2016 What’s New For Agronomic Weed Control

The annual summary of what is “new” in the complex world of herbicide selection is available now from Penn State Extension Weed Science specialists. The article covers product updates and herbicide resistant crops.

 

 

Acuron 3.44CS (bicyclopyrone + mesotrione [Callisto] + s-metolachlor [Dual II Magnum] + atrazine + benoxacor [corn safener]; groups 27, 15, and 5 herbicides; Syngenta) is a new herbicide premix for use in field and sweet corn and has broadleaf and grass activity. Bicyclopyrone is the new active ingredient and is similar to mesotrione (Callisto) but is “broader spectrum” as it is better on ragweed, cocklebur, and effective on many annual broadleaves and some grasses. Typical use rate for Acuron will be 2.5 qt/A. It will be available for the 2016 season. Also an atrazine-free formulation called Acuron Flexi will probably be available by 2016.

 

Afforia 50.8SG (thifensulfuron [Harmony] + tribenuron [Express] + flumioxazin [Valor]; groups 2 and 14; DuPont) is an herbicide premix for use in soybean for burndown/residual control of certain broadleaves. This ratio allows for sooner recrop to vegetables and other sensitive crops. Glyphosate and 2,4-D LVE can be tank-mixed to broaden control spectrum.

 

Anthem Maxx 4.3SC (pyroxasulfone + fluthiacet [Cadet]; groups 15 and 14; FMC) is similar to Anthem but is a higher load formulation. It is registered for use in corn (field and sweet) and soybean as pre or early post applications. Typical use rate range is 2.5 – 5 oz/A to control annual grasses and broadleaves. (4 oz Anthem Maxx equals 2.5 oz Zidua and 0.56 fl oz Cadet.) Anthem ATZ 4.5SE contains atrazine and is used at 2 – 3 pt/A.

 

Anthem Flex 4SE (pyroxasulfone + carfentrazone [Aim]; groups 15 and 14; FMC) is registered for use in wheat for preplant through early post (up to 4th tiller wheat stage) applications. The typical use rate is 2.75 – 3.5 oz/A. It controls some summer annual broadleaves and grasses including annual ryegrass and annual bluegrass; is less effective on winter annual broadleaves including chickweed and marestail and only suppresses downy brome, chess, and cheat. It must be applied before weed emergence to have any activity on these species. Wheat injury may result when applied pre and/or under wet soil conditions.

 

Armezon PRO 5.35SE (topramezone + dimethenamid-P [Outlook]; groups 27 and 15; BASF) is registered for use in corn (field and sweet) for post applications. The Armezon component provides foliar control of certain annual grasses and broadleaves, while Outlook gives residual control of many annual weeds that may germinate after application. The typical use rate is16-20 oz.

 

BroadAxe XC 7EC (s-metolachlor [Dual Mag.] + sulfentrazone [Authority]; groups 15 and 14; Syngenta) is a preemergence soybean product that controls annual grasses and broadleaves (including foxtails, crabgrass, panicum, pigweeds, lambsquarters, annual morningglory, marestail, and nightshade). Typical use rate is 25 – 32 fl oz/A.

 

Canopy Blend 58.3WDG (chlorimuron [Classic] + metribuzin; groups 2 and 5; DuPont) is basically a reformulation of Canopy DF herbicide for use in soybean and will have the same utility as the old formulation. Make sure to adjust the use rate; for example 6.5 oz/A Canopy Blend equals about 5 oz/A Canopy DF.

 

DiFlexx 4SC (dicamba + corn safener; group 4; Bayer CropScience) can be used in field corn for control of broadleaves. Typical use rate is 8 – 16 fl oz/A. This safened dicamba product contains cyprosulfamide which is the same safener used in Balance Flexx and Corvus. It is a corn safener having both pre and post activity. This product will be available for the upcoming growing season. DiFlexx will compete with Status. DiFlexx Duo 1.53SC is an experimental premix of DiFlexx and Laudis. This combination will have activity on many broadleaves and grasses. It will likely be available by 2017.

 

Resicore 3.28SE (acetochlor [Surpass] + clopyralid [Stinger] + mesotrione [Callisto] + furilazole [corn safener]; groups 15, 4 and 27; Dow AgroSciences) is a new corn herbicide premix that can be applied preplant, preemergence, or postemergence (up to 11” corn) in field and silage corn; and applied preplant or preemergence in sweet corn. It controls many annual grasses and broadleaf weeds including, common and giant ragweed, lambsquarters, annual morningglory, the pigweeds, and velvetleaf. Medium soil texture rate is 2.5 qt/A. May be tank mixed with atrazine, glyphosate, and many other labeled corn herbicides. Registration is likely in 2016.

 

Revulin Q 51.2WDG (nicosulfuron [Accent] + mesotrione [Callisto] + isoxadifen [corn safener]; groups 2 and 27; DuPont) is labeled for postemergence use in field and sweet corn at a use rate of 3.4 – 4 oz/A and has broadleaf and grass activity. It can be tank-mixed with other corn herbicides to broaden control spectrum. The 4 oz Revulin Q rate equals 1.1 oz/A Accent and 3 fl oz/A Callisto.

 

Surveil 48WDG (cloransulam [FirstRate] + flumioxazin [Valor]; groups 2 and 14; Dow AgroSciences) herbicide can be applied preplant burndown (fall or spring), prior to planting or preemergence at a rate range of 2.8-4.2 oz/A to provide foundation broadleaf weed control in soybeans. Include other herbicides to broaden control. Preemergence applications of Surveil must be made within 3 days after planting and prior to soybean emergence. Do not tank-mix Surveil with group 15, chloroacetamides (e.g., Dual, Warrant, Outlook, Zidua, etc.) within 14 days of planting soybeans, unless soybeans are planted under no-till or minimum tillage conditions on wheat stubble or no-till field corn stubble.

 

Warrant Ultra 3.49CS (acetochlor [Warrant] + fomesafen [Reflex]; groups 15 and 14; Monsanto) will be available for use in soybean for over-the-top applications. Fomesafen provides foliar control of many annual broadleaf weeds including pigweeds and ragweeds. Warrant does not provide control of emerged weeds but will offer residual control of many annual grasses and broadleaves. Warrant Ultra can be mixed with glyphosate or other soybean herbicides to broaden the control spectrum. Will compete with Prefix (Dual + Reflex) in the soybean market.

 

Zidua SC 4.17L (pyroxasulfone; group 15; BASF) is a new experimental liquid formulation of pyroxasulfone and provides good control of several annual grasses and broadleaves in corn (field and sweet) and soybean. This formulation of Zidua will have the same utility as the dry form. Zidua PRO is an experimental premix of Zidua plus Sharpen which is expected to be labeled for burndown/pre use in field corn and soybean. It is likely neither of these will be available until 2017.

 

 

Sharpen now can be applied to dormant-season alfalfa with or without a grass mix. This should have utility for control of winter annual broadleaves.  Valor will have a supplemental label that will allow it to be applied 7 days before wheat planting. Valor h will target control of winter annual broadleaves. Be cautious of other use restrictions; refer to label.

 

(Post-patent/generic or Equivalent)

 

 

BOLT soybean (DuPont/Pioneer) is a new line of “Super-STS” soybean. They have better tolerance to several ALS (Group 2) herbicides in addition to glyphosate. Herbicides associated with this brand include: Leadoff (Resolve + Harmony SG); Diligent (Classic + Resolve + Valor) and Synchrony XP (high rates 1.125 oz). Other soybean herbicides can be tank-mixed or included in the program to broaden control spectrum and for resistance management. Because of the glyphosate tolerant trait, these are GMO soybeans. Varieties are currently available for our area.

 

Plenish soybeans (DuPont/Pioneer) contain a high oleic oil content and 0g of trans fat. The oil can be used in cooking oils, chicken feed, and other applications. Plenish soybean varieties are currently available to Pennsylvania growers and are Roundup Ready, so glyphosate can be applied over-the-top; add other herbicides in the program to manage weeds and resistance.

 

Inzen Z sorghum (DuPont & Advanta US) is a new, non-GMO, line of grain sorghum (milo) that has tolerance to certain ALS (group 2) herbicides namely nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron. This will allow for more post herbicide options in particular those that control grassy weeds. Zest 0.33L is a new liquid formulation of nicosulfuron (Accent) that is being developed for this crop. Leadoff (Resolve + Harmony SG) is another foundation product that can be used with Inzen Z. Other pre and post sorghum herbicides are recommended to broaden control spectrum. Varieties are expected to be released soon. Milo or grain sorghum is not a common crop in our area, but this technology will increase the weed control options.

 

Enlist E3 soybean (Dow AgroSciences) is an line of genetically modified soybean that will be resistant to glyphosate, 2,4-D, and glufosinate. (E3 refers to a single-event molecular stack containing three traits vs. traits that are stacked individually.) Also a new 2,4-D formulation (choline) is being developed that will offer ultra-low volatility, reduced drift, decreased odor, and improved handling (referred to as Colex-D Technology). The first herbicide premix to emerge will be Enlist Duo which is a combination of 2,4-D choline plus glyphosate for use over Enlist crops; other products will likely follow. No other 2,4-D formulations are expected to be labeled for use over-the-top on Enlist crops initially. Widespread approval of Enlist soybean for export is still not resolved and in December of 2015, the EPA moved to retract Enlist Duo approval pending additional information from Dow AgroSciences. Enlist soybeans and corn may be approved for planting in 2016 but don’t expect many units to be available for Pennsylvania until possibly 2017.

 

Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans (dicamba-tolerant) are being developed by Monsanto and BASF to allow pre or post applications of dicamba (active ingredient in Clarity, Banvel, etc.) on soybeans. These varieties will be stacked with the Roundup Ready trait. In addition, BASF is developing a new, next-generation, dicamba-containing formulation for use in this system. It is a BAPMA, polyamine salt formulation and is reported to be 40% less volatile that Clarity; it will be called Engenia. Monsanto will have its own dicamba-containing products called Xtendimax and Roundup Xtend that includes “VaporGrip” technology along with the diglycolamine salt formulation of dicamba (Clarity). Like Enlist, Xtend is still waiting broad approval, which might happen by 2016. Interestingly, Dupont will also be introducing FeXapan, another diglycolamine salt formulation of dicamba. Overall, we can expect to see better annual and perennial broadleaf weed control in soybeans with these technologies. However, these new technologies are also full of controversy. Increasing overall herbicide use per acre, the evolution of new herbicide resistant weed biotypes, and the potential impact on nontarget plants and associated pollinators are areas for debate. At the very least, expect stringent application and use guidelines once these crops are available.

 

HPPD-tolerant soybeans are being developed independently by Bayer CropScience and Syngenta to allow the use of in-crop applications of HPPD-inhibitor herbicides (e.g., Balance Bean and Callisto). These varieties will likely be stacked with glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant traits. Bayer’s HPPD-soybean system is expected to be launched by 2017. Syngenta’s MGI soybeans are targeted for later in the decade.