In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent USA Corporation, the heavy rains can create a challenge for growers when managing winter weeds.
There are a couple of scenarios that growers have found themselves in after the early January rains. “One scenario would be if the rain started before the grower was able to get into the field and begin their fall applications of herbicides,” Valent field development manager Pat Clay said. “Basically, the problem with the weather is simply access to the orchard.”
If growers were able to make an application before the heavy rains, they could see some problems down the road, depending on what product they used. “With the rainfall amounts that we have had in some areas this year, you could experience breaks in weed control with some of the herbicides that are either typically more mobile in water and may leach through the zone where the weed seeds are or are more prone to break down from hydrolysis,” Clay said. “In the past you may have had two products that performed very similarly, and this year you may see where one may look much better and provide a month or two longer of weed protection.”