Wheat Weeds

All Wheat Weeds Content
aerial view of South Dakota farm and surrounding land

Crops

During the growing season, SDSU Extension provides weekly production recommendations.

Patch of Canada thistle rosettes growing in a yard.

Is It Too Late to Spray Weeds?

There are a lot of uncertainties with spraying perennial weeds in mid-fall. Under the right weather conditions, some applications may still be worthwhile. However, expensive herbicides applied to large swaths of land may be too risky this late in the season.

Left: A white sign with red words in front of green soybean plants. Right: A white sign with red and green words in front of green corn plants.

Now is the Time to Plan Your Weed Management Plan for the 2027 Growing Season

As the 2026 harvest season comes to an end, now is the time to start planning your weed management plan for next year. Learn some expert tips for getting your operation off to a good start this coming growing season.

A picture of a crop field mostly full of green and brown weeds.

2026 Harvesting Order for Weed Management

The 2026 growing season was abnormally hot and dry, which may have reduced the number of weed flushes witnessed this year.

Rows of wheat grass with visible Wheat streak mosaic virus symptoms throughout.

Weed Control is a Must for Preventing Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus

Wheat streak mosaic virus is one of the most damaging viral diseases of winter wheat in the Great Plains. There are no in-season treatments that cure virus-infected wheat. Controlling volunteer wheat and grassy weeds is an important management step.

Collection of susceptible and resistant kochia plants in sample pots demonstrating herbicide effectiveness.

Mixing it Up: Fall Herbicide Mixtures for Kochia Management

Fall-applied residual herbicides can help manage early emerging weeds, such as kochia, by using snowmelt and early spring rainfall as activating precipitation to move the herbicide into the soil layer of emerging weed seedlings.

Absinth wormwood, biennial thistle rosette, and leafy spurge.

Recent Rainfall Likely to Improve Fall Herbicide Applications for Noxious Weed Management

Under hot and dry conditions, weeds are stressed and herbicide activity decreases, leading to poor management. While recent rain events have impeded row crop harvest, the moisture is welcomed to improve the activity of fall herbicide performance for noxious weeds in pastures and rangelands.

SD Sundog growing within a series of crop performance testing plots.

Utilizing Cool-Season Crops for Weed Management

For producers facing increasing challenges from herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth or waterhemp, incorporating a cool-season crop can provide another tool for diversifying weed management.

wheat field

Wheat

The SDSU Extension team provides unbiased, research-based information to help wheat growers make decisions to improve yields and profits.

: Two photos with various plants that are brown, yellow, and/or green. A blue pen is in the foreground of each photo for size reference.

Clock tells the time of the day, not when the job is done. Is that true for weed management?

Common banter at the farm gate implies farmers work long days to get the job finished. However, weed management may improve if spraying stops at a particular time of day.