce herbicide performance up to 50 percent, and increase the risk of crop injury.

The Council provides online resources to help select the right adjuvants.