Profitable corn and soybean production depends on optimum weed control regardless of whether farmers till or not. In fact, weeds year in and year out are the most important pest we deal with in those two crops. Of course, weed control can also be important for optimum wheat and forage production, but both generally do a better job of out competing weeds than do corn or soybeans.

Farmers can access timely and comprehensive weed management recommendations for all crops by purchase of the 2011 Weed Control Guide for Ohio and Indiana. Available at county Extension offices, the 190-page publication provides an excellent “Weed Control Principles” section that we advise farmers to review annually.

A dozen or so pages hone in on important topics such as herbicide antagonism, herbicide-insecticide interactions, use precautions, sprayer calibration, nozzle tip selection and environmental concerns.

Detailed strategies on how to manage herbicide resistance in weed populations is also featured in this section. The very basic reminders on the value of crop and herbicide rotations and timely post-emergence practices, coupled with paragraphs identifying the herbicide site of action, help crop producers and dealers effectively reduce competition from challenging weed pests. Twenty-five tables comparatively rate herbicide performance in burn down, pre-plant, pre-emergence and post-emergence situations for various Corn Belt crops. Rainfast intervals and spray additives for weed control products as well as harvest and feeding intervals are stated in those tables.

This spiral bound bulletin addresses control of problem weeds in a 12-page section. Tackling crop enemies such as bindweed, dandelion, dogbane, marestail, Johnsongrass, nightshade, ragweed, and thistles take persistence, proper timing and optimum product selection. All are addressed in this area of the Weed Guide.

Led by Ohio State University Extension Weed Specialist Mark Loux and Purdue’s Extension Weed Specialist Bill Johnson, research and studies by them and numerous other Extension scientists are summarized in this publication. This is a “must have” resource for farmers and dealers to possess before designing 2011 weed management programs.

Champaign County Ag Agent Harold Watters will point out pertinent pages and tables in the guide during his “Resistant Weed Management” presentation at the Jan. 10 West Ohio Agronomy Day in Ft. Loramie, Ohio. Farmers and dealers can receive the Weed Control Guide as part of their registration charge at that program.

For more information and a tentative agenda for West Ohio Agronomy Day, please access the details at http://shelby.osu.edu or e-mail bender.5@cfaes.osu..edu

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.