Cleavers are among the list of annual weeds on the rise for which canola growers should be on the lookout. Research has shown that last year's wet conditions have increased certain weed populations and growers should be prepared to fight these weeds for numerous years to come.
According to Agriculture Canada, the top weeds on the list of increasing weeds in canola fields include: cleavers, green foxtail, wild buckwheat, wild oats, spring wheat and spiny annual sow thistle.
Cleavers thrive in damp soil and compete for nutrients, which can impact crop development. A single cleaver plant can produce up to 3,500 seeds, which can survive for up for three years. The seeds are small and bristly and cling to almost anything, including animal wool and clothing. Cleaver seeds are similar to the size and shape of canola and cannot be separated, which makes crop handling and harvesting more difficult for growers.
"As cleavers and other troublesome weeds continue to spread, today's growers need the proper resources to battle tough weeds to help resolve this issue," Joel Johnson, Brand Manager for Western Herbicides at BASF Canada said. "Clearfield canola, paired with Ares herbicide, is a great option. Ares offers growers broadleaf weed control that acts on cleavers from the first to fourth whorl, with the added benefit of flushing weed control."
Dustin Kelsey, a Clearfield canola grower from Choiceland, Sask. has been planting Clearfield for the last couple of years.
"The better varieties, like 46H75 that we used last year have a bigger and bigger fit on our farm all the time," said Kelsey. "Ares is a real game changer with its increased control on lamb's quarters, buckwheat and better control on cleavers. It definitely has a bigger fit in our rotation now."
Ares is a systemic herbicide that moves quickly throughout weeds offering a wide application window from the second- to seventh-leaf stage. The user-friendly liquid formulation brings a new active ingredient to the Clearfield canola system to provide reliable control of problematic weeds.
