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New Herbicide Tolerance Trait for Soybeans

Thankfully, companies that support soybean production in the US have not quit developing new varieties and products that provide producers with new tools to combat weed and pest problems. In the area of weed control, this is especially important with the current and increasing presence of herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds.

On July 5, 2018, MS Technologies and Bayer announced commercialization of LibertyLink GT27 soybeans. Varieties with this weed control technology have a stacked trait that combines tolerance to Liberty (Group 10) and glyphosate (Group 9) herbicides, plus tolerance to isoxaflutole, the active ingredient in Balance Flexx herbicide (Group 27). The isoxaflutole application, which offers a new HPPDi mode of action for weed control in soybeans, is pending EPA approval. The new HPPDi herbicide under development for use in this system will be the first of its kind available for use in soybeans; more information about this new herbicide will be forthcoming.

LibertyLink GT27 soybeans will be the first to offer the trait that enables over-the-top application of both Liberty and glyphosate herbicides to soybeans, plus use of the in-development Group 27 herbicide that is pending approval. The companies anticipate a 2019 product launch.

The current label for Balance Flexx indicates it may be applied either preplant, preemergence, or early-postemergence in corn. It is listed as effective for controlling glyphosate-, PPO-, ALS-, and auxin-HR weed populations. Even more important, the label states that it will control problem broadleaf weeds such as Palmer amaranth and marestail, and problem grasses such as barnyardgrass, crabgrass, fall panicum, and broadleaf signalgrass. It may be tank-mixed or applied in sequential applications with other herbicides.

The availability of LibertyLink GT27 soybeans that contain tolerance to herbicides with these three modes of action will be a welcome addition to the weed control toolbox for soybeans in the Midsouth, and should offer a new option for management of HR weeds.

As Dr. Larry Steckel stated in his July 17 UTCrops blog post, “with the Engenia, Fexapan, and XtendiMax labels clearly in question for 2019, it is good that there is another possible Palmer amaranth management tool in soybean.”

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, July 2018, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net