FMC Offers new postemergence herbicide option for peanut growers

The label for Anthem^® Flex herbicide from FMC has been expanded to include at-cracking applications and postemergence applications in peanuts. Anthem Flex herbicide provides long residual control of grasses and small-seeded broadleaf weeds with burndown activity on emerged broadleaf weeds. The active ingredients in Anthem Flex herbicide are pyroxasulfone (Group 15) and carfentrazone-ethyl (Group 14).

“Anthem Flex herbicide offers control of pigweed species including ALS- and glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth,” says Bruce Stripling, FMC regional technical service manager. “It also offers suppression of Texas panicum.”

Palmer amaranth and Texas panicum are highly competitive weeds peanut growers need to keep in check. A layered residual herbicide program is the best approach, according to Eric Castner, FMC regional technical service manager. “With its low use rate, liquid formulation and long residual, Anthem Flex herbicide fits into existing sequential peanut herbicide programs and is an excellent tank-mix partner with other postemergence peanut herbicides,” Castner states. The use of an adjuvant is recommended.

The re-crop interval following Anthem Flex herbicide in peanuts at the 3.5 fl. oz./A use rate is two months to cotton and one month to wheat, providing growers excellent crop rotation flexibility. Please refer to the Anthem Flex herbicide label for specific application and rotation cropping instructions.

In addition to postemergence use in peanuts, Anthem Flex herbicide also received a label expansion for weed control in dry/field peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans and sunflowers, and continues to be labeled for use in spring wheat, winter wheat, fallow, corn and cotton.

Bar graph caption: The orange bars show Anthem^® Flex herbicide applied both early postemergence and postemergence delivered control of Palmer amaranth, annual grasses, small-flower morningglory and Florida beggarweed. Replacing Dual Magnum® herbicide with Anthem Flex herbicide in this University of Georgia peanut herbicide program resulted in comparable weed control.

Photo caption: Control of broadleaf and annual grasses, including Palmer amaranth, and suppression of Texas panicum, was achieved when the preemergence herbicide treatment – Prowl^® herbicide + Gramoxone^® SL herbicide – was followed by an early postemergence application of Anthem^® Flex herbicide + Storm^® herbicide, later followed by a postemergence application of Anthem Flex herbicide + Cadre^® herbicide. - 2018 University of Georgia Peanut Herbicide Trial – Tifton, GA – Dr. Eric Prostko