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Wheat field in the spring
Crop Challenges

Wheat Weed Solutions: Spring Wheat

If there’s anything predictable about springtime, it’s the unpredictable weather and stop-start of planting season. This can bring headaches to spring wheat weed control efforts. Early spring soil warmth can give overwintered weed seeds a jump start before newly planted spring wheat has a chance to establish. In addition, early season grasshopper nymphs and adults can also cause damage if not scouted for early and often. By understanding these problem weeds and pests, you can learn how to control them. 

Help keep your wheat fields clean of the following key weeds this season and beyond.

Kochia

Mature Kochia disperses more than 100,000 seeds.

 

  • As kochia matures, the stem breaks off and disperses more than 100,000 seeds per plant.1
  • Kochia competes with spring wheat for water, nutrients and space after reaching 4 inches tall,2 so it is critical to control early.

Russian Thistle

Infestations cost growers $50million per year

  • Russian thistle infestations cost growers more than $50 million annually in management costs.3
  • The Russian thistle plant is extremely drought tolerant. The taproot can extend several feet into the soil to reach subsurface moisture.4

Waterhemp

Generally produces 250,000 seeds per plant but can produce as many as 1+ million.

 

  • Waterhemp generally produces 250,000 seeds per plant but can produce as many as 1+ million.5
  • Waterhemp seeds remain viable in the soil for two years, and 1-12% of waterhemp seed can remain viable in the soil seedbank after four years.5

Pigeongrass (green foxtail)

  • Green and yellow foxtail produce up to 34,000 seeds per plant.6
  • Germination occurs at the same time as wheat causing economic loss and yield.6

Marestail

  • Seeds can be dispersed long distances by wind. There have been reports of 125 seeds (per square yard) at 400 feet away from the seed source.7 
  • An average of 200,000 seeds can be produced from one plant.7 

     

Prickly Lettuce

  • Prickly lettuce seeds can germinate immediately after dispersal and can germinate within the top centimeter of soil after the smallest of rain events.8
  • The flower buds of prickly lettuce can be difficult to screen out of grain, resulting in possible dockage.8

     

Mustards/Pennycress

  • Mustards including wild mustard, black mustard, tumble mustard and tansy mustard can produce seeds exceptionally early in the season, making it tough competition for newly planted wheat.9
  • When deeply buried, mustard can survive up to 50 years in the soil.9

     

Barnyardgrass

  • A large barnyardgrass plant may produce over 100,000 seeds.10 
  • Barnyardgrass seeds are often dormant in the fall and winter but quickly break dormancy during a spring thaw.11

     

Narrowleaf hawksbeard

  • Narrowleaf hawksbeard produces up to 50,000 seeds per plant.12
  • This highly adaptable weed can overcome various environmental conditions.12

YOUR TOOLKIT TO SUCCESS

FMC has several herbicide products to solve your weed problems in wheat, including Anthem® Flex herbicide, Aim® EC herbicide and Spartan® Charge herbicide, as well as Vantacor® insect control for grasshopper challenges. Find the FMC solution that fits your wheat management needs.

Phenology graph depicting wheat growth stages: Planting / Emergence, Tillering and Stem elongation, Heading, and Ripening.

 

Product application at the following stages for optimal control. 

Burndown

Aim EC Herbicide*

Apply for kochia and prickly lettuce management.

Preplant

Spartan Charge Herbicide*

Apply for kochia and Russian thistle control.

Preemergence

Anthem Flex Herbicide**

Apply preemergence or delayed preemergence for waterhemp, pigeongrass, marestail, mustards/pennycress and barnyardgrass control.

Spartan Charge Herbicide*

Apply within three days after planting for kochia and Russian thistle control (Specific to MO with a 24(c)).

Postemergence

Affinity® BroadSpec Herbicide or Affinity TankMix Herbicide 

For control of mustards/pennycress and narrowleaf hawksbeard.

Express® Herbicide

Apply for narrowleaf hawksbeard control. 

Mustang® Maxx Insecticide

Apply for aphid and grasshopper control. 

Foliar

Vantacor Insect Control

Apply foliarly for grasshopper and armyworm control when populations reach local established thresholds to prevent crop damage.

*In areas with PPO-R kochia, sulfentrazone still provides utility for residual control.

**Anthem Flex herbicide is not labeled on durum wheat. Preplant and preemergence only for use in ID, MT, WA, and OR.

1 Lewis, K., Jha, P. Lane, T., Fulbright, J., Good, A., Roeder, B., Herbicide resistant kochia. (2018, March). MT201806AG MontGuide. https://www.montana.edu/extension/glacier/mt201806AG.pdf

2 Weed management in winter wheat. (2019, July 22). CropWatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/weed-management-winter-wheat

3 Young, F. L., Yenish, J. P., Launchbaugh, G. K., McGrew, L. L., & Alldredge, J. R. (2008). Postharvest Control of Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus) with a Reduced Herbicide Applicator in the Pacific Northwest. Weed Technology, 22(1), 156–159. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25195010

4 Russian Thistle Management Guidelines--UC IPM. (n.d.). https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7486.html

5 Waterhemp - Take action. (2023, May 17). Take Action. https://iwilltakeaction.com/weeds/identification/waterhemp/

6 Agriculture | Province of Manitoba. (n.d.). Province of Manitoba. https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/weeds/print,green-foxtail.html

7 Marestail (Horseweed). (n.d.). Weeds. https://www.canr.msu.edu/weeds/extension/marestail-horseweed

8 Prickly lettuce. (n.d.). Wheat & Small Grains |  Washington State University. https://smallgrains.wsu.edu/weed-resources/common-weed-list/prickly-lettuce/

9 Agronomy eUpdate March 18th, 2022 : Issue 897. (n.d.). https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/eu_article_prep.php?article_id=3071

10 Barnyardgrass. (n.d.). CALS. https://cals.cornell.edu/weed-science/weed-profiles/barnyardgrass

11 USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension. (2023, June 21). Barnyardgrass - SARE. SARE. https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/barnyardgrass/

12 Narrowleaf hawksbeard controllable if caught early | Vice President for Agricultural Affairs | NDSU. (n.d.). https://www.ndsu.edu/vpag/newsletter/narrowleaf_hawksbeard_controllable_if_caught_early/ 

Mustang Maxx insecticide is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Always read and follow all label directions, precautions and restrictions for use. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states. FMC, the FMC logo, Affinity, Aim, Anthem, Express, Mustang, Spartan and Vantacor are trademarks of FMC Corporation or an affiliate. ©2024 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. 23-FMC-3412 01/24

 

 
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