Syngenta Agronomist Emphasizes Early-Season Weed Control

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Syngenta agronomist Matt Geiger is urging Midwest growers to prioritize early-season weed management, even in a challenging farm economy. Geiger notes that modern tillage equipment often fails to fully eliminate weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, creating 'tillage escapes' that become much harder to control later. He recommends an early burndown with residual herbicide or spraying right ahead of tillage passes in both crops to prevent weed competition and maximize yields.

Why it matters

Effective early-season weed control is critical for Midwest farmers to protect crop yields, especially as herbicide-resistant weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth continue to spread. Geiger's advice highlights the need for a comprehensive weed management strategy that goes beyond just tillage.

The details

Geiger highlighted Storen herbicide, launched in 2025 for corn, which has shown up to three weeks longer residual on pigweeds, stronger activity on large-seeded broadleaves, improved grass control and far greater consistency - delivering over 95 percent weed control in one-pass programs more than 90 percent of the time.

• Planting is underway across the Midwest.

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