Use Care When Applying Pre-Harvest Desiccants

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) is reminding producers using herbicides for pre-harvest desiccation to be mindful of adjacent crops when making their applications. Pre-harvest desiccation refers to an herbicide application that dries the plant and leaves of a crop before harvest. “Take care when applying pre-harvest desiccants to ensure that sensitive adjacent crops are not being affected,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “It is also important to check the label to make sure the product being used is labeled for desiccation of the crop it is being applied to. Failure to use the correct product at the correct time may result in decreased yields, poor germination for seed crops, or the risk of having commodities rejected and potential liability for contamination.” It is a violation of state and federal law to apply a product in a manner not prescribed on the label. Applicators should also be sure to follow required harvest intervals prescribed on the label.