The government's Environmental Protection Agency registration for use of Touchdown 5 herbicide over the top of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans was recently granted to Zeneca Ag Products. Introduced as a burndown for no-till corn and soybeans in 1996, this registration allows Midwestern bean growers to apply the herbicide over any variety of these soybeans.

“Touchdown offers soybean growers a powerful new choice,” says Chuck Foresman, Zeneca technical business lead. “It’s a unique alternative to ordinary glyphosate that rapidly penetrates into weeds and provides broad-spectrum weed control, and in some instances, better control.”

A systemic non-selective herbicide, Touchdown through its unique, patented active ingredient, sulfosate, provides quick intake into target weeds. Weed control symptoms will be visible in 4 to 7 days after application for grasses and 10 to 20 days for most broadleaf weeds and perennials.

Effectively controlling 125 species of emerged annual and perennial grasses, broadleaves and sedges, the compound can be tankmixed with 10 other soybean herbicides. Providing excellent control of smartweed, Touchdown has no effect on crop growth or yield, performs well under a variety of weather conditions and is rainfast in 1 hour for a number of annual grasses and 2 hours for many broadleaves and perennials.

“In most soybean fields, Touchdown alone will provide complete weed control,” says Foresman. “But where appropriate, Zeneca recommends and supports the use of Touchdown in combination with other herbicides, including sequential pre-emergence treatments or post-emerge tankmixes.”

Touchdown can be applied at 1.2 to 3.2 pints per acre between cracking and full…