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Gauge fall burndown efficacy and improve weed control in postdormant winter wheat
Before wheat settles into dormancy and farmers’ attention turns elsewhere, now is the time to take one last look across fields to evaluate the success of fall burndown programs.
Controlling weeds all season starts with a good contact burndown herbicide that is followed by a residual application at planting or within five days after planting.
Some farmers are planting winter wheat earlier than ever before because of several factors:
- Favorable weather patterns deliver moisture, creating ideal conditions for early seeding and strong crop establishment before dormancy.
- New cultivars that improve winter survival, spring vigor, tiller formation and root growth often contribute to higher yields.
- Timely rains have helped growers avoid late-season droughts.
- Double-cropping systems, such as soybeans following wheat, are increasingly viable.
“Because of this earlier planting trend, weather could bring a few additional warm days,” said Marcus Weatherhead, grower strategic account manager with Corteva Agriscience. “If a grower applies a residual herbicide application but rain never activates it, that residual active ingredient would never make it down to the germination zone to provide preemergence control of any winter annual weeds like cheatgrass, marestail, prickly lettuce or narrowleaf hawksbeard.”
Scouting fields for weed activity before wheat goes dormant is important and can help set the stage for a more targeted weed control program in the spring when winter wheat breaks dormancy.
According to Eric Jones, assistant professor and Extension weed management specialist with South Dakota State University, several areas across the state have seen rain and experienced recent periods of mild weather.
“Although wheat farmers may already have a herbicide plan in place, they could have to update it — because of weather favoring weeds — especially if winter annuals germinate or late flushes of summer annuals are found,” Jones said.
Because topographies and soil types vary, one field may not be indicative of others. If moisture moves to lower ground, higher fields could have fewer weeds – or weeds that survive on less water, such as kochia.
“Keep your weed control plan current. If you find fields with more weeds than others, you may need to address those fields first once weeds break dormancy,” Weatherhead said. “Always remember, it’s a lot easier to control a small weed than a large weed.”
Strengthen your 2026 weed control program
As farming margins continue to tighten, farmers should keep their options for alternative crops that might improve ROI potential. One way of doing that is by using a herbicide that provides greater rotational flexibility.
Tolvera® herbicide offers a nine-month plant-back rotation interval to many important crops in the northern Plains, including field peas, lentils, canola, chickpeas, soybeans and sunflower, with a zero-day plant-back interval to wheat, barley and corn.
“With fewer crop rotation restrictions, Tolvera herbicide displaced a number of competitor cereal herbicides in 2025, as a Group 27 active ingredient, to the cereals market,” Weatherhead said. “In addition to powerful weed control, it provides farmers excellent tank-mix flexibility for ease of use.”
Log on to cerealherbicides.Corteva.us or visit with your Corteva Agriscience sales representative to learn more about Tolvera herbicide and the entire portfolio of Corteva Agriscience crop protection solutions.
Tolvera® is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.
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