Control kochia and cleavers early
The number of acres infested with kochia has gone up significantly in the past five years. Some kochia biotypes are even resistant to multiple groups of herbicides (2, 4 &9).
Cleavers is another difficult weed to control. It’s on the rise too as it has spread quickly through the dark brown, black and grey wooded soil zones.
So, what is the best way to control these two weeds in wheat? Application timing is a critical factor in controlling both kochia and cleavers, but achieving top results requires an understanding of each weeds’ growth patterns.
Manage cleavers from day one
Cleavers need to be managed from day one, regardless of the season.
Cleavers are highly competitive in wheat. They are best controlled in the fall but bad weather and late harvests can also delay or prevent herbicide applications in the fall. Weeds emerging at this time have more time to grow the following spring, making them even harder to control. High moisture conditions during in-crop herbicide applications, too, only make things worse.
The most effective way to get early, extended control is to apply a combined pre-seeding burnoff and extended control herbicide application – the former taking care of larger cleavers which emerged the previous year, with the latter preventing spring emergence once activated by rain.
A combined approach to kochia
Kochia is another notorious early germinator. Kochia plants grow rapidly once emerged. With 30,000 seeds per plant and the ability to spread them over a kilometre in all directions, it’s not a weed you want to miss. Kochia can also remain green right up to the time you’re ready to harvest the crop and create a mat of weeds that can cause a mess in a combine header.
But like it’s fellow conspirator cleavers, well-timed early season control can make an enormous difference.
Kochia is an early germinator which can withstand a variety of herbicides if given time to grow. Pre-seed applications, that include a burnoff and extended control product will manage those early season populations. That means the right herbicide program – combined with other management strategies such as patch mowing, precision tillage, using a harvest weed seed destructor on the combine, and good rotation practices – can really reduce its seed bank.
With the right approach, kochia seed banks can be largely reduced over time. This also due, in part, to the short-term viability of the kochia seed in the soil.
Tackle resistance head-on
For herbicide programs specifically, tank-mixing at least two effective modes of action is critical in the face of resistance pressure. For suspected glyphosate (Group 9) resistance, the pre-seed period is the easiest time to tank mix products containing two additional modes of action.
Herbicide resistance is a reality for many, and a growing concern. But that doesn’t mean we have to abandon beneficial technologies like glyphosate-tolerant crops. With good scouting and rotation practices, plus a proactive herbicide application program, top-notch management is very achievable.
The four solutions below control a long list of weeds. One of these products will be a good fit if you have kochia and cleavers in your fields too.
- Intruvix™ herbicide controls cleavers and kochia (including biotypes resistant to Groups 2 and 9). Four modes of action, when tank-mixed with glyphosate, work together to tackle tough weeds like kochia, cleavers, narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard and over 25 more.
- Authority® 480 herbicide provides consistent, pre-emergent extended Group 14 kochia control. Apply pre-seed or up to 3 days after seeding spring and durum wheat.
- Focus® herbicide for cleavers and suppression of kochia. It gives lentils and wheat powerful grassy and broadleaf weed control from two modes of action.
- Aim® EC herbicide for cleaver and kochia control. It is a strong Group 14 glyphosate partner for enhanced burnoff prior to all major crops including canola, cereals and pulses.