Now is the time to control tough weeds

Post-harvest is the ideal time to control tough perennial weeds and set up your fields for less pressure next spring. As temperatures start to cool and days become shorter perennial weeds, both broadleaves and grasses, prepare to overwinter by sending energy stores to their roots. This downward flow from the leaves to the roots within the phloem provides an excellent opportunity to translocate systemic herbicides to the active site which is most likely the roots.

University of Illinois researchers did a study looking at the leading types of adjuvants, e.g. MSO, NIS, HSMSO, and their effect on the penetration and translocation of Roundup PowerMax® on the control of lambsquarter weeds.

"The amount of glyphosate rapidly translocated to roots may be the most important factor in improving glyphosate activity post on lambsquarter."

University of Illinois weed science researcher

Lambsquarter 12 hours after application
Roundup PowerMax + Adjuvant

As seen in the phosphorescent images WETCIT adjuvant moved the highest concentration of Roundup PowerMax into the roots and throughout the plant compared to other widely-used adjuvant types.

Note: The Roundup contained a C14 radioactive isotope so its movement within the weeds could be tracked and the phosphorescent images could be produced. Red areas indicate a high concentration of the glyphosate + C14 treatment, green areas indicate a medium concentration. Only those parts of the plant that are visible contain any of the radioactive treatment ─ the more clearly a plant part is defined the higher concentration of the C14 isotope solution it contains.

Comparing the phosphorescent images, it can be seen that WETCIT adjuvant translocated a higher concentration of the glyphosate + C14 treatment to the roots, as evidenced by the high level of definition of the roots and the red and green areas ─ both indicators of the presence of the glyphosate + radioactive isotope application. Also, the lack of red areas on the WETCIT-treated leaves indicates most of the glyphosate has moved from the leaves and been translocated to the roots and then throughout the weed. The other adjuvant types did not facilitate absorption or translocation nearly as well as WETCIT.

This fall when faced with tough perennial weeds in your fields use WETCIT adjuvant to boost the efficacy of your systemic herbicide applications and get off to a cleaner start next spring.

Click here for more information about WETCIT^® adjuvant.