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Weed management could look different this year

An extension weed specialist says the early planting season and dry conditions means Missouri farmers could make a second pass with the sprayer.

“I think we’re probably three weeks ahead of usual, basically a lifetime of a residual herbicide.”

Kevin Bradley with the University of Missouri says it is likely pre-emergence herbicides applied in April haven’t been activated due to the dry conditions.

“There is a window of time there and in many cases, because we got started so early, residual herbicides are probably lost at this time.”

Bradley says in some areas of Missouri, dry conditions are delaying summer annual weeds, but that’s not the case everywhere.

“While I don’t think there’s a lot of waterhemp emerged yet, there’s probably some here and there in places,” he says. “The potential for residual herbicides to not perform well due to dry weather means more waterhemp will be there at post emergence.”

He says there will be more pressure on post-emergence weed control.