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IPM Program Reduces Herbicide Use and Environmental Impact |
While no-tillage soybean production has been widely adopted to improve soil conservation and water quality, chemical weed control has replaced non-chemical weed control used in conventional and minimum-tillage systems. A program, with initial support from the Extension IPM program and the Ohio Soybean Council, tested the effect of applying small amounts of chemicals at certain times after plants emerge. The on-farm, university trials showed timely application of one or two post-emergence herbicide treatments at one-fourth or one-half the usual rates (following an initial pre-plant burn-down treatment) can achieve weed-control results equal to a full-rate, post-emergence herbicide program. While a typical soybean herbicide program costs about $30 per acre, the plan using smaller amounts of chemicals offers significant savings and a potential reduction in environmental impact. However, farmers choosing this option also need to scout for weeds and identify those present.
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[Integrated Pest Management in the North Central States] |
[National Integrated Pest Management Network] |