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Sugar beet weed control for 2026: building resilience after a dry year
By Alister McRobbie, Roots Herbicide Product Manager, and Hugh Guinan, Field Technical Manager at Corteva Agriscience
What last season exposed
The 2025 season highlighted just how exposed sugar beet weed control becomes when weather disrupts the early momentum. Dry conditions limited early herbicide activity, slowed crop growth and left canopies open far longer than planned. As a result, weeds were able to establish readily, often well beyond the point growers would normally expect emergence to tail off.
For many, the challenge wasn’t a lack of chemistry, but knowing when they should stop spraying.
Establishment is the first line of defense
Crops that emerged evenly last year were noticeably easier to manage. Faster early growth reduced light at soil level and restricted further weed flushes. Where establishment was uneven, gaps remained exposed, creating opportunities for weeds to continue germinating into late spring and early summer.
For 2026, achieving a uniform stand remains one of the most effective ways to reduce downstream pressure on herbicide programmes. Strong early crop competition can often make the difference between a three-spray programme that holds weeds and one that may need extending due to further weed emergence.
Weed timing, not crop timing
A recurring issue in 2025 was delaying post‑emergence sprays while waiting for the crop to “come through”. In dry conditions, weeds quickly moved beyond the most responsive growth stages, reducing the reliability of control and increasing the need for additional inputs.
The key shift for 2026 is to prioritise weed emergence over crop stage. Starting control when weeds are small and staying ahead of subsequent flushes is far more effective than trying to regain control once weeds have hardened.
Leaving flexibility in the programme
Where weed pressure remained high last season, programmes that were allowed to continue for longer delivered better outcomes than those that stopped early. Whilst additional sprays increased spend, the alternative was allowing late‑germinating weeds to compete during critical yield‑building phases.
In seasons where canopies remain open, assuming the job is finished too soon can prove costly. Building flexibility into programmes allows growers to respond to conditions rather than being locked into a fixed plan.
Application discipline under pressure
Dry springs place greater emphasis on spray technique, explains Hugh Guinan, Corteva Field Technical Manager.
“When soils are dry, small compromises in application can have a much bigger impact,” he says. “Forward speed, boom height and spray quality all start to influence results. We consistently saw better performance where growers slowed down and focused on accuracy rather than output.”
He also highlights the importance of interval management. “Where weeds were emerging steadily, tighter intervals helped prevent weeds getting ahead of the programme, particularly as temperatures rose.”
The role of proven chemistry in difficult seasons
While strategies evolve, proven chemistry continues to underpin effective weed control in sugar beet. This year marks 50 years of Shield Pro™ (Clopyralid), a milestone that reflects its long‑standing role in supporting growers through many variable seasons.
Shield Pro has become a familiar part of many sugar beet programmes because of the consistency it brings against a broad spectrum of key broad‑leaved weeds, particularly where pressure is high.
Compatible with other sugar-beet herbicides, Shield Pro mixes well and is particularly useful when targeting perennial weeds such as creeping thistle. It is also the only real option for control of volunteer potatoes in beet.
In challenging years like 2025, including Shield Pro in the weed control programme boosted control and helped maintain pressure on competitive species that continued to germinate over extended periods.
Its long-term use in the sugar-beet crop reflects not just efficacy, but trust - growers know what to expect from it, which becomes especially important when conditions are unpredictable.
Hugh Guinan explains more in our 2025 video from a sugar beet trials site in Essex, looking at the performance of Shield Pro.
Sugar beet herbicide trials - Shield Pro™
Sugar beet herbicide trials - Shield Pro™ from Corteva Agriscience
Corteva’s Hugh Guinan explains how to get the best out of Shield Pro this season.🌱 Contains: 400g/l Clopyralid Application timing: GS 10–39 (when crops meet between the rows). For volunteer potato control, apply by the end of June.
Sugar beet herbicide trials - Shield Pro™ from Corteva Agriscience
Corteva’s Hugh Guinan explains how to get the best out of Shield Pro this season.🌱 Contains: 400g/l Clopyralid Application timing: GS 10–39 (when crops meet between the rows). For volunteer potato control, apply by the end of June.
Shield Pro™ - at a glance
- A trusted foundation in sugar beet weed control, supporting growers for 50 years
- Compatible with other key sugar beet herbicides
- Supports control of key competitive weeds, including creeping thistle volunteer potatoes, bindweed and other yield robbing species
- Provides consistency and reliability within post-emergence programmes when conditions are unpredictable
Shield Pro - 50 years of proven support in sugar beet
For five decades, Shield Pro has been a trusted part of sugar beet weed control - valued for dependable performance when seasons are changeable and weed emergence keeps coming.
Preparing for the next step
Looking further ahead, Corteva continues to invest in the future of sugar beet weed control. Rinskor® active is being advanced for use in sugar beet, with availability anticipated from 2027.
Rinskor contains florpyrauxifen‑benzyl, a synthetic auxin active from the arylpicolinate family. This chemistry is already proven in other crops and brings a new active ingredient and alternative mode of action to sugar beet - the first for several decades.
In sugar beet programmes, Rinskor is being developed as a partner product within tank mixes, offering activity on a range of challenging broad‑leaved weeds at very low use rates. Its mode of action complements existing chemistry, helping strengthen overall control while supporting resistance management strategies.
Trials through 2025, with further work continuing in 2026, are building understanding of how Rinskor best fits alongside established programmes, particularly where weed pressure is high or emergence is prolonged.
To find out more about Rinskor contact the Corteva technical hotline or your local Corteva area manager. You can also sign up to news on Rinskor here (select the ‘Arable Update’ email and ‘sugar beet’ as a crop preference).
Turning experience into advantage
The challenges of 2025 forced difficult decisions, but they also provided clarity. Strong establishment, early action, disciplined application and the willingness to adapt proved most effective.
Applying those lessons now gives the 2026 crop a stronger foundation - and helps ensure sugar beet weed control remains effective, economical and resilient as conditions continue to change.
Helping you to maximise your sugar beet yield
By continuing to invest in both proven, reliable chemistry and the next generation of innovation, Corteva remains committed to supporting sugar beet growers with effective, resilient weed control today and for the seasons ahead. Our expanding range of solutions includes Shield Pro™ herbicide, Instinct® stabiliser, and biostimulants BlueN™ and Kinsidro® Grow+, supporting crop performance from establishment through the growing season.
Learn more about our solutions for sugar beet growers here.