Is Atrazine Safe To Spray On Sunflowers?

The Clearfield® herbicide is a versatile tool for controlling small weeds in sunflowers, used as a pre-plant or pre-emerge burn down. It can be used with various soil-applied herbicides, such as EPTC (Eptam), ethalfluralin (Sonalan), S-metolachlor (Dual Magnum), pendimethalin (Prowl H2O), sulfentrazone (Spartan), and trifluralin (Treflan and wild sunflower). To maintain the yield and quality potential of your sunflowers, a comprehensive weed management strategy that includes timely herbicide applications, the right tank mix partners, and crop rotation can be employed.

Plants with the Express® trait can be sprayed from V2 to pre-bud, while the Clearfield® trait can be sprayed from V2 to V8 with the Beyond herbicide. To preserve the efficacy of the ExpressSun® trait, producers must follow specific guidelines. There are three major options for weed control in sunflowers: tilling or hoeing between the rows, using chemicals, or using a Clearfield sunflower variety. However, the use of Assert herbicide also carries the risk of serious crop injury, particularly if applied under high pressure.

Sunflowers are sensitive to 2,4-D and clopyralid herbicides, like soybean and dicamba, and are also sensitive to dicamba, SU’s, atrazine, and other herbicides. A 12 month interval is generally recommended before planting sunflower after atrazine application. Spray when the crop has 4-6 fully expanded leaves and secondary roots have developed, and do not add surfactants or crop oil. If rotating to winter cereal crops, reduce the period between sowing time and herbicide application.

Is atrazine safe around trees?

The chemical atrazine, found in weed-and-feed products, can damage trees and shrubs and, if used on lawns, eventually kill them. Research suggests cancerous threats to wildlife, but the threat to trees and shrubs is the most passionate concern. Atrazine-based weed-and-feeds are like a drug to a lawn, as lawns addicted to the chemical need more to achieve a weed-free green. Excessive use leads to sickly trees. The chemical’s label on a bag should scare you.

What can I spray on my sunflower leaves?

Organic treatments like neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and diatomaceous earth can be used as natural bodyguards against pests. Maintaining a healthy sunflower is crucial for its protection from pests. Proper nutrition, adequate watering, and good soil conditions can make it less tempting. The IPM philosophy emphasizes “do no harm”, with chemical pesticides being the nuclear option, but they can cause potential collateral damage. These methods can help prevent pest infestations.

Can I spray Clethodim on sunflowers?

Clethodim is a selective herbicide used to control grass weeds in various crops like soybeans, cotton, lentils, peas, peanuts, and sunflowers. It is mixed with water and applied using a sprayer post-emergence to inhibit weed growth. It can also control volunteer corn. Farmers should apply clethodim once grass weeds have emerged and are in early growth stages. The best time to apply clethodim is when weather conditions are favorable, with no rain forecast for at least 24 hours. Monitoring wind conditions and using best application practices is recommended to minimize drift.

What herbicide is safe for sunflowers?

A tank-mix of Dual plus Spartan, applied pre-emergence and post-emergence of Beyond, represents an efficacious herbicide program for Clearfield sunflowers. It is advisable to avoid the excessive use of off-label “IMI” herbicides and to adhere to the prevailing hunting regulations pertaining to the planting and manipulation of food plots. For further information, please consult the relevant fact sheet. It is also recommended to exercise caution and adhere to safety protocols during hunting season.

How do you treat fungus on sunflower leaves?

Downy mildew is a disease that affects sunflowers and other plants, causing them to wither and die. To treat it, apply fungicide and remove infected leaves carefully. This can take several attempts. Plants should be spaced apart, especially in high humidity areas. Leaf spots, which can be fungal, bacterial, or viral, can also affect sunflowers. These brown, circular spots can vary in size and shape, making identification difficult.

What is the most common pest in sunflowers?

Insect pests are a significant challenge in Texas sunflower production, with 15 of the 50 insect species recorded on sunflowers being potentially major. The sunflower moth is the most common pest, while stem weevils, seed weevils, stalk girdlers, and thistle caterpillars are occasional but serious pests. Both oilseed and non-oilseed sunflowers are grown in Texas, with oilseed seeds containing 38 to 50 percent oil used for bird feed and confectionery seeds used for various food products.

Sunflowers are suitable for spring planting or second crops after wheat, and are drought-tolerant, making them an attractive dryland crop in areas with limited irrigation. They also respond well under full irrigation.

When should I apply atrazine?

The application of treatments during the early spring or dormant periods, when weeds are small or not emerging, has been demonstrated to yield the most optimal results. It is advisable to refrain from applying more than two treatments per year.

Is atrazine banned in Europe?

Atrazine, an endocrine-disrupting herbicide banned in Europe, is the second-most widely used weed killer in the U. S., with over 70 million pounds applied annually. It is linked to various cancers, premature birth, and birth defects. Atrazine has been banned in the European Union since 2004 and is one of the most commonly reported contaminants in groundwater and public drinking water in the U. S. It is primarily used on sugarcane, soy, sorghum, and corn crops, with over 65% of all corn crops treated with the herbicide. It is also used for golf courses, fields, and residential and commercial lawn spaces.

What can you spray atrazine on?

Over 300 products containing atrazine are available for professional and residential use, and can be used on soil, roadsides, lawns, athleticfields, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, macadamia nuts, guava, or wheat stubble after harvest. These products can be granules, liquids, concentrates, or ready-to-use sprays. Atrazine interferes with photosynthesis in some broadleaf plants and grasses, causing the plant to dry out and die. Older leaves may be affected more than new ones, while root growth is not affected.

The EPA sets legal limits for pesticides in food and drinking water, known as tolerances. Each pesticide has its own tolerance for each crop it can be used on, and in water, these limits may be called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), health advisories (HA), or other names. The amount allowed in water is specifically regulated for some pesticides, while health advisories are issued for others.

Can atrazine be used as post emergence herbicide?

Atrazine is an effective treatment for small emerged broadleaf weeds, providing preemergence activity and avoiding soil restrictions due to potential crop injury. However, it should be applied postemergence to avoid crop rotation restrictions. Clarity® (dicamba) or 2, 4-D amine are effective treatments for most broadleaf weeds, but they can cause crop injury and yield reduction. To reduce injury risk, apply Clarity or 2, 4-D after all sorghum has emerged but before the height exceeds 8 to 10 inches.

Surfactants and other adjuvants are not recommended as they tend to increase crop injury. Weeds less than 4 inches tall are easier to control than larger weeds, so consider applying them at reduced rates in combination with other products, especially atrazine or Peak. A combination treatment of atrazine, dicamba, or 2, 4-D with bromoxynil can be an effective treatment, adjusted based on weed size and potential atrazine carryover risk.

Why we should stop using atrazine?

Atrazine can affect human health by altering the reproductive system, leading to increased risk of pre-term delivery in couples living on farms using it for weed control. These studies are difficult to interpret due to the presence of men who may have been exposed to various pesticides. Atrazine has been shown to cause changes in blood hormone levels in animals, which affect reproduction. However, some specific effects observed in animals are unlikely to occur in humans due to biological differences. Atrazine may affect the reproductive system in humans by a different mechanism. It has also caused liver, kidney, and heart damage in animals, which may be possible in humans.

There is not enough information to definitively state whether atrazine causes cancer in humans. Studies indicate a link between atrazine use and some types of cancer, but the information is not specific enough to make a definitive connection. An increased risk of developing mammary tumors was observed in one strain of female rats, but it is unlikely that humans would develop this type of cancer following atrazine exposure.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that atrazine is not classifiable as carcinogenic to humans based on inadequate evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals.