Agricultural News
OSU's Misha Manuchehri Outlines Different Ways to Prevent Weeds in a Wheat Crop
Thu, 19 May 2022 10:00:54 CDT
At the Lahoma Wheat Plot Tour, Farm Director KC Sheperd sat down with Misha Manuchehri, the small grains wheat extension specialist at OSU. Manuchehri talked about different ways producers can prevent weeds in their crops.
"It is amazing when you don't have a healthy actively growing crop, how our weeds are going to fill in," Manuchehri said. "I always say one of the best cultural practices we can do is just taking care of our crop."
This year, unfortunately, Manuchehri said the moisture was out of our hands, but it is a good reminder that when we do have moisture, to plant the right variety and make sure we fertilize because that will help immensely with weed control.
Some of the problems Manuchehri said she tries to research and stay ahead of are controlling grasses in the wheat.
"Our weeds adapt to the crops that we plant, so our worst weeds are always those that are similar to our crop, and so in wheat that is our grasses," Manuchehri said. "What I have learned after living in Oklahoma for six years is cattle bring a lot of diversity and so sometimes, we lack the diversity in cropping systems because we have the grazing component."
It is tough, Manuchehri said, because some grasses are running out of options.
"We only have one herbicide site of action that is effective," Manuchehri said. "The trend we have seen with crops is stacking herbicide-tolerant trait- long term. I don't think that is the best strategy."
In the last 20 years, Manuchehri said Clearfield has been the only herbicide-resistant or tolerant wheat crop, but now, CoAXium has been introduced.
"CoAXium varieties allow us to spray aggressor herbicide over the top," Manuchehri said. "Aggressor herbicide isn't a new herbicide; it is a group one. So, if you have ever planted canola and you sprayed something like Assure or Select, it kills in the same way."
Manuchehri said using CoAXium helps target grasses as soon as they emerge. For all the problems we have in Oklahoma, Manuchehri said CoAXium cleans up a lot of our grassy wheats.
Some of the target weed species such as rescue grass, feral rye, true cheat, and jointed goat grass are a few more challenging weeds that CoAXium can help with.
"We are getting ready to harvest pretty soon," Manuchehri said.
In a year where we are really investing in our wheat crop, Manuchehri said she gets a lot of calls on harvest aids asking what producers can do to take care of the greens and get their combines in the field.
"I don't know how many I'll get this year just because the crop doesn't look that great," Manuchehri said. "Just a reminder with harvest aids, they are expensive, so think about if that investment makes sense for you. You are not really controlling the weeds that are there. You are kind of suppressing them."
Identifying what species of weeds a producer has at harvest will help to come up with a plan for next season, Manuchehri said.
Click the LISTEN BAR below to hear KC's full Conversation with Misha Manuchehri on preventing wheat disease.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
