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Information Source for 2,4-D Use and Issues

With the recent vacating of labels for dicamba herbicides, and the uncertainty of a forthcoming new label for these products, increased attention is being directed to Enlist soybean varieties that are tolerant to 2,4-D herbicide. This is especially important since many producers will be placing their 2021 seed orders in the coming weeks.

With the increased importance of 2,4-D as an alternate auxin herbicide that can be applied to 2,4-D-tolerant soybean varieties, it is important to know as much as possible about this ~75-year-old herbicide, and how it can be used in controlling herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds that have become problematic in all soybean production systems.

The 2,4-D Research Task Force (24d.org) has launched a website that contains the latest technical information about 2,4-D. This website, 24d.info, catalogues the regulatory decisions and scientific studies that provide supporting data for the continued use of the 2,4-D molecule. This website is especially important at this time because of EPA’s soon-to-be announced decision regarding re-registration of 2,4-D for use on 2,4-D-tolerant crops in the coming year. (The 24d.info site can also be accessed by clicking the “Technical Site” icon in the upper right corner on the first page of the 24d.org site.)

On the 24d.info website, there is a clickable category labeled “Economic Benefits Study” that contains a 2018 update of the 1996 publication titled “Biological and Economic Risk Assessment of Benefits from Use of Phenoxy Herbicides in the United States”. Each of the 14 chapters in this online update is clickable for downloading.

Chapter 4 titled “Use of 2,4-D and Other Phenoxy Herbicides in Field Corn, Soybean, Sorghum, and Peanut Production in the United States” authored by Dr. Wesley Everman of North Carolina State Univ. provides a complete summary of 2,4-D use on these crops and what the loss of this valuable weed management tool would mean to row crop producers. Dr. Everman provides a list of compelling reasons for maintaining the use of this valuable herbicide in production systems with each of the crops listed in the article title. Since the composition and publication of this chapter, the availability and use of 2,4-D-tolerant soybean varieties has placed increased importance on the continued availability of 2,4-D herbicide as a weed management tool for producers.

Soybean producers are encouraged to bookmark these sites so they will have access to the latest and best available information about 2,4-D and its future availability for use on tolerant soybean varieties.

For more seed selection information, read the article Selecting Soybean Seed for 2021 Plantings on this website.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Sept. 2020, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net