FarmTalk – Herbicide application in stubble

OVER THE LAST DECADES the number of clean sowing beds have decreased continuously. Stubble retention provides a lot of benefits for soil health but also creates challenges for weed control. Stubbles, regardless if standing or lying flat on the ground, represent a physical barrier for pre-emergence herbicides to reach their target – the soil. Depending on the chemistry used stubbles may tie herbicides up completely and render them unavailable for weed control. Below are some practical guidelines to increase efficacy when applying in stubbles. Be aware that none of them is a magical solution and that the results are unlikely to change from failure to total control. However, weed control is essentially a numbers game and achieving 10% better control adopting one technique here and gaining another 5% by making another change all adds up and takes pressure off other herbicide applications.