Weed control does not stop when the crops leave the ground. It is something researchers at K-State University say needs special attention especially for wheat producers.
“So really, there’s a handful of reasons why we want to control weeds after wheat harvest. So one of the ones that comes first and foremost to my mind is just managing the weed seed bank, right, because every weed that gets to grow and produce seed is going to, in the case of things like palmer amaranth and kosher, we’re controlling, you know, thousands of plants, the next generation. So managing the weed seed bank would be one priority. Managing water resources would be another priority. So just thinking about conserving moisture for whatever that subsequent crop is going to be in your crop rotation. Then another factor would be if folks are double cropping,” said Sarah Lancaster.
Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are also looking at weeds after wheat harvest. They say weeds that are under stress are hard to control, but can be sprayed up to 30 days after harvest with crops used in a three-year rotation.
