Cereal growers in Canada have a new option against herbicide-resistant weeds

On July 16, 2024, The Crop Science division of Bayer announced registration of Huskie™ PRE pre-burn herbicide in Western Canada for pre-emergent application on barley, triticale and wheat (spring, winter, durum) fields. Huskie PRE is the first pre-burn herbicide of its kind available in Western Canada, combining powerful Group 6 bromoxynil and Group 27 pyrasulfotole. Cereal growers now have more early-season control in managing herbicide-resistant broadleaf weeds, including kochia. Huskie PRE offers unmatched flexibility in combatting resistance, with various modes of action – helping growers stand up to their most pressing in-field issues. Herbicide-resistant broadleaf weeds have diminished cereal yields by more than 20 per cent, since 2022.1 Emerging weed resistance issues, particularly with kochia, show in-crop application is not always enough.

″Tank mixes currently available are limited in their effectiveness against kochia resistant to both Group 2 and Group 9 herbicides,″ says Ashley Smith, Crop Protection West Marketing Manager at Bayer. ″Huskie PRE fills that critical gap for growers by delivering fast, reliable early-season control of broadleaf weeds, including those resistant to Groups 2, 4, 5, 9, and 14. We’re excited to deliver this new innovation to help strengthen the pre-burn toolbox for cereal growers across Western Canada.″

Huskie PRE is designed to work side-by-side with Roundup^® to deliver robust control over the broadest spectrum of weeds, including kochia, wild buckwheat, hemp – nettle and volunteer canola. Combined with Roundup Weathermax, it delivers an over 93 per cent control rate with kochia and more than 94 per cent for broadleaf weeds overall.

The strong early-season control exhibited by Huskie PRE pays dividends throughout the season by strengthening the critical weed-free period, improving in-crop herbicide applications and supporting weed management strategies. An Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) formulation, Huskie PRE is also known for its ease of use through handling, mixing and an easier tank and boom cleanout than many pre-burn products on the market today.

The Huskie PRE launch forms part of the ongoing commitment from Bayer to innovation, and to helping growers achieve strong yields. By incorporating Huskie PRE into their broadleaf weed management strategy, growers can rest assured that their crops are focusing on yield production instead of outcompeting weeds for limited resources.

Huskie PRE will be available for the 2025 growing season in a 20-acre jug, 320-acre drum and a 1,000-acre tote options. 

GROWER TESTIMONIALS

Growers who participated in pre-commercial trials are already benefiting from the uniquely powerful protection of Huskie PRE:

″This is a tool to stay on top of kochia… don’t get resistance... we declared war on kochia, it has to be top of mind.″ – Grower, Saskatchewan

″Gives a new mode of action for the pre-seed burnoff application in front of cereals that we haven’t had access to before.″ – Grower, Manitoba, 2024 Front Row Experience Demo

″Good product, smoked the weeds and was easy to use″ – Grower, Manitoba, 2024 Front Row Experience Demo

Works cited: ″Kochia Yield Losses Can Be High - Canadian Agronomist.″ Canadian Agronomist – Digging into Research, 27 June 2022, canadianagronomist.ca/kochia-yield-losses-can-be-high/.

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