Enlist Cotton Ready to Launch for 2016
January 6, 2016 Dow AgroSciences announced that cotton growers will have access to the Enlist cotton technology in 2016.
As part of the Enlist weed control system, the Enlist cotton trait provides exceptional crop tolerance to Enlist Duo herbicide — a combination of glyphosate and new 2,4-D choline — and full tolerance to glufosinate herbicides.
Growers like Virginia-based Mike Griffin participated in the 2015 Enlist cotton grower research plots. Griffin understands the importance of continuing to develop new technology and is ready to use the Enlist system on more acres.
“We cannot stop innovating to find a way to be better and to do more with agriculture,” Griffin says. “The Enlist system specifically has been brought forward to help control weed species that have just been unmanageable. We look forward to using this technology to help us with those resistant and hard to control weeds.”
Enlist cotton will be available in proven, consistent, high-yielding PhytoGen cottonseed, and will be stacked with Genuity Roundup Ready Flex and WideStrike3 Insect Protection. Specific variety information will be announced soon.
“This marks the first trait within the Enlist weed control system to be launched,” says Brian Barker, U.S. seeds general manager, Dow AgroSciences. “Dow AgroSciences is excited to bring forward this innovative technology in PhytoGen cottonseed to U.S. cotton growers for the 2016 season. It provides the much-needed, improved weed control to help maximize yield.”
More than 84 million acres in the U.S. are infested with resistant and hard-to-control weeds, and cotton growers deal with some of the most difficult, including Palmer amaranth, marestail and giant ragweed. Texas farmer Jon Whatley and other participants in the Enlist cotton grower research plots saw the quick action of Enlist Duo on troublesome weeds.
“After application, we came back to the field a short time later and were amazed at how the weeds were already drooping and curling. Better yet, the Enlist cotton was thriving,” says Whatley. “Enlist Duo worked quickly, and that’s what we want to see so the cotton can grow without the weed competition.”
Enlist Duo herbicide is optimized for on-target application with Dow AgroSciences’ proprietary Colex-D technology, which minimizes the potential for physical drift, provides near-zero volatility, decreases odor and improves handling.
The diverse agricultural landscape throughout the Cotton Belt means specialty crops may be located near cotton acres. Mississippi grower Trey Koger, Ph.D., participated in the Enlist cotton grower research plots and says it is important to be mindful of neighbors’ crops when making a herbicide application.
“We have a lot of crops growing in close proximity to one another, such as rice, grain sorghum and peanuts,” Koger says. “I had no issues at all with drift or volatility with Enlist Duo. The Enlist cotton field shows that we’ll be able to utilize this technology to help us manage glyphosate-resistant and hard-to-control weeds.”
With tolerance to three distinct modes of action (2,4-D, glyphosate and glufosinate), Enlist cotton gives growers more flexibility in their weed control programs. Using multiple modes of action delivers proven results, controlling resistant weeds in the field while helping growers prevent resistance for seasons to come.
Enlist Duo herbicide is not yet registered for use with Enlist cotton. Dow AgroSciences is confident in the extensive data supporting Enlist Duo herbicide and provided additional data to the EPA to assure that the conditions of registered use of the product will continue to protect the environment, including threatened and endangered plant species.
With U.S. farmers’ need for access to Enlist Duo to control resistant weeds and the comprehensive assessments already conducted for the herbicide, Dow AgroSciences still anticipates registration in time for applications in 2016.
More information about the Enlist weed control system is available at the Enlist website, on YouTube and Twitter.
Source – Dow AgroSciences
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