01/15/08 Learning how to deal with Roundup Ready sugarbeets

Nearly all of the Amalgamated Sugar Company beets planted this year will be Roundup Ready. That's why Don Morishita of the University of Idaho was giving growers information last week about the research he's conducted on this new technology. At the Twin Falls conference growers learned about tank mixes with other pest control products, the critical period for weed control, the value of cultivation and what not to do with Roundup. MORISHITA "Not to apply if you have dust on the plants or if you do apply when there's dust on the plants you can get reduced weed control and some of these guys are going to be forced into making these applications just because of the timing of application, the weeds get to a certain height. They're got to get these herbicides on and if the plants are a little on the dusty side, make sure they include ammonia sulfate with that application and that has helped overcome some of the dust on the plants. Now that's not 100 percent full proof. It depends on how much dust is accumulated on the leaf surface." Morishita says his research into Roundup Ready sugarbeets is far from over. He plans to do a lot more this year. MORISHITA "We're really venturing into some new areas here even though Roundup has been around for a long time. Adding some of these particular pesticides and other additives for weed control in sugarbeets is some new territory." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott