You can do just that by simply including the right pre-emergence weed control in your maize programme.
Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) trials show that waiting to control weeds until as little as four weeks after maize emergence can reduce crop yields by at least 10-20%. According to Nufarm Territory Manager Jeff Hurt, it's good to act early in spring, when good silage yields are vital to restore supplements depleted by difficult conditions over winter.
"Yield protection is only one of the benefits. There are risks associated with relying solely on a post-emergence herbicide programme for weed control," he says. "For a start, weeds are larger and typically more difficult to control. Then, if the weather delays application of post-emergence herbicides, you may end up with further yield losses. Last but not least, post-emergence herbicides may only control certain weeds, or control only broadleaf weeds and not grass weeds, or vice versa."
Jeff says Roustabout® 840, applied to the bare soil within seven days of the last cultivation, is the cornerstone of a robust pre-emergence programme. This high-strength acetochlor formulation, which includes a safener, provides up to 10 weeks' pre-emergence control of a wide spectrum of annual broadleaf and grass weeds.
It can be used across a wide range of different soils and conditions, and it doesn't need to be incorporated, although incorporation may be helpful where dry conditions are expected to continue.
What if high levels of broadleaf weeds - especially willow weed or fathen - are likely to challenge your maize crop? In that case, Jeff says, it's easy to tank mix Nu-Trazine 900DF with Roustabout 840 for pre-emergence application. As a high-strength granular formulation of atrazine, there is less to handle, and mixing the two herbicides gives farmers the opportunity to vary the rate of either according to conditions, which isn't possible with ready-mixed products.
"Primiera® is another tank mix option that can be useful depending on your weed spectrum in maize silage crops," Jeff says. "Its strengths include controlling black nightshade, fathen, mallow, redroot, willow weed and wireweed."
For more advice on giving every maize seed the chance to fulfil its yield potential this season, talk to your Farm Source TSR.
Article supplied by Nufarm.