Features Herbicides Seed & Chemical
Innovations with IMI chemistry

Few herbicides have revolutionized crop production the way Odyssey changed
pea production. Prior to its release in 1997, producers in the Brown and Dark
Brown soil zones could only grow field peas in their cleanest fields. Its one
pass, season long weed control made growing peas easier and acreage exploded
across the prairies.

In the years since, producers have continued to diversify their crop rotations
with the result that their agronomic needs have also evolved. The continued
diversification has placed increased importance on residual activity –
some clearly want it and need it, while others are looking for less of it so
as not to restrict future planting options. In 2006, BASF is introducing a new
Group 2 product, Solo, to meet the needs of this latter group of growers.

"Residual herbicides are highly effective at controlling a wide range
of weed species at relatively low rates, and they provide this control in crops
that often have limited herbicide options," says Eric Johnson, weed biologist
with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). "On the other side of the
equation, depending on a number of environmental factors, there can be carry-over.
Growers then have to look not only at the label recommendations but also understand
their local environmental factors as they determine which crop they seed."

"Solo offers growers reliable grassy weed control, selective broadleaf
control and less residual activity," says Mark Kuchuran, technical specialist
with BASF. The company conducted 45 large scale field pea demos and 15 Clearfield
canola demos across Saskatchewan in the summer of 2005 and Solo performed very
well. It controls key grassy weeds like wild oats (including Group 1 resistant
wild oats), volunteer wheat, volunteer barley and green foxtail. Solo also controls
broadleaf weeds like cow cockle, green smartweed, lamb's quarters, redroot pigweed,
shepherd's purse, stinkweed and volunteer non-Clearfield canola.

"Solo did an unbelievable job on the grassy weeds. It did an excellent
job on the broadleaves that were up too," says David Nagel. The Mossbank,
Saskatchewan farmer was one of the 45 who conducted a Solo field demonstration
on peas.

Daniel Flynn, a farmer near Beechy, Saskatchewan, was another of those who
conducted a Solo demonstration in peas. Flynn was looking for a weed control
option in field peas that offered Odyssey's initial weed control but would not
have any carryover. Solo was able to provide it. "I look for an initial
good kill when I spray my peas," Flynn says. "If I get good early
weed control, my peas can establish a good strong foothold. Once they canopy,
they will remain competitive for the rest of the year. Since I farm in the Brown
soil zone and deal with semi-dry conditions one out of three years, I'm not
as concerned about multiple flushes of weeds."

"Solo gives producers a choice," says Michael Schaad, manager of
pulses and oilseed herbicides with BASF. "If they want to have season long
residual control, they can use Odyssey, if not they can use Solo. They can choose
the option that will best meet their needs, depending on their land, their rotation
and their weed situation."

Like Odyssey, Solo can be applied from the one to six, above ground node stage
in field peas and the two to six leaf stage in Clearfield canola. "Producers
who sprayed at the recommended application time saw excellent weed control,"
Kuchuran says. "We left a check strip in each field and these were full
of weeds like stinkweed and wild oats throughout the season."

"Solo gave me excellent control in 2005," Flynn says. "I think
anybody who's farming in the Brown soil zone should take a good hard look at
Solo. Margins are getting smaller all the time and my narrowest margin is on
my durum. I can't afford to take a chance on losing durum yield to carryover.
I'll be using Solo on every pea acre I have next year."

Product approval

BASF is bringing another new herbicide product to the market, Odyssey
DLX. This herbicide has been developed to deliver extended control of
grassy weeds as well as multiple flushing broadleaf weeds.

Odyssey DLX is a one pass, post-emergence herbicide. Its broadleaf weed
control spectrum is similar to Odyssey: chickweed, cleavers, stinkweed,
volunteer canola, stork's bill and redroot pigweed. It features two modes
of action for enhanced grassy weed control and resistance management.

Odyssey DLX will also control wild oats (including Group 1 resistant
wild oats), green foxtail, volunteer barley and volunteer Clearfield wheat.