Posted: August 18, 2010

The Canola Council of Canada is offering a couple "quick hitters" on spraying approaches in its Canola Watch 16 report:

On late season spraying. The first tip, for late season spraying, is to adhere to pre-harvest intervals, which refers to the number of days that the crop should NOT be harvested after application of a pesticide. Harvest in this context means cutting or swathing, so this could also be called the pre-cutting interval. If the crop is harvested before the indicated interval has elapsed, there could be unsafe or unacceptable residues of the pesticide remaining in or on the harvested seeds. Pre-harvest intervals are listed on the labels of pesticides and under the "Restrictions" section of individual product descriptions in provincial guides to crop protection.

"Take note of the required pre-harvest interval and allow adequate time before harvest," the Canola Council advises. "Also, ensure that the product is registered for the intended use and registered to be used on the crop at that stage. Following pre-harvest intervals is critical to keeping all canola Export Ready."

On pre-harvest control vs. desiccation. With swathing imminent in many regions, there are lots of questions about pre-harvest weed control vs. desiccation. Glyphosate is not a desiccant and will not hasten seed maturity, reminds the Canola Council. Glyphosate for pre-harvest weed control in canola should be applied at 30 percent seed moisture which is about 30 to 40 percent seed colour change. Key tips include to:

• Apply seven days before swathing for full translocation within the target weeds, generally Canada thistle and quackgrass.
• Research has shown that post-harvest can be the best time to control dandelion.
• This year's thin fields have high weed populations in some cases. If desiccation is required to manage uneven maturity in glyphosate tolerant crops, Reglone can be applied but will only provide top-growth dry down for weeds.

"Scout fields thoroughly to know what weeds are present and what product or timing is needed."

View the full Canola Watch 16 on the Canola Council of Canada website.

Posted: August 18, 2010

Providing a one-stop information source for a wide variety of pesticide users is the target of a new website focused on stewardship.

The Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) has announced the launch of a new Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (PES) website, located at pesticidestewardship.org.

The site is designed for anyone who applies, sells, stores, or disposes of pesticides; provides advice or training on pesticide use; or is involved in pesticide stewardship or regulation.

"Our ultimate goal is to cover the basic tenets that apply regardless of who you are, where you live or the pest you're trying to control," says Wayne Buhler of North Carolina State University, PES national coordinator and a Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for North Carolina. "There are fundamental principles and practices to be aware of whether you are protecting agricultural crops, homegrown vegetables, a lawn or golf course. We hope that whenever the choice is made to use a pesticide, good stewardship practices will be followed."

A pesticide resistance management topic is currently under development. Future plans include educational quizzes to reinforce important stewardship concepts and self-assessment tools to evaluate personal stewardship practices.

A news release on the launch is available on the Weed Science Society of America website.