Golden Harvest shared new data today showcasing the top yield performance of Golden Harvest® brand soybean varieties with the Enlist E3® soybean trait technology when compared directly against competitors. In addition to yield potential benefits, these varieties offer herbicide flexibility and fit into diversified weed management strategies.
Seed selection is the first step in creating an effective weed management strategy. Golden Harvest offers farmers broad choice of soybean herbicide tolerance trait platforms, including Enlist E3 soybeans.
Start with seed to manage soybean weeds
To assist farmers in developing a well-rounded weed management plan for their soybean fields, Golden Harvest Soybean Product Manager Stephanie Porter explains how varieties with the Enlist E3 soybean trait technology along with integrated agronomic management practices can help farmers control the threat of weeds this growing season.
“Our Gold Series soybean lineup features varieties with elite genetics and great field performance, including some of our strongest performing Enlist E3 varieties in terms of weed control and yield potential,” said Porter. “For example, Golden Harvest soybean varieties GH2292E3, GH3132E3 and GH3762E3S offer consistent performance against weeds and strong agronomics.”
2021 trials1 showed that these varieties also deliver top yield performance, beating key competitors across the Midwest:
Golden Harvest soybean GH2292E3 brand outyielded Pioneer® P22T18E by 4.5 bushels per acre (bu/A) in 37 comparisons.
Golden Harvest soybean GH3132E3 brand outyielded Asgrow® AG30XF2 by 2.1 bu/A in 18 comparisons.
Golden Harvest soybean GH3762E3S brand outyielded Pioneer P35T01SE by 2.4 bu/A in 52 comparisons.
“Golden Harvest brand soybean varieties with the Enlist E3 soybean trait technology provide excellent yield potential and agronomics, and they allow farmers to use several herbicides with confidence,” Porter said.
Enlist E3 soybean varieties offer tolerance to three modes of action, including 2,4-D choline, glyphosate and glufosinate, delivering outstanding weed control with application flexibility. By choosing varieties with three different modes of action, farmers can better control problem weeds like giant ragweed, marestail and waterhemp.
Local Golden Harvest Seed Advisors can provide farmers with specific product recommendations to match their weed management program and environment.
Round out soybean weed management plans with agronomic practices
The next step in creating a diversified weed management program is to plan for and implement management practices. Golden Harvest Agronomist Nate Prater, who is based in southwestern Illinois, recommends practices such as narrow row spacing, herbicide applications, scouting and off-season considerations.
Narrow row spacing: Weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth love the sun and have a long germination period, but they can be managed with quick canopy closure. Implementing narrow row spacing promotes faster canopy closure and allows soybeans to outcompete any later emerging weeds.
“A Purdue University study2 shows that 15-inch rows close canopy nearly 25 days earlier than 30-inch rows,” said Prater. “In fields with larger row spacing, overlapping residual control becomes even more important.”
Herbicide application: Targeted weed control is nearly impossible without application of a herbicide with good residual activity and multiple modes of action.
“Farmers should ‘know their number’ by counting the number of effective sites of action they are planning to apply to each of their target weeds,” said Prater. “Overlapping residuals, even those with the same sites of action, increase that number because the applications are at different times and on different weeds to provide season-long weed control.”
For more help identifying the best herbicide options for your soybean fields, farmers can use this soybean herbicide program planning tool to discover products and create a flexible, integrated weed management plan.
Scouting: It’s important to scout soybean fields regularly throughout the growing season to put a quick end to weed breakouts and not allow weeds to go to seed.
“You have to stop weeds before they start to produce seeds to protect your soil biology for future seasons,” said Prater. “Weed species can vary greatly in the amount of time that their seeds remain viable in the soil. For example, pigweed and giant ragweed seeds have a soil viability of approximately two to four years.”
Off-season considerations: Rotating soybean acres with cover crops can suppress weeds by increasing competition. Implementing crop rotation also provides increased weed protection as it reduces the prospect that specific weed species will adapt to a farmer’s current weed management system.
“Reducing the number of opportunities for dominant weeds to continue exploiting soybeans’ resources is the key to keep weeds guessing,” said Prater. “Farmers need to protect their investment because the cost of preventing weed resistance is far less than weed resistance management.”
For more considerations as the 2022 growing season progresses, Golden Harvest offers a library of agronomy articles with actionable data and local insights to help manage fields for maximum yield potential. The Agronomy in Action 2022 Research Review also gives access to more insights and recommendations pertinent to your fields.
To find better solutions for your corn and soybean acres, contact a Golden Harvest Seed Advisor at GoldenHarvestSeeds.com.
