By Sarah Sutton

Alberta Farmer Express staff

New herbicides coming onto the market this spring or in the next couple of years may be the management solution to stubborn and spreading weeds such as foxtail barley, Group 2-resistant kochia, winter annual cleavers and winter annuals.

“This is the first time in a decade we’ve seen new products on the market,” says Ken Sapsford, a research assistant in the department of plant sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. “These new herbicides include products from a couple groups of herbicides that we have not had in Western Canada before.”

Sapsford was in Edmonton on January 30 to provide participants of FarmTech 2008 with information about how to treat problem weeds and which products to use.

Foxtail barley, a perennial grass native to North America, is one of those problem weeds. The best time to control the weed is in the fall, but what do you do if you can’t get to it in time? A research project at the University of Saskatchewan explored whether early or late spring application of glyphosate is the best alternative.

As it turns out, it’s better to come in late with glyphosate than to apply it early and follow up with Assure, although there may be some yield loss in some years.

Another research project found that Group 2-resistant kochia can be controlled effectively with group 4 herbicides. Most combination packs did not contain enough Group 4 to control the weed.

“Unless you know otherwise, assume that any kochia you find can be Group 2-resistant and treat it accordingly,” says Sapsford.

He also discussed new herbicides coming onto the market, such as Authority, which is one of the only options for chickpeas (although it will kill some other pulses, so follow the label instructions!). But it must rain within seven to 10 days to activate the herbicide. Authority is one of the new Group 14 herbicides.