Skip to main content

Weeds & Invasive Plants

All Weeds & Invasive Plants Content

Wheat plants infected with wheat streak mosaic virus.

Volunteer Wheat and Kochia Management With Herbicides Will Likely Require Two Passes

Wheat curl mites, which carry wheat streak mosaic virus, use volunteer wheat and grass weeds as secondary hosts to infest recently planted winter wheat crops. Therefore, effective management of these plants before winter wheat planting is critical.

Combine harvesting wheat.

Weed Management After Wheat Harvest

Most of the winter wheat has been harvested in South Dakota and spring wheat harvest is underway. While the growing season is over for the wheat, post-harvest weed management is important to minimize the amount of weeds that are present in the spring

Instructor leading a proctored exam in an agriculture classroom.

South Dakota Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification Testing

New commercial pesticide applicators and those that have allowed their licenses to lapse must pass commercial pesticide applicator exams to receive certification. Learn about some some helpful resources, contacts, and tips to help you be successful in your certification testing.

Weeds growing abundantly between rows of soybean in a research plot.

Suspect Herbicide Resistance in Your Fields? SDSU Can Help!

Submission form to screen weeds for herbicide resistance in South Dakota.

True armyworm caterpillar on a corn leaf.

Reports of Pyrethroid Failures for True Armyworm Caterpillar Management

True armyworm caterpillars reached thresholds in oats and wheat in many areas of South Dakota recently. Management efforts to reduce populations had varying levels of success, with SDSU Extension receiving numerous reports of pyrethroid insecticide failures.

Green Canada thistle with whitened leaves at the top. Various green plants throughout.

White Thistle Disease: Biological management at work

White thistle disease can be seen among many Canada thistle plants throughout South Dakota this growing season. Plants infected with the disease exhibit significant reductions in both growth and seed head compared with non-infected plants.

A picture of a green, smooth crabgrass plant with a white background.

Late-Season Crabgrass Control

At the start of August, crabgrass is often prevalent in lawns. Ideally, this weed should be controlled earlier in the season, but if early management was missed, a post-emergence herbicide can help control it before it produces more seed.

Two pictures of green soybeans with a blue sky in the background.

Strong, Effective Herbicide Programs Can Be Complimented With Narrow Row Spacing

While strong herbicide programs will result in effective weed management, a cultural tactic, such as row spacing can result in a complementary increase in effectiveness.

United States Environmental Protection Agency Sign plate outside the agency’s main office.

EPA Proposes a Decision to Approve Registration for Dicamba Labeling to Be Applied to Tolerant Soybean

Dicamba products previously labeled for overtop application to tolerant soybean are not registered for use during the 2025 growing season. However, the EPA has proposed to re-register these dicamba products for use in tolerant soybean starting in 2026.

A photo of a winter grazing pasture with a variety of grasses, shrubs and forbs that was taken at the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station that contains some field pennycress.

2025 Field Pennycress Management Considerations

Field pennycress prevalence on pastures has been observed to be in higher abundance this year in Western South Dakota. When consumed in certain quantities it can be toxic to livestock.