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We're putting the finishing touches on Extension Bulletin 237 (EB 237), Pest Management Recommendations for Field Crops - 1999, before it goes to print. I thought I would utilize this newsletter to bring you up to date on some of the changes we're incorporating in the 1999 edition of EB 237. As I go along, some products may not even be listed in EB 237, since they were just recently registered, but I will mention them as well.

Contents (click on a subject or scroll down):

• Corn
• Corn - New Entries
• Other Corn News
• Forages - New Entries
• Sorghum - New Entries
• Small Grains - New Entries
• Soybeans - New Entries
• Other Soybean News
• Tobacco - New Entries
• Other Issues
• The Effects of Roundup-Ready Soybeans
• So Where Does This Leave Us

Corn

In the corn section, we've made numerous changes throughout. One big area of change are the numerous, new package-mixes available for corn. These are included in the front of EB 237, listed under Guide to prepackaged mixes. I've listed some new ones and a couple of old ones below, so you can see the differences between them.

Some Package-Mixes Available for Corn

There are some major differences between these products. Accent Gold will not be available in our region. Basis does a nice job on small grasses and a variety of broadleaf weeds, including triazine-resistant common lambsquarters. Basis Gold does a nice job on emerged grasses and broadleaf weeds, but because it lacks Pinnacle, it will not control triazine-resistant weeds. Celebrity and Northstar should be available next year in our region. Spirit is targeted for areas north of Maryland. It has less Peak in it in comparison to Exceed, resulting in less concern for carryover.

A number of new products are available for 1999 and are listed below.
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Corn - New Entries

Aim - (not in EB 237 - just recently labeled). Post-emergence use in corn for broadleaf weeds - contact control, not systemic. Use rate - 1/3 oz/A. Will probably need atrazine or Banvel added to it. Apply to small weeds (1 - 4 inches), corn up to 8 leaf stage.

Axiom - mixture of FOE-5043 + metribuzin. Use rate is 13 to 23 oz/A. Basically a pre-emergence grass herbicide with some activity on pigweed and lambsquarters. May be weak on yellow nutsedge. Will need atrazine added to it.

Balance - not labeled in the Northeast due to ground water concerns. Pre-emergence control of many annual grasses and small seeded broadleaf weeds. Does control triazine-resistant common lambsquarters (need 1.5 oz/A). May get labeled in Northeast, but at rates too low for good season-long weed control. It is a bleaching-type herbicide. Under cool, wet conditions, may see discolored corn.

Basis - labeled pre-emergence also. Use rate is 1/3 to 2 oz/A. Do not apply on coarse-textured soils with less than 1% organic matter. Utility - pre-emergence control of triazine-resistant pigweed and common lambsquarters. At the 2 oz/A use rate, injury may occur under cool, wet conditions.

Field Master - a package-mix of Roundup Ultra + Harness + atrazine. Use rate is 3.5 to 5 qt/A. A cheap alternative for no-till corn. One gallon ' 0.75 lb Roundup + 2.0 lb Harness + 1.5 lb atrazine.

Lightning - Pursuit + Contain (imazapyr) - only on IR corn. Use rate is 1.28 oz/A - 1 bag/2 acres. Utility of this product lies in its post-emergence control of honey-vine milkweed. Very strict rotational restrictions, especially for vegetables.

Pinnacle - labeled post-emergence in corn. Use rate is 1/4 oz/A. Only apply to corn 2 to 6 leaf stage (not over 8 inches tall). Do not apply to corn treated with Counter 15G.

Roundup - on Roundup-Ready corn. Apply from emergence to V-8 or 30 inches tall, whichever occurs first. Single applications limited to 1 qt/A. Sequential application of 1 qt/A followed by 1 qt/A can be made with a minimum of 10 days in between. Combined total per year (pre + in-crop + pre-harvest) may not exceed 8 qt/A. The only tank-mix combinations listed on the label are Monsanto products. European Union will not allow Roundup-Ready corn. Storage could be a problem in the U. S., keeping Roundup-Ready corn separated from non-Roundup-Ready corn.

Touchdown 5 - Zeneca's version of Roundup (actually a different salt of glyphosate).

We are also utilizing the term "The Dual Family" throughout EB237 since there will be so many formulations available. They are as follows:

Bicep II - use rate varies from 2.4 - 3.0 qt/A

Bicep II Magnum - has CGA-77102 in it ' R-Enantiomer (more active isomer of what's in metolachlor; also called s-metolachlor). In one quart of Bicep II Magnum you get 0.6 lb ai of CGA-77102. Use rates of Bicep II Magnum will vary from 1.3 to 2.6 qt/A.

Dual 8EC and Dual II 7.8EC - use rate varies from 1.5 - 3 pt/A.

Dual Magnum 7.62EC and Dual II Magnum 7.64EC - use rates vary from 1.0 to 2 pt/A. In general, take the old use rate and multiply by 0.66.
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Other Corn News

Bladex - originally suppose to max out at 1 lb ai/A in 1999. DuPont and Griffin petitioned EPA to allow 3 lb ai/A in 1999 since not much used in 1998. Unsure whether we can use more than 1 lb ai/A in 1999. Will still phase out by 2002.

DuPont - will be selling Guardsman (Frontier + atrazine) under its own trade in 1999. Proposed trade name is Lead Off.

Monsanto - price reduction in Roundup (see below). Will have 4 to 5 million acres of Roundup-Ready corn in 1999.
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Forages - New Entries

Select - now labeled for use in alfalfa. Rates are 6 - 8 oz/A. Seedling or established alfalfa. Do not apply within 15 days or grazing or cutting.
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Sorghum - New Entries

Dual family - mentioned above in the corn section, also applies to sorghum.
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Small Grains - New Entries

Nothing new for 1998. Am looking at Monsanto product called Maverick (sulfonylurea) for control of annual bluegrass and bulbous oatgrass in small grains. Has activity on bromegrass species and some broadleaf weeds. May have new product for annual ryegrass as well.
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Soybeans - New Entries

Axiom - discussed above in corn section. Use rate is lower - 7 to 13 oz/A. Will need a tank-mix partner or come back post-emergence.

Dual family - mentioned above in corn section.

FirstRate - labeled pre and post, but only post in mid-Atlantic region. Use rate is 0.3 oz/A or 5 acres per packet (1.5 oz packet) or 2 acres per packet (0.6 oz packet). Active on cocklebur, jimsonweed, morningglory, ragweeds and velvetleaf. Weak on lambsquarters and pigweeds when applied postemergence.

Roundup-Ready soybeans - label changed in 1998. Can now apply from cracking throughout flowering. Max rate of 96 ounces per acre with a max of 64 ounces per acre for any single application. Weeds missed in 1998 - morningglories, velvetleaf and drought-stressed lambsquarters. Will see more tank-mixing labels (ex. Zeneca allows tank-mixing Roundup Ultra with Reflex).

Touchdown 5 - see corn section. Not labeled on Roundup-Ready soybeans, although Zeneca has petitioned EPA for a label.
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Other Soybean News

American Cyanamid (American Home Products) - merger with Monsanto failed. Announced price reductions for 1999 season:

Pursuit and Squadron - down 33%
Steel - down 40%
Raptor - down 10.5%
Prowl - down 6%

FMC - will sell the rights to DuPont to sell sulfentrazone in soybeans. Thus, only Canopy XL in the market place. Also, FMC will stop selling Matador (Assure II) and Skirmish (Classic). FMC will maintain sulfentrazone in tobacco market under the Spartan trade name.

Liberty-Link soybeans - Should be available in 1999, but haven't heard yet.

Monsanto - Reduced price of Roundup Ultra by $6 - $10/gallon. Roundup Ultra in 30 gallon drums will drop $10/gallon - suggested retail of $39.00/gallon. Technology fee went up from $5 to $6.50/50 pound bag. Patent off Roundup in year 2000. In 1998 - Roundup-Ready soybeans planted on 35 - 40% of total soybean acres. Have licensed other companies to sell/use Roundup:

Cheminova - 1998 - soybeans
NuFarm - 1999 - knock-down
Novartis - 2000 - corn and soybeans

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Tobacco - New Entries

Spartan - is listed. Added injury statement - deep incorporation, wet conditions, cool temperatures can create climate for greater injury.

Poast - labeled for use in plant beds. Hope to get a 248 (State Label) for use of Poast in the field.
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Other Issues

Soybean cupping - saw this nationwide. More pronounced with Roundup-Ready soybeans, especially those under stress. Unsure as to the cause. Some possibilities:

1. Drift
2. Contaminated spray tank - Roundup Ultra is a great tank-cleaner
3. Insects feeding on weeds move to soybeans
4. Physiological mechanism related to defense mechanism in plant, protecting itself from the herbicide

Roundup Issues

1. State labs do not have immunoassay tests (yet) to test soybean seed to see if they are Roundup-Ready or not.

2. Due to the drought of 1998 and current grain prices - we may see more "bin run" (brown bag) soybeans in 1999.

3. There has been some discussion about a "Terminator" gene. This gene, when inserted in a plant will make the progeny unable to germinate. Thus, if the gene is in a Roundup-Ready soybean plant, and you save the seed and plant them, they won't germinate. While they say this technology is 10 years away, one never knows.

4. Roundup resistance has been found in rigid ryegrass in Australia - 7 to 10X resistance.

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The Effects of Roundup-Ready Soybeans

People like the Roundup-Ready concept:

• One product to buy
• No carryover concerns
• No pH problems
• No volatility
• Can treat as needed and retreat when/where necessary

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So Where Does This Leave Us

1. Roundup-Ready soybeans had a 35 - 40% market share in 1998. Predict eventual 90% market share.

2. Patent comes off Roundup in the year 2000.

3. Cheaper glyphosate products will occur.

4. Cheap package-mix products containing Roundup will occur.

5. Price of competitive materials will come down

   1997 - Classic price dropped 45 - 50%; Synchrony price dropped 70 - 75%
   1998 - American Cyanamid dropped prices of all soybean products

6. In 1998 - BASF and DuPont announced a RIF (reduction in force). This will continue. Will probably continue to see consolidations (all ag. business companies).

7. With less $'s to be made in the ag. chemical business, retailers need to adjust - seek other business, consolidate, down-size.

8. I feel this will also affect the way MCE and AES conducts its business. With less $'s available (less people, less companies, less profits, etc.), money will be tighter for programming, field days, etc. Thus, the days of old "freebies" may be over! More paid programming and charges for services rendered will occur.

Just my thoughts!

Until next time,
Ronald L. Ritter
Extension Weed Control Specialist

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