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Stacking the weed control deck in your 2026 wheat herbicide program
Montana wheat farmer Kelly Toavs tries to make decisions that lead to increased efficiencies across his farming operation. Strengthening his weed control program was one significant efficiency gain he realized in 2025.
“Two weeds we’ve really started to fight over the last few years is resistant kochia and Russian thistle,” Toavs said. “We knew Tolvera herbicide was going to be available in 2025 and, after seeing it would bring a new active ingredient to the cereals market (a Group 27 chemistry), we thought it might be a game-changer for us.”
Starting with and maintaining weed-free fields to protect and maximize yield potential has always been a priority for Toavs. After reviewing the label and seeing the range of crop rotation options it offers, he recognizes the efficiencies Tolvera® herbicide can deliver.
“We can go from wheat to canola, wheat to peas, or wheat to soybeans if we need to — without worrying about any rotation restrictions,” Toavs said. “And the fact that you’re getting grass control along with activity on broadleaves, Tolvera herbicide looks very promising. It’s very exciting to think we could have that kind of weed control.”
Dry conditions early in the season interfered with his preplant and residual weed control efforts. When it was time to make postplant applications, Toavs admits he faced controlling some sizable and difficult-to-manage weeds. He is, however, impressed with the control delivered by Tolvera herbicide and glad it was part of his overall weed control program.
“It’s great being able to more effectively control grass and broadleaf weeds with the addition of the new active ingredient Tolvera herbicide brings to the cereals market. It opens doors for us to so many crop rotation options as well.”
— Kelly Toavs
Watch Toavs’ video to see and hear more about Tolvera® herbicide and how it could strengthen your 2026 weed control program.
When savvy cereal farmers like Toavs design herbicide programs for a new production season, they start by reviewing how the previous year’s program worked. Although no two years are ever the same, especially when it comes to weather, remembering which weeds were difficult to control and competed for nutrients intended for the crop is one step toward building a more successful herbicide plan.
Consider these four tips when designing your 2026 wheat weed control program:
- Know which weeds were difficult to control in 2025. Some common examples in wheat are kochia, green and/or yellow foxtail, waterhemp, lambsquarters, barnyardgrass, pigweed or narrowleaf hawksbeard.
- Always check with your local Extension service about:
- New emerging weeds
- Shifts in dominant weed species
- The latest reported regional weed resistance
- Remember any surviving weeds you saw from the combine during last year’s harvest.
- If you marked their location with GPS coordinates, incorporate that information into your sprayer notes or herbicide prescription map for that field.
- Consider soil and topography variations, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
- Sandier soils and sloped fields hold less water, creating conditions where drought-tolerance weeds, such as horseweed and kochia, thrive.
- Weeds such as barnyardgrass and green and yellow foxtail proliferate in heavier soil and/or bottom ground that retains water.
“Similar to how farmers spread their risk by planting different varieties, weed control programs should incorporate multiple herbicide groups in one application to increase weed control and help mitigate resistance,” said Eric Scherder, Ph.D., U.S. crop protection technical lead with Corteva Agriscience. “Tank-mixing also helps limit trips across fields, reducing wear and tear on tractors or sprayers while maximizing fuel use.”
Once you know the weeds you could be targeting during the season, identify herbicides labeled to control as many of those weed species as possible. Consider products with new or underutilized modes of action that are effective on your toughest weeds and evaluate how they fit into crop rotation.
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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