Producers Blog

Growers were finally able to experience the full spectrum of the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System in 2017, and there were many success stories of high-performing germplasm and excellent weed control. However, there were also reports of damage to susceptible plants (notably non-dicamba tolerant soybeans) due to off-target movement of the herbicide. The EPA, along with land-grant universities and industry partners, has developed several new label requirements to reduce the underlying causes of off-target movement during the 2018 growing season. These new requirements include:

• Classifying products as “restricted use,” permitting only certified applicators with special training, and those under their supervision, to apply them;
• Dicamba-specific training for all certified applicators to reinforce proper use;
• Requiring farmers to maintain specific records regarding the use of these products to improve compliance with label restrictions;
• Limiting applications to when maximum wind speeds are below 10 mph (from 15 mph) to reduce potential spray drift;
• Reducing the times during the day when applications can occur;
• Including tank clean-out language to prevent cross contamination; and
• Enhancing susceptible crop language and record keeping with sensitive crop registries to increase awareness of risk to especially sensitive crops nearby.

The new restrictions regarding wind speed and timing will help to reduce the risk of drift or inversions leading to off-target damage. Classifying the new, low-volatility dicamba formulations (XtendiMax®, Engenia®, and DuPont™ FeXapan™) as “Restricted Use Pesticides” and requiring new, dicamba-specific training will ensure that applicators are aware of the label and application requirements.

The Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System will be a crucial tool going forward in helping growers manage resistant weed issues. We have seen very good performance from the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans in our lineup as well as excellent weed control from the approved, low-volatility herbicide formulations. As the adoption rate of this crop system continues to climb, grower education will be key. I encourage all growers who are thinking about planting Xtend soybeans to attend the dicamba-specific trainings as they are made available. If you have questions, please reach out to your local DSM or Sales Agronomist.