By Valent U.S.A.

Preplant and preemergence investments ensure growers start the season off strong, keeping weeds at bay and emerging soybean plants healthy. Postemergence herbicides with long-lasting residual activity ensure the season ends as strong as it began.

Devonne Marshall, regional account manager for Valent U.S.A., recommends growers tailor their weed control plan based on the weeds they are trying to battle. Ideally, an early season weed control program will be catered to weed spectrum, weed pressure, soil pH, rotational flexibility needs and production-related sustainability goals.

“Effective modes of action are key,” Marshall says. “The challenges in front of our growers are identifying the weed spectrum they are battling, determining the most effective modes of action and getting the right herbicides out there in a fashion that we can maintain and sustain going forward.”

Managing potential resistance development can be challenging. A holistic weed management program with overlapping residual activity, including a premium preemergence herbicide followed by a postemergence herbicide, can be the difference-maker.

“Effective, long-term weed control requires a weed resistance management plan that include rotating modes of action, overlapping residuals and timely herbicide applications,” says Lynn Hurley, Valent U.S.A. territory manager in South Dakota.

Investing in multiple, effective modes of action also can help manage potential weed resistance development, while also controlling yield-limiting weeds. Choosing a preemergence herbicide product helps begin the season strong.

When growers apply an herbicide as part of their preemergence weed control program, Marshall says, applying Perpetuo^® herbicide postemergence extends the Group 15 chemistry. “That's going to give you rotational flexibility. It fits multiple trait platforms and really provides a lot of flexibility and extended residual against those tough to manage weeds,” she says.

Be Ready For Late Weed Flushes

As the weather warms, late emerging weeds create unwanted competition for young, growing soybean plants that may not have reached canopy.

After preemergence herbicides near the end of their life cycle, postemergence herbicide options offer the long-lasting residual weed control needed to manage later emerging, yield-limiting weeds such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth.

“The long-lasting residual activity provided by Perpetuo is key to controlling these tough to manage weeds,” Hurley says.

Perpetuo Herbicide is a flexible option for whatever trait system a grower chooses, and it offers long-lasting residual activity. Bridging that gap between preemergence and postemergence treatments is critical to finishing the season strong.

“After a preemergence herbicide application has been made prior to that true postemergence application, we're promoting a longer residual herbicide option,” Marshall says. “Perpetuo delivers the overlapping residual activity needed to follow-up growers’ preemergence herbicide program. With Perpetuo, you are really bridging the gap from the preemergence herbicide application up-front to the postemergence herbicide application to finish out the season.”

A premix with two modes of action, Perpetuo provides needed control of problem weeds, including velvetleaf, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.

Achieving Sustainability Goals

Choosing effective modes of action is crucial both for weed control and for resistance management, but product choices must also fit growers’ agronomic and sustainability goals.

“The Valent family of soybean herbicides fit on a conventional acre, on a no-till acre, on a minimum tillage acre. There’s flexibility in application,” Marshall says. “When it comes to sustainability, there are a lot of different herbicide options within our portfolio that can work with each grower’s conservation tillage plan.”

Rely on your local Valent representatives to help answer your in-season questions and help you find the right solutions to fit each farming operation. For more information about Perpetuo Herbicide, visit Valent.com/Perpetuo.

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