“Farmers managing large operations are challenged logistically with getting across all their acres to see if their herbicide plan provided control,” says Marcus Weatherhead, grower strategic account manager, Corteva Agriscience. “They have to trust that it worked because they are always thinking ahead, preparing for the next phase of the production process — or the all-too-often unexpected curveball to which they must adjust.”
Changes in Weed Management
Weed management strategies have changed over the years to address and attempt to mitigate the development of herbicide resistance. Although Group 4 herbicides are still effective, farmers are often having to increase the rate per acre. Encouraging farmers to rotate to different modes of action continues but products are becoming limited.
“Farmers are still relying on those Group 4 herbicides, but if a farmer’s father or grandfather used 6 ounces of one herbicide product per acre for the last 40 years, they’re having to up the rate to 10 or 12 ounces per acre,” Weatherhead says. “Why? Because farmers know and will tell you quickly that dead weeds don’t make seeds.”
Farmers also know weeds are more controllable when they are in early growth stages — with many product labels limiting application timing to a weed’s or crop’s height. Weatherhead also knows that using the products in Corteva Agriscience’s cereal portfolio gives farmers the flexibility of timing their herbicides application based on weed size, not the size of the crop.
“If a certain crop protection product limits a farmer’s flexibility to spray a crop only when it is in the three-leaf to jointing stage and our products, like OpenSky herbicide, can be applied all the way up to flag leaf emergence, that’s a great incentive for them to add our product to their weed management program and increase their application flexibility,” Weatherhead says. “When I think of flexibility, I think about how a farmer needs to customize an application program based on weed size rather than wheat size for more effective weed control.”
Tolvera™ Herbicide in 2025
Cereal farmers will soon have a new herbicide they can add to their cereal weed management program. Obtaining U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration earlier this year, Tolvera™ herbicide will be available to cereal farmers in 2025. The herbicide features two modes of action — tolpyralate (Group 27), an active ingredient new to the cereals market; and bromoxynil (Group 6)— to help combat the spread of resistant weeds.
“Tolvera herbicide is tank-mix-friendly and can be mixed with Quelex herbicide with Arylex active, OpenSky herbicide, Pixxaro EC herbicide with Arylex active, Stinger HL herbicide or Tarzec herbicide with Arylex active from the Corteva Agriscience cereal portfolio,” says Weatherhead.
Tolvera herbicide will help address weed resistance while giving farmers more rotational flexibility to other cereal crops. Tolvera herbicide will provide control of a broad spectrum of weeds, including all common herbicide-resistant biotypes of kochia, Russian thistle, green and yellow foxtail, and barnyardgrass.
“The ‘hat trick’ with Tolvera herbicide compared to other herbicides containing a Group 27 would be no crop response, a short rotation interval to other desirable crops and activity on resistant grass weed species,” Weatherhead says. “It is the most application-flexible Group 27 on the market.”
With lentils commanding the highest prices in 25 years, many farmers are looking to increase acres. Unfortunately, if they used a product that had a long plant-back option to another crop, that flexibility may be gone. Fortunately, Tolvera herbicide will give them that crop plant-back flexibility to capitalize on market dynamics for their advantage.
“I’m reminding farmers Tolvera herbicide will help address resistant weeds like green and yellow foxtail with a new mode of action, bring flexibility in crop rotation and provide a very safe option for wheat from the 1 leaf to jointing stage,” Weatherhead concludes.
OpenSky®, Pixxaro® EC, Quelex®, Tarzec® and Tolvera™ are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Stinger® HL is not available for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk counties in the state of New York. State restrictions on the sale and use of Stinger apply. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Arylex® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions.
