4 Tips for On-target Herbicide Applications With the Enlist® Weed Control System

Herbicide applications that don’t stay on target can be a huge headache for growers. Herbicide drift can not only reduce weed control efficacy but also damage neighboring crops, creating the potential for fines. Luckily, you can avoid these issues with the right trait technology — and the proper steps for precision applications.

Advantages of Enlist^® Herbicides

The Enlist^® weed control system offers both effective weed control and herbicides with near-zero volatility. Enlist E3^® soybeans and Enlist^® cotton varieties offer tolerances to 2,4-D choline, glufosinate and glyphosate. Enlist^® corn offers the same tolerances plus an additional tolerance to FOP herbicides. Enlist One^® herbicide and Enlist Duo^® herbicide are the only 2,4-D herbicides approved for use with crops with the Enlist^® trait.

Texas-based Enlist^® field specialist Ben Benton explains what makes Enlist One herbicide and Enlist Duo herbicide unique: “Both contain the active ingredient 2,4-D choline with Colex-D technology, which offers a significant advantage over traditional formulations of 2,4-D. When used according to label, Enlist herbicides stay where they are sprayed to provide dependable weed control."

Here’s how Enlist^® herbicides differ from 2,4-D ester and amine:

• 2,4-D choline is 96% less volatile than 2,4-D ester.
• 2,4-D choline is 88% less volatile than 2,4-D amine.

Benton says generic 2,4-D cannot be applied on crops with the Enlist trait: “Not only is using generic 2,4-D off label, it’s a foolish choice. For example, cotton without the Enlist trait is highly sensitive to 2,4-D, and older forms of the ingredient are very prone to volatility. It doesn’t take much 2,4-D moving off target to cause symptomology on susceptible cotton. With these generics, the symptomology can show up great distances from the source. With Enlist herbicides, your risk for volatility is greatly diminished.”

Benton says, in addition to offering benefits over generic 2,4-D, Enlist herbicides provide several advantages over dicamba, including:

• No calendar cutoff dates
• Greater tank-mix flexibility
• No drift/volatility-reducing adjuvants required

Benton says dicamba drift is a serious concern in Southern states as damage to susceptible crops can cause significant yield loss. However, he says, when used correctly, the Enlist^® system can cut down on these issues while providing effective control of even the toughest weeds.

Tips for On-target Applications

While Enlist herbicides do offer near-zero volatility, Benton says, it’s still essential to follow best practices to ensure on-target applications. Here are four of his tips for success:

1. Confirm proper field placement. “Proper field placement is paramount to avoid harming any nearby susceptible crops, such as cotton without the Enlist trait, grapes or tomatoes,” Benton says. “I recommend talking with your neighbors to find out for certain what they have planted in surrounding fields and working together to prevent any damage to their — or your crops.”

2. Set up sprayer correctly. “The next step is to get your sprayer properly set up,” Benton says. “Make sure you have qualified nozzles and pressure combinations, and then adjust for the correct spray rate, spray volume and boom height.”

3. Watch the wind. “Once your equipment is ready, you need to wait for the right wind conditions before applying Enlist One herbicide or Enlist Duo herbicide. To prevent drift, target applications when the wind speed is greater than 3 mph, but less than 10 mph. Some states do have different wind speed regulations though, so check your state requirements before applying,” Benton says. “And remember: Only spray when the wind is blowing away from susceptible crops. Do not apply if the wind is blowing toward them.”

4. Do not apply during temperature inversions. “Temperature inversions are an especially dangerous time to apply herbicides. This is because, during an inversion, spray particles can become trapped in a warmer layer of air and stay suspended until wind speed increases, resulting in off-target movement,” Benton says. “Remember: Temperature inversions are more likely between dusk and dawn than other times of day.”

Benton says these best practices are a good place to start, but he advises reading the application guide, as well as the Enlist One herbicide label and/or Enlist Duo herbicide label to ensure precision application.

“The Enlist system gives growers the flexibility to strive for the best weed control possible. Using Enlist herbicides as part of a multipass program approach is key to the success and longevity of this superior technology,” Benton says. “Another key to success is growers working as a community to ensure safe herbicide applications.”

Find more resources to help keep your applications on target this season on the Tech Topics - On-target Applications page at Enlist.com

LEGALS

^{™ ®} Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3^® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies L.L.C. Enlist Duo^® and Enlist One^® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist^® crops. Consult Enlist^® herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions. ©2024 Corteva. 019052 BR (02/24)  CAAG4NLST067