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Learning From Success in Cotton

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The Enlist™ weed control system once again proved its worth in 2018. Cotton farmers continue to lead the way, adopting the technology successfully on a wide scale throughout the Cotton Belt. Enlist® cotton was the first Enlist crop out of the gate, and our experiences with it provide a number of lessons for farmers planting Enlist E3® soybeans.

As we prepare for the third full commercial year of Enlist cotton, we’ve seen tremendous growth and successful use of Enlist™ herbicides. In 2018, we sprayed enough Enlist herbicides to cover 1.5 million acres of PhytoGen® W3FE cottonseed, which includes the Enlist trait. Enlist cotton acres tripled vs. 2017.

The Enlist team keeps learning from experiences in the South, and we’ll use that knowledge to help growers, applicators and retailers succeed with Enlist E3 soybeans.

One system, three herbicide tolerances.
Like Enlist E3 soybeans, Enlist cotton features three herbicide tolerances: 2,4-D choline, glyphosate and glufosinate. Cotton growers are using Enlist One® and Enlist Duo® herbicides as cornerstones of a herbicide program approach. Growers who implement weed control programs delivering multiple modes of action not only obtain better weed control during the growing season but also help curb the development of resistant weeds in future years.

Tips for implementing the Enlist system in soybeans
With 2019 sales of Enlist E3 soybeans and a robust ramp-up plan for widespread availability of Enlist E3 soybeans starting in 2020, we’ve developed key takeaways to consider:

  1. Develop and follow a weed resistance management plan. This involves using multiple herbicide modes of action to control tough weeds in the current year while curbing the ability of weeds to develop resistance to effective herbicides. We strongly urge farmers to adopt a program approach that takes advantage of several modes of action.
  2. Pay attention to field planning as you incorporate this new trait technology. When choosing which fields to plant with varieties containing the Enlist® trait – or any herbicide trait – consider the surrounding landscape and any nearby susceptible crops or plants.
  3. Use the Enlist™ weed control system on areas of your operation that contain glyphosate-resistant weeds.
  4. Follow the label when applying Enlist herbicides. These products contain 2,4-D choline, which offers inherent low volatility, with Colex-D® technology for better handling and drift reduction. Always follow all label requirements for successful application. It’s critical to pay attention to wind speed and direction, equipment cleanout and environmental conditions. Farmers tell us when they follow the label, the system works.
  5. Fully utilize all trait tolerances. If you like glufosinate-tolerant soybeans, Enlist E3 soybeans are a natural next step. Farmers can tank-mix Enlist One herbicide with glufosinate or take advantage of the convenient blend of Enlist Duo herbicide to apply 2,4-D choline and glyphosate easily.
  6. Complete training before it’s time to spray. Farmers, applicators and retailers should find a training opportunity before using the Enlist™ weed control system. Visit the Enlist 360 training module to learn more.

You can evaluate new technology options and see how they fit your needs in your fields by better understanding how to use the technologies. The 2,4-D choline in Enlist herbicides is truly different from traditional forms of 2,4-D contained in other herbicides.

We’re very excited for the opportunities the Enlist weed control system and Enlist E3 soybeans can now provide farmers. We’re preparing the industry to succeed with these novel soybean varieties containing the Enlist trait. The entire Enlist team is committed to educating and training users how to incorporate the system confidently and successfully on their farms.

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