K-State Research and Extension weed management specialist Sarah Lancaster encourages wheat producers to plan for post-harvest weed control.
“One of the things that can happen once the canopy is removed is that weeds are going to have a lot more resources and they’re going to grow more rapidly,” Lancaster said. “As these weeds are growing, they’re going to be using the water that we’re going to need for subsequent crops. So having a plan now for your post-harvest wheat management is important.”
Lancaster suggests three strategies for post-harvest weed control in wheat fields:
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Target weeds as small as possible.
- Get good spray coverage.
- Include a residual herbicide.
“The problem with targeting smaller weeds is that there will be additional flushes of weed growth throughout the summer,” she said. “One of the things to think about in order to reduce the number of herbicide applications and trips across the field is including a residual herbicide in post-harvest applications.”
