Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina
May 10, 2007
Growers have the option of a
fall burndown treatment or early spring application
Corn and soybean growers now have increased flexibility on when
to address their weed-control concerns, thanks to an updated
label Bayer
CropScience received for Autumn® herbicide from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Growers can now apply Autumn 30 days before planting corn or 90
days prior to planting soybeans. In addition, if desired, Autumn
may be used as a burndown treatment after harvest to help ensure
weed-free spring planting.
University field-trial results show that Autumn delivers
outstanding results on tough weeds, including: Canada thistle,
common chickweed, dandelion, hemp nettle, henbit, horsenettle
and marestail.
“We have found that Autumn is a really good fit for winter
annuals and dandelion,” says Bill Johnson, associate professor
of weed science, Purdue University.
Johnson adds that some weed species, such as cress leaf
groundsel, chickweed, henbit and purple deadnettle, can be
addressed effectively in late fall when growers may have more
time to use control measures.
He says that such weeds, if not addressed by early spring, can
become less responsive to herbicides once they start to bloom
and grow.
“In our research with Autumn last year, we observed good control
of henbit and common chickweed with fall applications of
Autumn,” notes Kevin Bradley, weed scientist, University of
Missouri–Columbia.
Fall burndown treatments to control weeds offer a side benefit:
They also help minimize weed cover for overwintering pests such
as black cutworms.
“With the limited snow cover in the Eastern corn belt last
winter, black cutworm moths migrated earlier, then laid their
eggs in green weed tissue where there is usually snow,” explains
Brent Philbrook, product development manager for Bayer
CropScience. “As a result, cutworm larvae thrived. A burndown
application of Autumn could have prevented these problems.”
An additional benefit from Autumn is it offers growers an
alternative mode-of-action to glyphosate, which can help combat
tolerance or resistance issues.
“Autumn is flexible with various tankmixing partners and offers
a residual component that a glyphosate or 2, 4-D does not bring
to the table,” Philbrook says. “It gives corn and soybean
growers a new tool in the toolbox.”
Bayer CropScience LP is the U.S. business of Bayer
CropScience, which has its global headquarters in Monheim,
Germany. Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual
sales of about EUR 5.7 billion (2006), is one of the world’s
leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop
protection; non-agricultural pest control, including consumer
lawn and garden; seeds; and plant biotechnology. The company
offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service
backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and for
non-agricultural applications. Bayer CropScience has a global
workforce of about 17,900 and is represented in more than 120
countries, ensuring proximity to dealers and consumers. |
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