Managing PPO Injury in Early Planted Soybeans

There have been quite a few soybeans planted in the Burrus footprint, and many of you will check stands. One thing to be mindful of with early planted soybeans is herbicide selection and being aware of issues that may occur. PPO products like flumioxazin (Valor), sulfentrazone (Authority), and saflufenacil (Sharpen) can reduce stand in certain situations. These products provide residual weed control, are mobile in the soil with moisture, and can cause injury that resembles some early-season diseases. In this Buzz we’ll cover the environmental conditions that might lead to this and steps you can take to minimize this in the future.

There have been quite a few soybeans planted in the Burrus footprint, and many of you will check stands. One thing to be mindful of with early planted soybeans is herbicide selection and being aware of issues that may occur. PPO products like flumioxazin (Valor), sulfentrazone (Authority), and saflufenacil (Sharpen) can reduce stand in certain situations. These products provide residual weed control, are mobile in the soil with moisture, and can cause injury that resembles some early-season diseases. In this Buzz we’ll cover the environmental conditions that might lead to this and steps you can take to minimize this in the future.

How can you know if your plants will survive? Open the cotyledons to see if they are green. Next, check the necks and make sure they are firm. If plants meet both conditions, they are likely viable. At the base of the stem, see if girdling has occurred. This can weaken plants, making them very brittle and susceptible to breakage. Determine if the planted stand is sufficient by conducting stand counts. The goal is to have stand counts above 80,000 plants per acre to still achieve optimum yield. At this threshold, 95% of maximum yield is achievable and will probably exceed that of replanting, especially for April or early May plantings.

PPO herbicides are an important herbicide family in the weed control toolbox, but realize herbicide injury symptoms depend heavily on the weather. Should you have questions regarding soybean stand evaluations or PPO injury, please contact your Burrus Representative. We are here to help you through the challenges that you face during the growing season.