60 Ways - 46. Fine-tune Your Weed Control Program To Cut Back On Herbicides

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60 Ways Farmers Can Protect Surface Water

50 ways

57 ways

60 ways

Managing Surface Cover

1. Distribute residue evenly at harvest
2. Avoid fall tillage
3. Determine how your operations will affect residue cover
4. Estimate residue cover in the field
5. Adjust equipment to preserve residue
6. Plant a cover crop
7. Rotate crops
8. Select vigorous perennial pasture species
9. Protect the soil with special-use annual forage crops
10. Protect the soil with rotational grazing
11. Use no-till when renovating pasture
12. Manage timberland to protect soil

Controlling the Flow of Water

13. Reduce soil compaction and increase infiltration
14. Install grassed waterways
15. Plant vegetative filter strips or make critical area plantings
16. Farm on the contour
17. Use contour stripcropping and contour buffer strips
18. Install terraces
19. Install grade control structures
20. Install water and sediment control basin
21. Use diversions
22. Install a farm pond
23. Maintain your dtrainage system to protect surface water
24. Control streambank erosion with the willow-post method
25. Avoid channelization of streams and creeks

Managing Nutrients Effectively

26. Set realistic yield goals
27. Monitor the level of nutrients
28. Credit other nitrogen sources
29. Select nitrogen fertilizers wisely
30. Apply nitrogen in the spring
31. Apply fertilizer with a global positioning system

Managing Livestock Waste Effectively

32. Keep livestock out of water
33. Divert runoff water
34. Collect and store contaminated runoff
35. Install a vegetative filter - in appropriate
36. Determine accurate manure application equipment
37. Calibrate manure application equipment
38. Apply manure wisely

Reducing Insecticide Use

39. Scout fields for insects
40. Base decisions on the economic thresholds for insects
41. Use insect-resistant crop varieties
42. Use crop rotation and plant diversity to control insects
43. Spot-treat insect infestations when possible
44. Conserve beneficial insects

Reducing Herbicide Use

45. Scout for weeds and know their economic thresholds
46. Fine-tune your weed-control program to cut back on herbicides
47. Manage crops to compete aggressively with weeds
48. Don't assume that no-till requires more herbicide
49. Band herbicides and cultivate
50. Control weeds with cover crops

Selecting Pesticides

51. Select the leat-toxic pesticide
52. Determine your soil's potential for runoff
53. Determine your pesticide's potential for runoff
54. Determine the soil-pesticide interaction rating

Handling Pesticides Safely & Efficiently

55. Calibrate your sprayer
56. Consider direct injection and closed handling systems
57. Observe setback zones
58. Rinse and dispose of chemical containers safely
59. Dispose of excess chemical safely
60. Dispose of other farm waste safely

46. Fine-tune Your Weed Control Program To Cut Back On Herbicides
	There are two basic ways to approach the ultimate goal of cutting back on herbicides: Cut back on total chemical use by targeting the treatments in various ways; or reduce the application rate. Many herbicide labels give a range of recommended application rates, so try to get by with the lower rate. If weeds are small and your treatment is early, you can sometimes cut back to the lowest recommended herbicide rate. Reduced rates work best if applied early, when weeds are 1 to 3 inches high, 14 to 21 days after planting. Some producers have had success cutting rates below the recommended rates, but be aware that you may assume liability if herbicides do not adequately control weeds.
	A less risky way to reduce herbicide application rates is to select some of the more recent products that recommend extremely low rates. Instead of requiring rates that range from 1 to 2 pounds per acre, the improved chemistry of many new pesticides makes them effective when applied at rates as low as 1 ounce per acre or even 1/8 ounce per acre.
	Many of the newer herbicides are postemergence products, which means you may be able to use them in specific problem areas, rather than treat the entire field. The result: less total product applied, less risk to water, and reduced costs.
	Adjuvants improve the performance of postemergence herbicides, so using certain adjuvants could make it possible to reduce rates. It all depends on the adjuvant used, the weed species and size, and climatic conditions.
	Split applications may be more effective than single-pass applications, allowing you to reduce rates. Split applications also make it easier to control early emerging and late emerging weeds. However, extra trips over the field cost time, fuel, and equipment wear.
	When you use herbicides in combination, you often can cut back to 30 or 50 percent of the rate that is required when the herbicides are used alone. Using herbicides in combination usually will not reduce your total load of herbicides. But it does make it possible to reduce the rate of a problem herbicide. If you want to reduce the rate of atrazine, for instance, use it in combination with another herbicide.