COLLEGE PARK, Md. “He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils.” Spoken four centuries ago by Francis Bacon, a British statesman and philosopher, those words still ring true today for Mid-Atlantic area crop farmers coping with triazine-resistant weeds such as pigweed and lamb’s-quarters. Some new products and tech niques for dealing with old weed problems have been shared by Ronald L. Ritter, agronomy weed control specialist for the Coopera tive Extension Service, University of Maryland at College Park. Dr. Ritter was the leadoff speaker during the 14th annual Delmarva Com and Soybean Con Speaker Lists New Products For Old Problems ference, held Wednesday, Feb. 16, in the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center at Salisbury. More than 400 farmers and agribusiness rep resentatives were in attendance. Ritter reported that Broadstrike is a new herbicide that is effective against stubborn pests such as pig weed, lambs quarters, and other triazine-resistant weeds. The new chemical is available in package-mix formulation with an established product such as Dual to permit pre-emergence application for season-long con trol of a wide spectrum of weed species. The mix can be used in both com and soybean fields. But it has one weakness lack of good morning-glory control. Ritter reminded growers that a Dual+atrazine package mix is popular in the Mid-Atlantic area for control of annual grasses and yellow nutsedge in cornfields. But last year, a new product, Frontier, was introduced that pro vides similar weed control. When packaged in combination with atrazine, it is sold under the trade name. Guardsman. The combination product gives results similar to those of a Dua -I+atrazine mix for broad-spectrum control of grasses and broadleaf weeds. However, it is suitable only for use in fields planted to com not soybeans. Two other agrichemical pro- Lancaster Farming. Saturday, Fabruary 26, 1994-C3 ducts are expected to be available this year for weed control in corn fields. They are Surpass made by Zeneca Agricultural Products and Harness Plus, from Monsanto. Actually, the two products are identical, Ritter noted. And they are similar to Frontier or Dual. A new post-emergence chemi cal, Tough, was introduced last year for use in cornfields. And indications are that it will be priced about one-third lower than in 1993. Tough is a contact herbicide that is effective against persistent pests like pigweed, lambs quar ters, and velvetleaf. It has tre mendous activity on these and other broadleaf weeds. And it is not volatile, so it avoids the herbi cide drift problems long asso ciated with 2, 4-D. Ritter issued a warning for Chesapeake Bay Pact (Continued from Page C 2) USDA will; Implement a new program, total resource management on agricul tural lands, USDA will direct its agencies including the Soil Conservation Service, Agricultur al Stabilization and Conservation Service, and extension service to work with the Bay jurisdictions to develop and implement this planning process. It will provide an integrated approach to farm management featuring a wide range of best management prac tices to help farmers protect natur al resources while maintaining production goals. • Develop innovative methods and research to protect the Bay. Work with the Chesapeake Bay Program to spearhead research crucial to providing farmers with innovative methods to help protect the Chesapeake Bay. • Coordinate federal agricultur al efforts on behalf of the Bay by participating in various Bay Pro gram committees. • Cooperatively implement federal and state agricultural pol lution prevention programs to help stop pollution before it starts. • Secure appropriate funding and staffing resources to carry out Delmarva area farmers who used Scepter for chemical weed control last year in soybean fields. Because of droughty conditions last summer, there could be con siderable carryover of Scepter. So he advised farmers to plant soy beans in those fields again this year. Or, try to plant one of the new hybrid com varieties that is resistant to Scepter. Ritter had a final comment about two herbicides suitable for weed control in soybean fields. Gemini is a useful sulfonylurea compound that is not likely to be available after 1994. Canopy is a new product that may be a suitable replacement. But Ritter intends to take a hard look at Canopy’s performance next year in University of Mary land research plots to see if there might be some injury to soybeans planted on light, sandy soils. its goals. “A lot of good stewards already working with the land are right here in this room,” Lyons told the conservation district members in attendance during the signing. “Good partnerships make for good conservation.” U.S. Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.), who attended the agree ment signing, said the USDA’s new commitment to the Chesa peake Bay restoration was import ant to the effort’s success. “No other federal agency can reach as many landowners on the ground,” he said, adding that the USDA will bring to farmers not only a knowledge of good conservation and environmental practices, but good economic practices as well. The Chesapeake Bay Program is the multigovemmental partner ship that has been directing and conducting the Chesapeake Bay restoration since 1983. The Chesapeake Bay Program in cludes the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia; Washing ton, D.C.; the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency repre senting the federal government; and participating citizens advisory groups.
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