Farmers Have More Options to Fight Weeds

Farmers looking for new tools to fight weed resistance across Latham Country now have another option to choose from. XtendiMax is a newly approved herbicide that can be worked into a rotation to help farmers fight weed year after year.

Just a few short months ago, we received news that Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® Soybean technology was approved for the 2017 planting season and necessary export channels. We are happy to announce that XtendiMax™ Herbicide with VaporGrip™ Technology is now approved by the EPA for in-crop use.

XtendiMax™ Herbicide with VaporGrip™ Technology can be described as a low volatile formulation of dicamba. This new tool assists in the fight against weeds, enabling the in-crop use of approved dicamba. However, the current EPA label approves the use of this dicamba-only formulation and does not allow for tank mixes with other herbicides or adjuvants, including glyphosate.  This may change as Monsanto and other chemical manufacturers plan to submit data to the EPA for tank mixes.  Growers can go to RoundupReadyXtend.com to view the latest developments.

The XtendiMax® label has very specific regulations. It is important to read thoroughly and take note of these practices to mitigate migration. I can’t emphasize enough the importance to follow all of these instructions to allow farmers to continue using this tool. A few of the key points include:

  • No application from aircraft
  • No application when wind speed is over 15 mph
  • Application with only approved nozzles at specified pressures
  • Implementation of buffer areas
  • No tank mixes
  • Application timing up to and including the R1 stage of development for soybean.

While the herbicide still warrants some caution, we are more excited than ever about our line of Latham® Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybean brands. Latham customers have come to expect strong genetics and disease packages from our company, and the 2016 F.I.R.S.T. trial tests have confirmed that our Xtend® soybean lineup is second to none!

This year, we had a total of nine Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® Soybean varieties in F.I.RS.T. trials, with maturities ranging from 0.7 to 3.0. We have won seven Top 1, 2, and 3’s in F.I.R.S.T. Trials, and 28 Top 10’s! Look up area specific soybean data for your area here.

The future for breaking yield barriers and building on current progress in soybean technology is bright. Latham Hi-Tech Seeds is positioned to remain on the cutting edge of the newest and best the industry has to offer. While it’s fun winning yield trials, and showcasing new products, it’s more important that we win on your farm. Contact your Latham representative for information on which of these Xtend products might be the best fit for your farm.