Weeds: Waterhemp

Out of all the pigweed species, waterhemp continues to make its mark in corn and soybean fields across the Corn Belt and the South as one of the most aggressive and prolific weeds. Growing at a clip of 1.25 inches a day during the growing season, this weed can get out of hand quickly if not managed properly and promptly. Making this weed even more of a threat is its ability to produce seeds. It can produce 1.5 times more seed than many other pigweed species, upward of 1 million seeds per plant under favorable conditions. 

Unfortunately, waterhemp’s biology is not the only issue keeping growers, retailers and crop consultants up at night. Herbicide resistance continues to gain traction in waterhemp with six classes being noted: Groups 2, 4, 5, 9, 14 and 27.

But options still persist when it comes to this fight. Herbicides touting terms like preemergence, effective, overlapping and residual are imperative for basing a weed management program on. It starts with an effective preemergence herbicide with a long soil residual, like Authority^® Edge and Supreme herbicides, which are designed to fit a variety of soil types, followed by a tailored tank mix with multiple modes of action postemergence and preemergence activity to reduce waterhemp. Group 15 Anthem^® MAXX herbicide adds its residual to the tank to create an overlapping effect, helping to suppress waterhemp up to and through canopy closure. 

Help keep your fields clean of waterhemp this year and beyond with these tools and insights.