Lyndall Dallas, Corteva Agriscience™ Enlist™ Field Specialist, offers insights on the first year of commercial Enlist E3 soybean planting
2019 was an exciting year for Enlist E3™ soybeans, because it was our first year having the product in commercial fields. The performance results from the NuTech territory exceeded our expectations. We saw good yields in NuTech plots, customer fields and public plots. Considering what a challenging year it was, with a lot of late planting across the area, the results were very positive.
In addition to yield, weed control was also very good. With all the planting delays, by the time post-planting herbicide applications were underway, it was late spring/early summer and weeds were already growing rapidly. Still, Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides did a great job controlling weeds, even with the later start.
We heard from growers that they like the flexibility of the Enlist system. The reduced risk of physical drift and near-zero volatility of Enlist herbicides mean there aren’t as many spray restrictions as with other systems. And Enlist E3 soybeans have that three-way tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and 2,4-D choline providing lots of options for growers.
I’ll often tell growers to remember to use a program approach with Enlist E3 soybeans. Start clean in the spring with a burndown or mechanical weed control, get a residual down for those early weeds, and then apply post-emergence before the weeds get to 5-6 inches in height. If you do all of those things, not only will you get great weed control, you’ll maintain the integrity of the Enlist system so it stays viable for growers for a long time.
In terms of agronomics, growers should always pay attention to the disease tolerance packages available on the various Enlist E3 varieties and use those to their advantage. In 2020, there are more varieties and agronomic options available, so look at what’s right for your field conditions and pressures. Your NuTech sales and agronomy teams can help you with selections.
Looking ahead, as early adopters share their positive experiences with Enlist E3 soybeans and more growers get familiar with the Enlist system, we expect use of Enlist E3 soybeans to grow across the Corn Belt. There will be more supply and more varieties to choose from in 2020. And we’re looking forward to what the Enlist experience will be like in a more “normal” season, perhaps where growers can even get their seed in the ground a little early.
I want to remind first-time Enlist E3 soybean growers not to forget about the advantages of Enlist herbicides in burndown. A lot of farmers may be considering using a generic 2,4-D for burndown, but the low volatility and reduced drift with Enlist herbicides isn’t only helpful mid-season—it can make your burndown process easier, too. Plus, there’s no plant-back restriction with Enlist E3 soybeans, so you’ve got a little more flexibility with finding a great day to spray your burndown. Then you can get right out there and plant your Enlist E3 soybeans to maximize those spring planting windows.
I also can’t stress enough how important it is to use multiple modes of action on your fields. Never spray Enlist One®, which is a straight-goods 2,4-D choline, by itself on your fields. Tank-mix it with any of the large number of tank-mix partners you can find on EnlistTankMix.com. Enlist Duo® is a conveniently pre-mixed blend of 2,4-D choline and glyphosate for two modes of action.
With any new weed control system, there’s a lot to learn, but there’s also help available. Your NuTech sales team is very well-informed, and I’m here to back them up and keep them up-to-date on everything Enlist. You’ll also find a brand-new 2020 Product Use Guide and lots of resources on Enlist.com. We want to make sure everyone has what they need to have a really successful second commercial season with Enlist E3 soybeans.