Each year, farmers carefully plan for the growing season. Then, as predictable as the sun rising each morning, Mother Nature, or life itself, throws a curveball, and those plans have to change. Such is the nature of farming.
“Nine times out of 10, the plan changes before we get a good start,” said Eric Scherder, Ph.D., U.S. crop protection technical lead with Corteva Agriscience. “There are so many things we just can’t control. The weather, equipment breakdowns or unexpected life events keep us from getting things done as planned.”
That’s why flexibility matters. Flexible products are key to overcoming seasonal challenges, especially for farmers who battle tough weeds year after year.
“Weeds are one thing soybean growers can’t afford to lose control of, and having a weed control approach that offers lots of flexibility and excellent performance is the key,” Scherder said.
Flexibility means adapting to the circumstances
A unique formulation of two proven preemergence herbicides gives soybean farmers the flexibility they need to control glyphosate- and ALS-resistant waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, kochia and more than 35 other broadleaf weeds in nearly any cropping system.
“Sonic Boom herbicide is a premix of two proven active ingredients — metribuzin and sulfentrazone at a 2:1 ratio,” Scherder said. “The thing that makes it different and better than using the active ingredients separately is the proprietary cocrystalline structure of the formulation. Sonic Boom allows farmers to achieve a long period of effective control using rates that fit their soils and production systems. Plus, it takes away the typical concerns about crop safety.”
Application timing that fits
As a foundational preemergence herbicide, Sonic® Boom herbicide can be applied 30 days before planting and up to three days after planting. In no-till or minimum-till systems, the application window is longer — 30 to 45 days prior to planting and up to three days after planting, but before seed germination — to prevent injury to emerging seedlings.
Apply Sonic Boom herbicide as a preplant, incorporated by itself or with other preplant herbicides labeled for soybeans. It also works well and is an economical option as a preplant burndown combined with glyphosate and 2,4-D.
Long-lasting residual widens the window for the postemergence pass
Delays caused by weather, equipment issues or busy schedules often push back postemergence applications. Sonic Boom herbicide provides four to six weeks of strong, long-lasting residual activity, giving farmers more time to return to the field and control weeds until canopy closure.
Flexible use rates deliver safety across soil types
“The rate flexibility of Sonic Boom is another benefit,” Scherder said. “It has a low recommended use rate of 16-21 fl. oz./A, and if you need a little more grass control, a Group 15 herbicide can be added. Growers have done that and seen phenomenal control.”
This unique formulation of metribuzin (Group 5) and sulfentrazone (Group 14) lets farmers adjust application rates for each field based on organic matter and soil texture. In coarse, low organic matter soils, rates of 11 to 14 fl. oz./A provide effective control. In finer soils with higher organic matter content, rates up to 21 to 26 fl. oz./A can be applied for effective weed control with little concern of a negative crop response.
“The wet spring and summer in 2025 gave us plenty of opportunities for crop response typical with some preemergence products, and we just didn’t see the negative response [with Sonic Boom herbicide] growers are used to seeing when they’ve used a higher rate of metribuzin by itself,” Scherder said.
During development, researchers tested the crop safety of Sonic Boom herbicide to a tank mix of the individual active ingredients. They discovered that a rate of up 42 fl. oz./A of Sonic Boom had superior crop safety and consistent weed control compared with the tank mix.
Liquid premix makes handling and tank-mixing easy
Convenience is another great premix benefit. Sonic Boom herbicide is easy to handle, store and mix with other herbicides when a broader spectrum of weed control is needed. Scherder recommended farmers add a compatibility aid/phosphate ester when tank-mixing with glyphosate and 2,4-D.
To learn more about using Sonic Boom herbicide for exceptional control of your toughest broadleaf weeds next season, contact your local ag retailer or Corteva Agriscience representative. You can also learn more about the herbicide at Corteva.com/us/SonicBoom.
™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Sonic® Boom 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. ©2025 Corteva. 034231 BR (12/25) CAAG5SOYB059
