WSSA president urges farmers and land managers to prioritize weed control early to optimize outcomes.
Posted on April 11, 2024
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – 11 April 2024 – A quick start to planting in many parts of the U.S. and Canada this spring will likely increase the need for a quick start to weed control, according to Greg Dahl, Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) president.
“When conditions are in place for early spring field work and planting, the conditions are also in place for early weed growth,” says Dahl. “Prioritizing weed control efforts early, ahead of the weeds, helps the crop start better and makes time management easier to achieve the desired result.”
Early weed control helps boost efficiency and sustainability by requiring fewer resources to manage weeds. “Weeds are nearly always easier to control when they are smaller,” says Dahl. “Within weed-crop competition, mostly the first plant out of the ground wins, and the weeds that emerge before the crop emerges greatly reduce crop yields and could also reduce crop quality.”
