![]() ![]() One of the problems with waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, Brown-Livingston notes, is by the time farmers notice it in their fields it’s often too late to spray, even if some herbicides could still control it. It can grow to be even bigger than waterhemp, can be more aggressive and can develop resistance very quickly. There haven’t been many reported cases of Palmer amaranth in Manitoba to date, but Brown-Livingston says growers must remain vigilant. “If this weed shows up and you were trying to spray it, you could have little or no success,” she says. There are also limited herbicide options for many row crops.įurther complicating things is the fact that waterhemp is believed to have come to the province from Eastern Canada or the northern United States pre-loaded with resistance to several herbicide groups including Groups 2 and 9. Brown-Livingston says it poses a great risk to row crops, in part because there is ample space for it to grow between rows before a canopy cover develops. It’s much taller (up to eight feet tall), produces a lot more seeds and is a much more aggressive plant than most pigweeds. Waterhemp is like redroot pigweed “on steroids,” she says. ![]() Both are relatively new threats in the province and are members of the pigweed family. “A lot of that had dropped off the table because it was just so dry (previously) that we weren’t seeing enough weed growth to justify using those (herbicides).”īrown-Livingston says two weeds that should be on everyone’s radar in Manitoba are waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. “I think we’re getting closer to normal, like what we would expect to be seeing with normal conditions and needing those burnoffs and pre-emergent herbicides for residual weed control, and getting back into the habit of using those,” she says. As far as weeds are concerned, it will be a relatively “normal” year, she explains. Kim Brown-Livingston, a provincial weeds specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says a decent amount of rainfall last summer means fields in Manitoba are in pretty good shape heading into 2023. Grainews recently spoke with experts in the three Prairie provinces about the weed outlook for this year and what growers should know as they prepare for the coming season. While Manitoba received significant moisture last season, many parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta remained dry and continue to deal with the effects of moisture deficits from the previous couple of seasons. The difference this time around is that battle could be shaped largely by the location where it is being fought. Something Prairie oat producers need to keep a sharp eye out for this summer is crown rust. ![]()
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