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How to Improve Wheat Weed Control with Burndown and Residual Herbicides
High input costs and erratic commodity markets continue to influence decisions farmers make not only in their planting intentions but also in the way they manage crops.
As wheat farmers prepare to sow winter wheat, many crop advisers and agronomists continue to reinforce the importance of establishing a weed-free agronomic foundation to help the crop get off to a solid start.
What makes a successful herbicide program?
Even with a tight farm economy, farmers can take actions to maximize the efficacy of a herbicide program and get more return from their input investments.
Accomplishing that goal begins with a herbicide program checklist that includes field weed history, resistance issues, crop rotation history and thorough scouting reports to identify all broadleaves and grasses, their density and distribution across all farms.
What other key considerations should be included in an herbicide program?
Remember these key considerations:
- As El Niño pushes in with above-average activity, always consider how weather might impact effectiveness of a herbicide.
- Maintain awareness of weed growth stages in all fields.
- Use multiple modes of action (MOA).
- Give yourself a grade on the previous year’s herbicide program and adjust your current plan based on what worked and, just as important, what did not.
“Keep in mind that 100% of your seeds’ yield potential exists just before they hit the soil. Talk to your agronomist and/or retailer and design a production plan to protect that potential, which also will help maximize your profit potential at harvest,” said Marcus Weatherhead, strategic account manager, Corteva Agriscience. “The first thing to do in that direction is make sure you have a good burndown.”
Additional tips for a good burndown
- Identify weeds across fields: : Verify which weeds you actually need to control, because that will impact your herbicide choices, MOA and application rates.
- Use multiple modes of action:
- To control more weeds through either direct contact or systemic activity in which herbicide molecules are absorbed by the plant and translocated throughout the plant for optimum control.
- To improve herbicide performance when cooler temperatures could reduce herbicide efficacy.
- Follow the label: Never underestimate the importance of following labeled application timings and always use the most restrictive timings for each MOA, or whichever is the earliest for either the current crop growth stage or weed height.
- Scout to verify control: Based on recommended efficacy timing on the herbicide label, scout the field to verify early control symptoms of targeted weeds.
- Use a residual herbicide during burndown and in-season: To help prevent subsequent weed flushes.
Choosing the herbicides that fit your farming goals
Putting the above tips and information into action can help determine which herbicide(s) best meet your current and future production plans.
“Application timing and good coverage are so important,” Weatherhead said. “Corteva has dedicated a lot of research to make sure our labels reflect the optimum time to make applications and in the optimum conditions window.”
Quelex® herbicide: Two modes of action for broadleaf weed control
A product in which wheat farmers continue to find consistent value is Quelex® herbicide with Arylex® active. Packing two MOA, Quelex herbicide consists of a Group 2 (florasulam) and a Group 4 (halauxifen-methyl).
“A common fall wheat burndown scenario continues to be glyphosate plus Quelex herbicide,” Weatherhead said. “Quelex herbicide will broaden the spectrum of weed control, especially those tough-to-control broadleaf weeds.”
Glyphosate takes care of grasses and winter annuals, and Quelex herbicide will control volunteer canola, which can emerge from regrowth and/or dropped seed in the fall. Quelex herbicide provides effective control on marestail, which typically emerges in that time frame as well.
Tolvera® herbicide: Offers weed control and rotational flexibility
One of the newest products in the Corteva Agriscience cereal herbicides portfolio for effective broadleaf and grass weed control in spring and winter wheat, durum and barley is Tolvera® herbicide.
“Since it became available in 2025, I’ve seen more farmers adding Tolvera herbicide to their wheat herbicide programs not only for the trial-proven weed control it delivers but also for the rotational flexibility it offers to other crops,” Weatherhead said. “Farmer conversations I hear are about how Tolvera herbicide confirms third-party research efficacy data from cooperators across North and South Dakota.”
Tolvera herbicide offers a nine-month plant-back rotation to many important crops in the northern Plains region, including field peas, lentils, canola, chickpeas, soybeans and sunflower, with zero-day plant-back to wheat, barley and corn.
Protect yield by staying weed-free from the start
“If you’re going to make the investment in a wheat crop, maintain a strong herbicide program that allows available moisture and nutrients to be directed to the crop and not to weeds,” Weatherhead said. “Start with a weed-free agronomic foundation with help from two mode-of-action Quelex herbicide, utilize residuals, scout frequently and improve your in-season weed control and rotational options with Tolvera herbicide.”
To learn more about Quelex herbicide and Tolvera herbicide or the complete portfolio of Corteva Agriscience cereal herbicides solutions, visit cerealherbicides.corteva.us or talk with your local Corteva Agriscience sales representative.
Quelex ® and Tolvera® are 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. Arylex® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions.
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