Forage Restrictions Amended For Cereal Herbicides

 DR. J.D. GREEN

PRINCETON, KY. & LEXINGTON, KY.

    Recent changes in labeling for certain DuPont cereal herbicides now allow small grain growers the opportunity to treat wheat, barley, or triticale and harvest the crop as a forage. Specific herbicides affected by these changes include Harmony SG, Harmony Extra SG, and Express with TotalSol. The new forage restrictions are highlighted below:

   “Allow at least 7 days between application and grazing of treated forage. In addition, allow at least 7 days between application and feeding of forage from treated areas to livestock. Allow at least 30 days between application and feeding of hay from treated areas to livestock. Harvested straw may be used for bedding and/or feed.”

   NOTE – The restriction interval for hay concerns the amount of time between application and feeding the crop to livestock. Therefore, if a grower cuts wheat for hay 20 days after application; he needs to wait an additional 10 days after cutting before the treated crop can be fed as hay to livestock (i.e. 30 days between application and feeding hay).

   The following definitions are based on EPA's interpretation and help clarify the label restrictions:

   Forage – Samples cut at the 6 to 8 inch growth stage up to stem elongation (jointing) stage, at approximately 25 percent dry matter (DM).

   Hay – Samples at the early flower (boot) up to soft dough stage. Hay should be field-dried to a moisture content of 10-20 percent.

   Straw – Cut plant residue (dried stalks or stems with leaves) left after grain has been harvested (threshed)

   Labels for Harmony Extra SG and Express with TotalSol were also amended in regards to the preharvest interval for grain. These two products require at least 45 days between application and harvesting cereal crops for grain. Δ

Dr. Jim Martin is Extension Weed Scientist with the University of Kentucky at Princeton and J.D. Green is Extension Weed Scientist with the University of Kentucky at Lexington.