Grainswest - Winter 2026

Winter 2026 grainswest.com 39 “We want as much crop competition as possible, because it is the best weed control option.” —Craig Shand START WITH A PLAN Cremona area farmer and agronomist Craig Shand said, as of this year, herbicide resistant wild oats occur in 11 per cent of his clients’ fields. Many now find Group 1 and Group 2 herbicides no longer effective against this weed. “Farmers need to take weed management seriously,” said Shand. “We need to implement new strategies to proactively protect what still works, and in some cases, reactively manage the weed problems that are already there.” Start planning for next season as soon as harvest wraps up, Shand advised. Calculate your moves by field, soil type, zone and fertility and account for seed variety selection and optimal seeding rates. “We need a good crop management plan that farmers can easily execute,” he said. Weed management tools can be used individually or in an integrated approach within a crop management plan. “We want as much crop competition as possible, because it is the best weed control option.” Shand noted that less competitive crops such as peas, lentils and flax will not compete as strongly with weeds compared to cereals and canola. Delaying seeding, especially when dealing with wild oats can be helpful and establish a clean field for crop emergence. The addition of crops such as greenfeed, perennial forages or winter cereals to the rotation is also effective, especially against wild oats. Consider all herbicide options, including multiple timings and applications such as soil-applied pre-emergent, pre- seed and post-harvest passes to keep the weeds guessing. Adjustment of application timing and a pre-emergent and/or residual product can leverage herbicide success. Shand believes crop rotation is the most critical component of an IWM plan. Without it, the likelihood of weed resistance multiplies. Diverse crop rotation can help maintain effectiveness of herbicide groups. Groups should be rotated and not overused while multiple groups can be added to the tank to diversify actives. “Throw something different at the weeds by rotating and mixing,” said Shand. And of course, follow product labels when tank mixing. Five or six times per season, Shand will scout fields to measure the success of management efforts. This includes tracking emerging or encroaching weeds and following up with herbicide resistance testing. He also assesses herbicide efficacy after applications to detect escapes and plan remedial treatment when necessary. All this shapes the ongoing weed management plan. Shand recommends older but proven herbicides such as Avadex, Edge and Fortress as a base layer for early weed removal. Establishment of 80 per cent weed control using a pre-emergent layer takes the pressure off the in-season or post-emergent application. Mechanical weed removal isn’t always feasible, Shand acknowledged, but he noted mowing patches of established weeds before seeds set can be effective, especially along headlands or in saline areas. Tillage can work in the right situation, as can weed patch management using silage or greenfeed. These strategies are most effective against wild oats and kochia. “An effective weed management strategy means considering every tool available, not just herbicides, and requires field-specific information,” said Shand. BETTER WITH DATA A Strathmore area farmer and agrologist who specializes in precision agronomy across southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Matt Gosling strongly emphasized the necessity of IWM strategies. “No farm is the same, and almost everything we achieve in each crop is directly related to what has been done in previous years,” he said. “It’s why weed management has become such an intensive job.” A diverse crop rotation is one of the best agronomic management tools, especially if fall crops and forages are included, said Gosling. Next is alternating chemical groups annually and resistance testing of weeds that escape herbicide applications. He noted while weed testing can be costly, applying ineffective herbicides is more so. Also highly rated, increased seeding rate and timing, especially for cereals, enables effective crop establishment that out- competes weeds.