For the casual observer, those Indiana farm fields of purple might look kind of pretty, but farmers know that henbit and purple deadnettle are just weeds that need controlled. A mild winter allowed weeds to get a good head start this year.
“We’ve had these purple flowered weeds, henbit and purple deadnettle, for decades in this area and throughout the Corn Belt,” says Dr. Bill Johnson, Purdue professor of weed science. He’s a guest on the latest Purdue Crop Chat Podcast, available now at hoosieragtoday.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.
“The key thing to remember about these winter annual weeds is if we don’t get them controlled, they can go on and produce seed and obviously, produce a seed bank for future years. But also, in conditions where we have daytime air temps in the 60s and some wet soils, the soils will not dry out very rapidly either. They’ll kind of form a mat and they’ll prevent water from evaporating.”
Johnson warns that henbit and purple deadnettle can also serve as an alternative host to soybean cyst nematode.
“And so, when we have what appears to be the pattern that we’re in now with kind of a warm, extended spring, but a little on the wet side, if we’re not able to get the henbit and purple deadnettle controlled, we can allow more reproduction of SCN on those weeds in the springtime as well which can increase higher populations of those weeds in the long run.”
Johnson adds that, “if we’re in the pattern that we’re in now, where our daytime air temps are primarily highs in the 50s, lows in the 30s, I think we’re still okay to spray under those conditions. But expect the herbicides to work more slowly.”
Hear more from Johnson, Dan ‘Corn’ Quinn, ‘Soybean Shaun’ Casteel, and new Extension Weed Specialist Tommy Butts on the new Purdue Crop Chat Podcast below.
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 65, 'Planting Progress Envy'
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 64, Weed Control Strategies & Technologies
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 63, Dan & Shaun Get Ready for Planting
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 62 from Commodity Classic 2024
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 61, USDA's Final Indiana Yield Numbers and Farm Fashion
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 60, Do Biologicals Work?
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 59, Record Breaking Yields in Indiana
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 58, Surprisingly Strong Early Yield Results
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 56, The Impacts from the Recent Heatwave
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 55, Breaking Down the August USDA Reports
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 54, Tar Spot and Other Corn/Soybean Diseases
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 53, Is Now the Time for a Fungicide Application?
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 52, Northeast Indiana Crop Update & the Smoky Air from Canada
Purdue Crop Chat
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The Hoosier Ag Today Podcast for Flag Day, 6/14/23
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 51, More Rain Needed
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 50, Dry Weather Impacting Nitrogen, Herbicide Applications
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 49, Few Issues This Planting Season
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 48, How is Corn Planting Outpacing Soybeans?
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 47, To Plant, or Not To Plant?
Purdue Crop Chat
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Purdue Crop Chat Episode 46, Planting Prep & Recharged Soils
Purdue Crop Chat