Dow AgroScience’s Enlist Weed Control System got good news from EPA this week and it keeps moving through the regulatory review process. EPA has announced a proposed decision to register Enlist Duo, the herbicide for use with the Enlist system.
EPA also opened a 30-day comment period for growers and others to provide input on Enlist Duo herbicide before the agency makes its final registration decision.
One Indiana farmer and Dow research plot participant who helped test the Indiana-developed system, Doug Morrow from Grant County, said there has been a good improvement in limiting off target movement.
“We had Enlist corn planted next to some soybeans. With the constant 6-mile-an-hour wind and the gusts, we could lay Enlist Duo next to the soybeans, and I see no crinkling of the leaves. I see no drift.”
Damon Palmer is the U.S. commercial leader for the Enlist system, and he says the EPA acknowledged in its review the significant scientific advancements Dow AgroSciences has made in eliminating drift.
“Enlist Duo herbicide will help solve the tremendous weed control challenges that growers are facing, and it will do so with technology optimized for on-target application.”
Plot participants rated Enlist Duo in the highest percentile, 90 to 100-percent, for broadleaf and grass weed control across all plots. Grower and applicator usability was a primary consideration while developing Enlist Duo herbicide. There was university testing for Enlist and the first grower-led research plots were conducted in 2013, an important step according to Palmer.
“For Enlist to be a preferred solution on the farm, it has to be a modern solution, one that advances the farming practices of today. The results from this on-farm research activity were consistent with our data, and confirmed the technology consistently performs in real-world scenarios.”
Enlist Duo herbicide is a proprietary blend of new 2,4-D choline and glyphosate. Enlist Duo combines two modes of action to control and help prevent further development of herbicide-resistant weeds. It features Colex-D Technology which offers minimized potential for physical drift, near-zero volatility, reduced odor and better handling characteristics.
In its Proposed Registration of Enlist Duo Herbicide, EPA says it has a full and scientifically robust data set on 2,4-D with respect to human health. Regulatory agencies in more than 70 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Australia and the U.S. have authorized the use of 2,4-D since 2001 using modern regulatory requirements.
The draft label for Enlist Duo includes proposed registration for Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Dow AgroSciences is working with the EPA to expand the list of states in time for the technology’s launch.
With the launch of Enlist – growers and retailers will have access to a benefits-based management resource called Enlist Ahead. Enlist Ahead will provide best management recommendations that will complement the herbicide label requirements.
Those wishing to show support for Enlist Duo herbicide in the comment period can sign the petition at https://AdvanceFarming.com/petition.htm or leave a comment on the EPA docket.
Pending regulatory approvals Dow AgroSciences expects to launch Enlist corn and Enlist soybeans in 2015. Enlist E3 soybeans and Enlist cotton will follow.
(pictured: Field trials demonstrate weed control with Enlist Duo™ herbicide. Compared with the untreated plot (left), a weed control program of Sonic herbicide followed by Enlist Duo™ herbicide provides exceptional control of tough weeds such as Palmer amaranth)
Source: Dow AgroSciences