[Listen] Tom Hoverstad SROC Controlling Waterhemp

Tom Hoverstad Scientist at the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca (SROC) has been very busy during the "winter meeting season" talking about controlling waterhemp. There was no travel time involved because most if not all were on Zoom because of COVID. One of Tom's major responsibilities is the herbicide trials and controlling one tough weed, waterhemp.

Tom said his discussions centered around two points, controlling waterhemp with the tools we have available now and making sure you do not let any waterhemp go to seed in corn. On the first point there is no new chemistry or "magic bullet" that is in the pipeline or on the horizon. Therefore we need to figure out how do do a better job with what we have available now!

On the second point Tom said many times waterhemp can grow and produce seed in a corn field. Because Waterhemp can germinate later in the summer all it needs is a little hole in the corn canopy and it can grow, even it it only gets 6 inches tall it can produce 100 to 1,000 deeds. Plus, by the time you harvest the corn you likely not even be able to see that little waterhemp plant. But, it produced seed that will haunt you the next year in your beans!

Click on the link above and listen to Tom discuss controlling waterhemp in bean and corn fields.