2023 brought a boon for sugarbeet farmers in North Dakota and Minnesota. These farmers got an additional weapon in their battle against kochia: the herbicide Spin-Aid. This move came on the heels of increasing concerns about certain weeds like waterhemp and kochia, which have shown resistance to glyphosate.
In addition to using Ultra Blazer, an herbicide granted for use under an emergency exemption by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to combat waterhemp, Spin-Aid was introduced under an EPA local needs label. Ultra Blazer proves most effective against waterhemp when the weed reaches a height of 6 to 9 inches.
Tom Peters, a renowned agronomist and weed control expert affiliated with North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota, highlighted the efficacy of Spin-Aid. He noted that this herbicide is especially potent when targeting young, smaller kochia weeds.
The inclusion of Spin-Aid as a go-to herbicide is based on the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act's Section 24(c). This section acknowledges the unique needs of certain regions and endorses pesticides addressing those specifics. In this case, the EPA recognized the urgent need to manage young kochia plants in sugarbeet farms using Spin-Aid.
Interestingly, the active component in Spin-Aid, known as Phenmedipham, isn't entirely new to farmers. It was a part of a product used back in the 1970s to manage weeds. However, its use was halted in 1981, replaced by Betamix. But by 2014, Betamix was also pulled from the market.
The future might see more localized herbicide registrations rather than nationwide ones. Peters predicts a shift towards more integrated weed management strategies, involving diverse products tailored to specific regional weed challenges.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-luiscarlosjimenezi
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Sugar Beets