Aaron Hager Email

Wheat harvest marks the end of one cropping cycle and the beginning of a second.  In parts of central and southern Illinois, farmers frequently opt to plant double-crop soybean following wheat harvest, with hopes that the first “killing” frost will be late enough to allow the soybean to reach maturity.  Wheat stubble fields not planted with a second crop often become populated with a “crop” of summer annual (and sometimes perennial) weed species.  Unlike double-crop soybean,…

The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently issued a document containing guidance “to help pesticide dealers, commercial pesticide applicators and farmers understand the U.S. EPA order and the State of Illinois extension of the cut-off date for application.”  The document includes many frequently asked questions and how the Department interprets the guidelines from U.S. EPA for the continued use of existing stocks of these products whose registrations were vacated by a ruling of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.…

On June 3, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling immediately vacating the registrations of Xtendimax, FeXapan and Engenia. The Ninth Circuit ruled that USEPA’s registrations of those products violated The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).  Pursuant to FIFRA, all pesticides sold, used, or distributed in the United States must be registered with the USEPA. Therefore, effective June 3, 2020, based on the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, Xtendimax,…

The recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to vacate the registrations of XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan has generated many questions about herbicide options to control weeds in dicamba-resistant soybean.  Tavium, a premixture of dicamba and S-metoachlor, remains in the marketplace and may be applied to dicamba-resisant soybean.  Keep in mind all restrictions with respect to application timing on the federal Tavium label (i.e., within 45 days of planting) and the Illinois 24 (c) label (i.e.,…

On June 3, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued their decision that effectively vacated the registrations of the dicamba-containing products XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan.  Since this ruling many questions have arisen, including the fate of these products already in the commercial channel.  During a recent conversation with officials at the Illinois Department of Agriculture, officials presented their interpretation of the court ruling as follows:
It is the current interpretation of the Illinois Department of Agriculture that the dicamba-containing products XtendiMax,…

Replanting soybean fields or areas of fields likely will occur after soybean stand loss to recent cold temperatures or saturated soil conditions.  The following are general reminders about dicamba application timings and restrictions for Illinois soybean.

• Air temperature restriction: do not apply approved dicamba-containing products if the air temperature in the field at the time of applications is greater than 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day of application exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 

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Soil-residual herbicides are important components of integrated weed management programs.  Reducing the number of weeds exposed to foliar-applied herbicides helps reduce the selection intensity for weeds resistant to foliar-applied herbicides.  Residual herbicides applied with postemergence soybean herbicides also can reduce the need for a second postemergence application.  However, simply applying a soil-residual herbicide does not guarantee the product will provide the desired level or duration of weed control.  Many edaphic and environmental factors influence the level of weed control achieved by soil-residual herbicides.…

Ample soil moisture and warming temperatures are promoting rapid growth and development of many early-season weed species.  Most weeds currently growing in fields emerged last fall and successfully overwintered (winter annuals, biennials or perennials), but several early-season summer annual species recently have emerged.  Existing weed vegetation should be controlled before planting by utilizing tillage, herbicides, or a combination of tactics so the crop can become established under weed-free conditions.
Field scouting to identify the weeds present and their relative densities will provide the information needed to tailor a burndown herbicide program for any particular field. …

No sooner have many unpleasant memories of the 2019 growing season begun to fade than we find ourselves looking ahead to contemplating potential residual weed management challenges in 2020.
Winter Annual Weed Species
Delays in planting the 2019 crop often accompanied delays in controlling existing stands of winter annual weeds prior to planting.  The obvious and unwelcome result was that seed production by winter annual species likely was a high in 2019 as any spring in recent memory. …