The most recent two podcast episodes of the Strawberry Chat focus on spring weed and disease management. Spring Weed Management Podcast Kevin Schooley and Stephen Meyers joined the discussion to talk about weeds and weed management in matted-row and plasticulture strawberry production. Steve spoke about weeds commonly seen in strawberry fields and gave us a…Read more about Strawberry Podcasts on Spring Weed and Disease Management[Read More]
Weed Management
Onions are poor competitors with weeds. Their narrow leaves do not compete well for light, and their shallow root system makes them poor competitors for water. Tight in-row and between-row plant spacing make mechanical weed control, including hand-weeding, difficult. Chemical weed control can be effective and reduce the amount of time required to hand-weed onions….Read more about Even Minimal Herbicide Use Can Reduce Hand-Weeding Time[Read More]
This questionnaire is part of a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)-funded proposal (DEVELOPING A NATIONAL TEAM TO OPTIMIZE NON-HERBICIDE WEED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN COLE AND LEAFY GREEN CROPS) to identify grower interest in novel technology for weed management. Novel technology includes vision-guided sprayers/thinners, steam weeding, and precision mechanical, laser, and electric weeders. It may…Read more about New Questionnaire to Identify Grower Interest in Novel Weed Management Technology[Read More]
Attendees at a July field day at the Meigs Horticulture Research Farm in Lafayette, Indiana saw first-hand the potential of cover crops to suppress weeds in a SARE-funded demonstration plot. First, some background: Three cover crop species were sown with a ten-foot drill on September 10, 2021: Oats at 100 lb/acre Cereal rye at 65…Read more about Cover Crop Demonstration Plots Show Weed Suppression Potential[Read More]
Try as we might, it seems that no weed management program controls 100% of the weeds in a field. Inadequate or excessive rainfall can limit the success of preemergence herbicides. Less-than-ideal soil moisture can result in unsatisfactory in-season cultivation. Even when we have effective herbicide options, late emerging weeds often cannot be treated within the…Read more about Going Rogue[Read More]
Grass-selective herbicides are valuable to weed management in broadleaf vegetable crops. As harvest season draws closer, it is important to note that not all grass herbicides have the same pre-harvest interval (PHI) requirements. The two most commonly used grass-selective herbicides are clethodim and sethoxydim. While most PHI’s are similar between the two (Table 1), there…Read more about Keeping an Eye on Grass Herbicide PHI (Pre-Harvest Interval)[Read More]
Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) – Mallow Family Synonyms: pie marker, buttonweed, Indian mallow, butter print, velvet weed, butter-weed, Indian hemp, cotton-weed, and wild cotton. Identification and General Description Summer annual that grows 3 to 8 feet tall. Heart-shaped leaves and stems are covered with short, soft hairs giving it a velvety feel. Young leaves and stems…Read more about Weed Spotlight[Read More]
As of March 29, 2022, Reflex herbicide is registered for use on select vegetables in the state of Indiana through an indemnified 24(c) special local needs label. Below we discuss what this means for Indiana vegetable producers and how to access the new label. What crops are included?: Pea (succulent) Bell and non-bell pepper (transplanted)…Read more about Reflex Herbicide Now Registered for Use in Select Indiana Vegetables[Read More]
If you use the herbicides Valor® or Chateau®, you may notice a change with your next jug. Valent U.S.A. Corporation is phasing out production of Valor SX® and Chateau SW®, both water soluble granule formulations. The new liquid formulations are called Valor EZ® and Chateau EZ®. While the granular formations contain 51% of the active…Read more about EZ (liquid) Formulations Set to Replace Granular Valor SX and Chateau SW[Read More]
A special project group of the North Central Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center wants to learn about your concerns and experiences with herbicide drift. The group is surveying growers of fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops in the upper Midwest. To truly understand the frequency, severity, and economic impact of herbicide drift on specialty crops,…Read more about Grower Survey to Assess Herbicide Drift Damage in the North Central U.S.[Read More]