Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Crop Scene Investigation - 22 Solved: Whats the culprit in Bill's sprayer tank?

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

by BERNARD TOBIN

Bill was correct in believing that corn, a monocot crop, can tolerate an application of most cereal herbicides. Unfortunately, corn can't withstand cereal herbicides that control grassy weeds.

In this case, Bill's Roundup Ready corn suffered serious injury after being sprayed with Achieve Liquid, a grass herbicide. Only 20 to 30 litres of Achieve Liquid and Buctril-M remained in the tank when Bill topped it up with water and glyphosate to spray his corn. But it was enough to cause considerable damage to Bill's cornfield, explains Mike Cowbrough, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Weed Management Lead.

Achieve Liquid is one those unique products that has some pretty amazing selectivity. That's why it can control wild oats in a wheat crop, but it is sensitive to corn, says Cowbrough.

After diagnosing the problem with Bill's cornfield, the University of Guelph conducted an experiment where they duplicated Bill's spray tank mixture at Elora Research Station to prove Cowbrough's theory. It certainly killed a lot of volunteer corn at the research station, he says.

Cowbrough estimates that the majority of Ontario's wheat crop is sprayed with a broad-leaf herbicide such as Buctril-M. You hardly ever use grass herbicides in a wheat crop unless it's spring cereal with annual grass pressure or you have a wild oat problem.

The best advice is to always check the label before applying any herbicide. The Achieve Liquid label does not recommend that the product be applied in corn. Cleaning out the sprayer before changing herbicides is another management practice to avoid herbicide injury. Congratulations to Doug Pettman Underhill Farm Supplies Vienna, Ont. for his correct answer. "I custom spray in Bayham Township and some days I don't have the same thing in two times." Underhill notes. "You pull the end caps and flush. That is the only way to have peace of mind," he concludes. BF
 

Current Issue

June/July 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Ontario crops respond to summer heat

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

According to the OMAFA Field Crop News team, Ontario field crops are showing rapid development as summer-like temperatures have dominated late June early July. The warm spell has accelerated growth and helped reduce the heat unit deficit from a cool spring. Corn fields have seen a burst... Read this article online

Canada’s Place in Global Food System Resilience

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Canada’s food system is facing serious pressure due to global supply chain issues, climate change, and rising food prices. According to a KPMG report, bold and united action is needed now to make Canada’s agriculture sector more resilient and self-reliant. With the global population... Read this article online

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

Monday, June 30, 2025

Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top