New tool for cheat and brome

Jul 1, 1999 12:00 PM, Karen McMahon

The EPA approves Maverick herbicide for winter wheat. Wheat growers struggling with downy brome and cheatgrass now have a new herbicide to treat the weeds instead of relying on risky management practices. Monsanto just received EPA registration for Maverick herbicide to control the weeds in winter wheat. It is one of the first herbicides ever developed primarily for use in winter wheat.

Maverick can be applied winter through spring on wheat. It also controls other winter annual broadleaf weeds.

The herbicide is best applied postemergent in the fall, just prior to wheat jointing. The company's field trials show this application produces the highest wheat yields. The product also may be applied spring postemergent to halt annual brome species.

Maverick works best for areas with continuous wheat or wheat fallow. It should not be applied during the fallow periods.

Winter wheat fields treated with Maverick should be rotated or replanted only to winter or spring wheat within the first year after application. After that, a bioassay should be conducted to determine if a crop other than winter or spring wheat may be safely grown on the ground.

The product may be tankmixed with 28-0-0 or 32-0-0 nitrogen fertilizers and with insecticides, except malathion. While the herbicide covers a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds, growers needing to apply it in the spring may tankmix it with another approved broadleaf herbicide to increase broadleaf weed control. It is labeled for both aerial and ground application. For more information, contact Monsanto, Dept. FIN, 800 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63167, 800/768-6387, visit www. Monsanto.com