A trial was conducted to evaluate different herbicide combinations for control of kochia in spring wheat. Wheat was planted on April 28, 2021. Herbicides were applied on June 2, 2021 at the early-tiller stage of wheat maturity. At time of application, kochia height averaged 3.4 inches, common mallow height averaged 2.4 inches, and field bindweed runners averaged 6.4 inches in length. Due to the hot and dry conditions following herbicide application, weeds became stressed due to lack of soil moisture. Under these conditions, many of the systemic type herbicides did not perform as well as would be expected under more favorable growing conditions. Under these conditions herbicide combinations that included bromoxynil, which is a primarily a contact herbicide, often performed better than those with systemic herbicides alone (such as fluroxypyr, or MCPA). This was especially true for kochia control. Even while there were differences in weed control, there were no differences in wheat height or yield due to herbicide treatments. Lack of differences in yield may be due to the high amount of yield variability due to the drought conditions which severely limited crop production.
