The 2019 Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Weed Control Guide is now available for download https://
Pesticides
Developing a long-term comprehensive weed management system – Part 2
Source: Iowa State University, (Edited)
Post 2 of a 4 post series.
As the end of the year approaches and we reflect on the 2018 growing season we need to look at what changes or improvements we need to make in our production plans for 2019. Herbicide resistant weeds are continuing to create problems. New, very invasive and harmful weed species (Palmer Amaranth and Waterhemp) are now prevalent in Knox County. Therefore, a review of the effectiveness of your herbicides program is definitely in order.
To effectively battle these new weed problems, creating a comprehensive, all-encompassing weed control strategy is essential in today production agriculture. Over the next 4 weeks I will share information developed by Meaghan Anderson and Dr. Bob Hartzler at Iowa State University on developing a long-term weed management system.
Last week’s post: Herbicide program development: Using multiple sites of action
This week’s post: Herbicide program development: Using effective herbicide groups
After you’ve started working on a program that contains multiple herbicide groups (sites of action), you need to make sure you’re using multiple herbicide groups that will be effective against your target weeds. For most people, the target weed will be waterhemp. Others may have problems with giant ragweed, horseweed/marestail, or other weeds. Waterhemp is the target weed in my example, but consider what your most problematic weeds are to run through this exercise for yourself.
Things to consider when determining whether a herbicide is effective against your target weed include (1) whether the herbicide is labeled to control the weed and (2) whether your target weed is resistant to the herbicide group.
Let’s look at herbicides as if waterhemp is the weed that causes us the most issues. Here’s a table of herbicide groups used in Iowa crops.
Developing a long-term comprehensive weed management system.
Source: Iowa State University, (Edited)
As the end of the year approaches and we reflect on the 2018 growing season we need to look at what changes or improvements we need to make in our production plans for 2019. Herbicide resistant weeds are continuing to create problems. New, very invasive and harmful weed species (Palmer Amaranth and Waterhemp) are now prevalent in Knox County. Therefore, a review of the effectiveness of your herbicides program is definitely in order.
To effectively battle these new weed problems, creating a comprehensive, all-encompassing weed control strategy is essential in today production agriculture. Over the next 4 weeks I will share information developed by Meaghan Anderson and Dr. Bob Hartzler at Iowa State University on developing a long-term weed management system.
This week’s post: Herbicide program development: Using multiple sites of action
With the stagnant development of new herbicides and weeds seemingly evolving herbicide resistance faster than ever before, it’s important to maximize the usefulness of every herbicide application. A new herbicide site of action (or herbicide group number) for use in corn and soybean production has not been discovered since the early 1980s. According to Dr. Ian Heap with www.weedscience.org, since the 1980s, the confirmed number of unique cases of herbicide resistance globally is increasing at a rate of about 12 discoveries per year.
Precautions for Dicamba use in Xtend Soybean
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois are heavily infested with weeds resistant to glyphosate (group 9), PPO inhibitors (group 14), and ALS inhibitors (group 2). This has greatly reduced the number of effective postemergence herbicides for controlling these weeds in Roundup Ready 2 (RR2) soybeans. Adoption of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend (glyphosate and dicamba resistant – RR2 Xtend) soybeans and use of dicamba-based herbicides is one option for managing resistant weed populations. Keep in mind that selection for dicamba resistance occurs each time dicamba is applied, and over reliance on this technology will lead to the development of dicamba-resistant weed populations.
The extension weed science programs at The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and the University of Illinois recently collaborated to revise suggestions and precautions for use of dicamba in dicamba-resistant soybean. The United States Environmental Protection Agency renewed labels of Xtendimax, Engenia, and FeXapan last October, and this updated extension weed science publication offers additional suggestions to help further reduce off-target dicamba movement.
Properly Winterizing Sprayers Can Help Mitigate Costly Problems Next Spring
Source: Dr. Erdal Ozkan (Edited)
OK, it’s way too wet to be in the fields … So how about doing something like winterizing your sprayer too take your mind off of harvest for awhile?!
The four main steps are Rinsing, Cleaning, Winterizing and Storing. Below are some suggestions from Dr. Erdal Ozkan, Extension Agricultural Engineer.
This is a busy time of year for many farmers, but taking time to winterize your sprayer now can payoff in avoiding problems next spring. Without proper winterizing before the temperature falls below freezing, you could end up with a pump that is cracked and/or not working at its full capacity. Here are some important things you need to do with your sprayer this time of the year.
Rinsing
Make sure to rinse the whole sprayer thoroughly before storing. Rinsing the sprayer thoroughly after each use reduces likelihood of cross-contamination of products applied next spring. Insufficient rinsing may also result in clogged nozzles. Once the nozzles are clogged, it is extremely difficult to bring them back to their normal operating conditions. Leaving chemical residues in nozzles will usually lead to changes in their flow rates, as well as in their spray patterns resulting in uneven distribution of chemicals on the target.
Depending on the tank, proper rinsing of the interior of the tank can be challenging. Rinsing is easy if the tank is relatively new and equipped with special rinsing nozzles and mechanisms inside the tank. If this is not the case, manual rinsing of the tank interior is more difficult, and poses some safety problems such as inhaling fumes of leftover chemicals during the rinsing process. To avoid these problems, either replace the tank with one that has the interior rinse nozzles, or install an interior tank rinse system in your existing tank.
For effective rinsing of all the sprayer components, circulate clean water through the whole sprayer for several minutes with the nozzles off, then flush out the rinsate through the nozzles. Rinsing should be done in the field, or on a concrete chemical mixing/loading pad with a sump to recover rinse water. Dispose of the rinsate according to on the directions on the labels of the pesticides in the tank. Always check the label for specific instructions. Most labels recommend following procedure: If rinsing is done on a concrete rinse pad with a sump, put the rinsate collected in the sump back in the tank, dilute it with water and spray it in the field where there is no potential for the rinsate to reach ditches and other water bodies nearby. If the rinsing is done in the field, make sure you are not flushing out the rinsate in the system in one area. It is best to further dilute the rinse water in the tank and, spray it on the field on areas where there is no potential for the rinsate to reach ditches and other water bodies nearby.
Cleaning
Rinsing the system with water as explained above may not be sufficient to get rid of chemicals from the sprayer. This may lead to cross-contamination problems. Residues of some pesticides left in the sprayer may cause serious problems when a spray mixture containing these residual materials is applied on a crop that is highly sensitive to that pesticide. To avoid such problems, it is best to clean and rinse the entire spraying system with cleaning solution. A mixture of 1 to 100 of household ammonia to water should be adequate for cleaning the tank, but you may first need to clean the tank with a mixture containing detergent if tank was not cleaned right after the last spraying job was done. Some chemicals require specific rinsing solution. The Univeristy of Missouri has a publication listing commonly used pesticides and the specific rinsing solutions required of each, available online here: http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G4852. Always check the product label to find out the most recent recommendations on cleaning agents.
Cleaning the outside of the sprayer components deserves equal attention. Remove compacted deposits with a bristle brush. Then flush the exterior parts of the equipment with water. A high pressure washer can be used, if available. Wash the exterior of the equipment either in the field away from ditches and water sources nearby, or a specially constructed concrete rinse pad with a sump. Again, the rinsate should be disposed of according to the label recommendationsMost labels recommend the following practice: put the rinsate collected in the sump back in the tank, dilute it with water and spray it in the field where there is no potential for the rinsate to reach ditches and other water bodies nearby.
FARM: Field Application Resource Monitor
One of the missions of the State Climate Office of Ohio (SCOO; https://climate.osu.edu) is to serve as data stewards to connect Ohioans with the weather and climate information necessary to improve lives. In an effort to provide farmers across the state with sufficient weather guidance, specifically to aid in decisions regarding the application of fertilizer and manure, SCOO has developed FARM, the Field Application Resource Monitor (https://farm.bpcrc.osu.edu/).
FARM is a web-based, mobile friendly tool that provides:
- Real-time high resolution precipitation forecasts to field(s) of interest (up to five locations),
- Historical precipitation forecasts (back to July 2017),
- Daily email notifications if desired (text alerts coming soon).
Originally designed in response to Senate Bill 1 regulations for the Western Lake Erie Basin, FARM can help any farmer throughout Ohio follow best management practices with regard to their precipitation forecast needs.
Precipitation forecasts in FARM are provided via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC). We utilize the probabilistic forecasts which are based on a combination of WPC’s 6-hour quantitative precipitation forecasts and an ensemble of model forecasts. This data is available on a 1.5 mile x 1.5 mile grid, meaning FARM provides precipitation guidance on a local scale.
Again, FARM can be found by visiting /farm.bpcrc.osu.edu/. For more information on creating user profiles, returning, and other features of FARM, please check out http://u.osu.edu/farmprecip for a full tutorial. We have also provided a feedback button on the initial screen and request feedback, suggestions, and improvements as we continue to improve our product.
This program provides weather data only and does not take into account current field conditions. Below is a snapshot of the weather information for our office at 160 Columbus Rd.
Registration of Dicamba for Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Crops
The EPA extended the registration for two years for over-the-top use of dicamba to control weeds in fields for cotton and soybean plants genetically engineered to resist dicamba. This decision was informed by extensive collaboration between EPA, the pesticide manufacturers, farmers, state regulators, and other stakeholders. The registration includes label updates that add protective measures to further minimize the potential for off-site damage. The registration will automatically expire on December 20, 2020, unless EPA further extends the registration.
The following label changes willbecome effective this year.
- Only certified applicators may apply dicamba over the top (those working under the supervision of a certified applicator may no longer make applications)
- Prohibit over-the-top application of dicamba on soybeans 45 days after planting and cotton 60 days after planting
- For cotton, limit the number of over-the-top applications from 4 to 2 (soybeans remain at 2 OTT applications)
- Applications will be allowed only from 1 hour after sunrise to 2 hours before sunset
- In counties where endangered species may exist, the downwind buffer will remain at 110 feet and there will be a new 57-foot buffer around the other sides of the field (the 110-foot downwind buffer applies to all applications, not just in counties where endangered species may exist)
- Clarify training period for 2019 and beyond, ensuring consistency across all three products
- Enhanced tank clean-out instructions for the entire system
- Enhanced label to improve applicator awareness on the impact of low pH’s on the potential volatility of dicamba
- Label clean up and consistency to improve compliance and enforceability
Click Here To Read The Entire Article
Preparation of Grain Bins for Storage of Corn and Soybeans
Source: Curtis Young, OSU Extension Van Wert County
Empty Bin Treatments for Grain Bins for Storage of Corn, Popcorn and Soybeans
First – before using any product to treat grain bins, always read the most current label for the product to assure that the product is used correctly. This is for the protection of the grain to be stored in the bin as well as for the protection of the applicator of the product. Labels for products are subject to change from one year to the next, product registrations can be changed and/or canceled and rates may be changed. Errors made because of not reading the most current label could result in injury to the applicator or contamination of the grain with a non-labeled product making it unsalable.
New Requirements for Paraquat
by Mary Ann Rose, Director, Pesticide Safety Education Program OSU Extension
The EPA will be phasing in key restrictions and label changes for paraquat products due to the disproportionately high number of deaths resulting from accidental ingestion of the highly toxic herbicide (17 deaths since 2000). Only certified applicators who complete an EPA-approved paraquat training program will be able to apply the material; direct supervision of uncertified applicators will not be allowed. Applicators must take the online safety training every three years and keep documentation of the training. The pesticide label will be modified to highlight paraquat toxicity, new application restrictions, and training requirements. Packages will feature safety stickers and counter cards with warnings will accompany each purchase. Registrants submitted label changes in March 2018 and will have 12 months from EPA’s label approval date to adopt the new labels.
Closed-system packing will be required for all non-bulk containers (less than 120 gallon). Registrants will submit label changes and new product registrations for the closed system packaging by March, 2019, and will have 12 months from EPA’s label approval date to adopt the closed system packaging.
Registrants will be prohibited from sale or distribution of old labeled product after the deadlines, but persons other than registrants may continue to use/sell existing stocks until exhausted.
Farm Science Review Agronomy College is September 11th
by: Harold Watters, OSU Extension
The FSR Agronomy College is held in partnership between the Ohio AgriBusiness Association & OSU Extension. The event is designed to educate agronomists, Certified Crop Advisers, custom applicators and farmers on current agronomy issues. The full-day event features time with OSU Extension staff in the field in the agronomy plots on the east side of the Farm Science Review grounds. Breakout sessions will feature topics including a weed management update, weed and crop screen, variable rate soybean seeding, an update to the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations, the new Ohio Phosphorus Index, and some how we will squeeze in even more. CCA and pesticide application credits available to those attending.
Date: September 11, 2018
Location: Farm Science Review – Molly Caren Agricultural Center, London, OH
Time: Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.; sessions begin at 9 a.m. and concludes at 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $120 Registration: Click here to register for the event. (or try this link:http://oaba.net/aws/OABA/pt/sd/calendar/67757/_PARENT/layout_details/false)
Contact: Janice Welsheimer at 614-326-7520 or by email: jwelsheimer@oaba.net
Or for additional information, Harold Watters, 937-604-2415 or by email: watters.35@osu.edu