A new tool for fighting weeds in soybean fields hits the market this year and it targets waterhemp and palmer pigweed along with other weeds. Matt Foster product manager at FMC says early control of those weeds is the only way to really get control.
“If you’re waiting to react to weed height or waiting until weeds are emerged, many times you’re too late. Weeds like waterhemp grow so fast if you go out and see one that’s 2 or 3 inches tall and decide to pull the trigger, by the time you get across all your acres they’re probably up over 6 inches and you won’t be able to get them controlled at that point. If you don’t get them controlled you’re talking about a plant that can produce up to a million seeds per plant so you really need to stay ahead of this one. The best way to control them is before they come up.”
FMC has just received approval for Marvel herbicide so it is available this spring. Marvel is a broadleaf herbicide to be applied as a tank mix product with glyphosate. It’s a good product to go after weeds that might have gotten away.
“Some of the farmers today with weed pressure so high, even if you had 95 percent control, if you’ve got a thousand weeds on that acre you still have a significant number of weeds left that you’re going to pick up as an escape.”
Foster and FMC have some specific usage recommendations for this new herbicide.
“When you’re dealing with weeds such as palmer pigweed and waterhemp and they’re becoming so difficult to control you want to take and use this tool correctly as a planned post application. So what we’re really promoting is to use a robust rate of a pre-emergent herbicide such as an Authority brand and then follow up with a planned application of Marvel 28 days later.”
Marvel also provides excellent control of lambsquarter, morningglory, and velvetleaf.
Matt Foster on Marvel from FMC