5R WEED CONTROL STRATEGY

Weed strategies need to be adjusted every year based on where your farm is located and what environmental impacts have affected weed growth.

Canada’s resistant weeds continue to grow and the right weed control strategy can minimize resistance and effectively help your crop perform. See below for a graphical depiction of herbicide resistance weeds across the Canadian Prairies. This image was provided by Charles Geddes, Ph.D., P.Ag. Research Scientist – Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Our team of agrologists provide expert advice on which crop strategies may be best for your farm operation.

Strategies should be unique to each farm based on crop types, crop resistance, crop and herbicide history and environmental impacts such as dryness and drought.

Here are the 5R weed control strategies to take into consideration for your farm:

Right Rotation: Control What You Can

• Weed control strategies enable crops to outcompete weeds as best they can.
• You can control scouting, rotation, product choice, rates and tank mixing even if you can’t control planting time, existing equipment and replacing all new seed every year.
• Even though costs are out of your hands, you can choose the right program and the right timing.

Right Time: Scouting

• Scouting can give you a complete understanding of your farm’s scenario.
• Know which weeds are growing at time of application, their growth stage, which may have a second flush, your farm’s problem weed species and which crop will be seeded after burndown.
• Scouting equips you with the information needed to adjust weed control strategy.

Right Herbicide: Product Choice

• You need to decide whether to use a contact-only product, a broad-stroke strategy or a residual component.
• Proper conditions must be in place for residual products to work.
• You should discuss options with your local retailer or operations agronomist of choice.
• Options are always changing and control strategy planning needs to be individualized to each farm.

Right Rate: Rates and Tank Mixing

• Tank mixing gives you control over what rate you will apply to provide enough product to control the weed
• Tank mixing will take into consideration your farm’s weed resistance.
• Tank mixing options can provide broad-spectrum control while adding another product to target harder-to-control weeds.

Right Resource: Tools and Expertise

• A thorough look at your individual farm circumstances is essential when planning a weed control strategy.
• You should use multiple different tactics for an effective weed control strategy.
• Leaning on a trusted retailer or agrologist’s expertise is the best way to plan the best weed control strategy for your farm.

Herbicide Resistant Weeds in the Prairies

Source: Charles Geddes, Ph.D., P.Ag. Research Scientist – Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Science and Technology Branch Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada