Control of Volunteer Canola in Dry Pea, Flax, Soybean, Corn and Sunflower
Brian Jenks, North Dakota State University - $12,300

Canola and crambe are known to volunteer for one or more years after production. In the early and mid-90s, volunteer canola was easily controlled with glyphosate when applied as a preplant burndown. The introduction and wide spread adoption of glyphosate-tolerant canola varieties in the late 90s has led to the need for different control methods for volunteer canola.

The volunteer canola problem is not an epidemic; however, it certainly has created a nuisance for many growers. A frequently asked question in the spring of 2003 was, “how do I control my volunteer canola?” This question was asked for nearly every broadleaf crop grown in North Dakota. Preliminary studies in 2003 showed that volunteer canola can be controlled with several herbicides, but that herbicide rate and canola growth stage are very important for complete control.

Objectives:
1. Evaluate several herbicides for control of volunteer canola in dry pea, flax, soybean, corn and sunflower.
2. Determine the effect of canola growth stage on herbicide efficacy.
3. Identify the most cost-effective herbicides for volunteer canola control.