by Allison Jenkins

The spring rain caught Luke Aufdenberg before he could finish spraying pre-emergent herbicide on his newly planted soybean field. He hurriedly applied what he could, literally cutting corners in his haste to beat the storm.

Where he didn’t spray, the weeds sprang up.

“You could tell, down to the line, where I got the pre-emerge on and where I didn’t,” Luke said. “There were big patches of johnsongrass that came through. It caused us to spray an extra time or two that season and really stressed the importance of getting that herbicide on the field in a timely manner.”

It was a hard lesson for the young farmer, who had just taken over his family’s row-crop and cattle operation in Burfordville, Mo., from his retiring father, Dennis, and uncle, Bradley. Though Luke had worked on the farm his whole life, being in charge of the management decisions was a weighty responsibility—especially when it came to a crop protection program. That had always been his uncle’s job.

For guidance, Luke turned to Cody Aufdenberg, an MFA Crop-Trak consultant who covers east-central and southeastern Missouri. (The two are second cousins.)

“I knew I needed help. I did not know what to spray, but I knew that Cody could advise me,” Luke said. “I needed to learn, and I’m still learning every day.”

Now entering his fourth year as the principal farm operator, Luke raises 1,400 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat along with a cow/calf herd and feeder-to-finish hogs. His dad still helps on the farm as do Luke’s wife, Amanda, and their children, daughter Bailey, 14, and son Hunter, 16.

Before each season, the family works closely with Cody to put together a cropping plan, which includes herbicide recommendations for burndown, pre-emergence and postemergence applications—all with residuals that remain active in the soil for an extended time. Using a system of overlapping residuals allows Luke to close the window on weeds throughout the growing season, reducing the need for reapplications and minimizing competition in his crops.

“Timeliness is everything,” Cody said. “As soon as a weed starts germinating, even before it comes up, it starts costing you yield by robbing nutrients and moisture. By keeping those weeds from coming up, it’s putting money back in Luke’s pocket.”

For pre-emergent control, it’s essential to apply the herbicide before weeds begin to germinate, Cody explained. For postemergence applications, the herbicide should be sprayed when weeds are still young and actively growing.

Selecting the right product for the problem weeds is as important as the application’s timing, Cody added. Waterhemp, pigweed, johnsongrass, barnyard grass, cocklebur and Italian ryegrass are some of the most troublesome weeds on Luke’s farm, and he typically follows the planter with his pre-emergent application to get ahead of these pests.

In soybeans, his pre-emergent product of choice has been Boundary, which offers residual control of up to five weeks and protects against 32 broadleaf weeds and early-season grass weeds. In corn, Luke said he’s seen good performance from LeadOff herbicide, which provides residual control of key winter annual and spring weeds.

“We start working on his chemical plans in December, so we have an idea going into the spring of what he needs and have the products ready when it’s time to spray,” Cody said.

Just as he advises Luke and other Crop-Trak clients, Cody shares these key reasons why a vigilant weed control strategy is critical in today’s row-crop production.

Extending Weed Control

After the initial application, residual herbicide products continue to suppress weed growth for a prolonged period of time—weeks or even months—reducing the need for extra application passes and saving time, labor and input costs.

“Starting clean and staying clean is the best way to keep weed competition out of the fields,” Cody said. “And it doesn’t just benefit the season when you make those applications but also next season and beyond. Fewer weed seeds in the soil mean fewer problems in the future.”

Preventing Weed Resistance

Residual herbicides, when used as part of an integrated weed management program, can help slow down the development of resistant weed populations. They interrupt the lifecycle of weeds and limit their ability to produce new seeds.

“Just in the last few years, I’ve noticed how hard some of these weeds have been to kill over the top,” Cody said. “For example, once waterhemp gets over 6 to 8 inches tall, it’s pretty well going to be there. We’re not going to kill it. So, using those residuals to either keep them from emerging or keeping them smaller is really helpful in managing resistance.”

Maximizing Crop Yield

Weeds can significantly reduce crop yields by competing for water, nutrients, and sunlight. By reducing weed competition, residual herbicides can help get the crop off to a good start and give it the best chance for growth and performance.

“Early-season weeds pose the greatest threat to yields, so we need to take out tough weeds before they can start causing problems,” Cody said. “Pre-emergence residuals also lower the pressure on postemergence herbicides, which builds a solid foundation for weed control later in the season.”

For Luke, steadily climbing yields on his farm are proof that these strategies are working—and they’re worth it.

“I’ll use those residual products every time, no matter what,” he said. “They may be more expensive per acre, but that’s not as expensive as the yields you could lose if you don’t.”

For more information on the Crop-Trak program and crop protection options tailored for your farm, visit with your MFA solutions provider or online at mfa-inc.com/crop-protection.   

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