REGINA – Pre-harvest use of Roundup is growing at a phenomenal rate, according to weed control specialists in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
And while a dramatically lower price for the herbicide explains some of the boom, a “revolution in farming” has created a demand that is not likely to dissipate, said Saskatchewan Wheat Pool crop protection manager Eric Gustafson.
He estimated Round-up use has tripled in the last five years. Alberta Agriculture weed specialist Denise Maurice guessed its use there has doubled.
With more farmers tilling less and direct seeding each year, producers are relying on herbicides to control weed growth, Gustafson said. One weed in particular has been driving many producers to distraction, he said.
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“The Canada thistle have really taken off,” he said, but with a pre-harvest treatment of Roundup, excellent control for the next year can be achieved.
At harvest time, weeds such as Canada thistle are producing food in their leaves which they transfer to their roots. The glyphosate in Roundup is absorbed by the leaves and shipped down to the roots where it kills the plant.
Maurice said pre-harvest Roundup is also gaining popularity with producers because it can often be more effective than fall herbicide treatments as cold weather can hamper herbicide application.
As well, custom applicators with high-clearance sprayers allow producers more choice of when to spray, she said.
Both Gustafson and Maurice said a price drop for Roundup has helped fuel the boom. Gustafson said a few years ago Roundup sold for about $25 per litre, but it now sells for about $8.95 per litre.
Jeff More, Roundup marketing manager for Monsanto, said the price drop is a strategy designed to boost volumes by lowering prices.
Some farmers have also been using Roundup as a desiccant, a practice Maurice and Gustafson said should be used cautiously. With green crops or crops affected by second-growth, Round-up can speed drydown, the process of drying out dead plants. But the herbicide needs 10 days to act so little advantage is gained for average crops, they said.
“If they’re realistic about their expectations then they won’t be concerned, but if they’re thinking they’re going to get a Reglone (brand) kind of desiccation then they’re missing the boat,” said Maurice.
More agreed: “If you just want a fast drydown with no weed control, then you probably don’t want Roundup.”
