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Crabgrass: Identify, control and overcome
Crabgrass is a common grass weed in lawns and golf courses, but it can also cause problems in crops. Like any weed, proper identification and management is key to controlling crabgrass and keeping fields healthy and productive.
Crabgrass has a tall, membranous ligule, which is the narrow growth on a plant where the leaf blade and sheath meet. Additionally, crabgrass has spikelets on the seedhead in two to nine fingerlike branches along the stalk. Its leaves are rolled in the bud with a broad, long-haired collar.
It’s particularly important for farmers to control crabgrass when it’s small — not only because that’s when it’s most vulnerable, but also because the maturing weed stays low to the ground and can create a blanket over the soil. If left untreated, crabgrass can steal vital resources from crops and serve as a host for disease pathogens, including the bacterium found in Goss’s wilt.
Because crabgrass germinates in the spring and thrives in warm soils, preemergence herbicides are a powerful tool for early-season control. Farmers should consider Kyber® Pro herbicide or Sonic® Boom herbicide to suppress crabgrass in their soybean fields. On corn acres, Resicore® REV herbicide provides strong early-season control of crabgrass species.
A singular crabgrass plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds that easily spread through farm equipment and can survive in the soil for many years. To effectively manage the weed throughout the year, farmers also should include a postemergence application in the weed management plans. For soybean farmers, Enversa™ herbicide provides strong control of weeds that haven’t emerged yet. Kyro® herbicide offers corn farmers postemergence and residual control of more than 65 tough weeds,including crabgrass. In some cases, adding atrazine to the tank mix with Kyro herbicide can enhance performance. To ensure successful applications, always review product labels for specific use directions and restrictions.
Farmers looking for more information about crabgrass control can contact their local ag retailer or Corteva Agriscience representative. Additional crop protection resources are available at Corteva.com/us.
Atrazine is a Restricted Use Pesticide.
Enversa™, Kyber® Pro, Kyro®, Resicore® REV and Sonic® Boom are not registered for sale or use in all states. Enversa, Kyro and Resicore REV are not available for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk counties in the state of New York. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions.
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