A dry fall and late spring may be causing a unique issue for sugarbeet farmers. Extension sugarbeet agronomist Tom Peters is seeing some injury in sugarbeet stands. “Our herbicides are normally broken down by soil microbes and microbes need water. They were largely ineffective in the fall at breaking down herbicides.” Snow on fields until late April and cooler soils late into spring also slowed herbicide breakdown before planting. “In most years we wouldn’t expect problems. This is just a consequence of the last eight or nine months. Sugarbeets are very sensitive so we’re seeing some injury in certain situations.” Listen to the full conversation with Tom Peters here.
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