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Publication #HS951

 

Weed Management in Beet1

Peter Dittmar and William Stall2

Beets can be found as red beets, table beets, or garden beets. Both the tops (greens) and the bottoms (swollen hypocotyl) may be eaten. Always check the label on beet greens because residue establishment varies. Table 1 lists herbicides that can be applied before crop emergence. Table 2 lists herbicides that can be applied after crop emergence.

Tables

Table 1. 

Preemergence chemical weed control in beet

Active ingredient

lb. a.i./A

(Trade name)

amount of product/A

Weeds controlled / remarks

Carfentrazone

Up to 0.031

(Aim®) 2 EC or 1.9 EW

Up to 2 fl. oz.

Emerged broadleaf weeds. Apply as a preplant burndown for emerged broadleaf weeds. Use crop oil concentrate or nonionic surfactant at recommended rates. May be tank mixed with other herbicides.

Ethofumisate

1.88

(Nortron®) 4 SC

60 fl. oz.

Annual broadleaf and grass weeds. No more than 96 fl. oz./A should be applied in a single growing season.

Glyphosate

(Various formulations)

Consult label

Emerged broadleaf and grass weeds. Apply as a preplant burndown. Consult label for individual product directions.

Pelargonic acid

(Scythe®) 4.2 EC

3%–10% v/v

Emerged broadleaf and grass weeds. Apply as a preplant burndown treatment. Scythe® is a contact and nonresidual herbicide and can be tank mixed with residual preemergence herbicides to lengthen control.

Pyrazon

1.95–2.28

(Pyramin® DF) 65 DF

3.0–3.5 lb.

Use lower rate on lighter soils. If rain doesn’t fall in 10 days, irrigate or cultivate.

Pyraflufen

0.001–0.003

(ET® Herbicide) 0.208 EC

0.5–2.0 fl. oz.

Emerged broadleaf weeds. Apply as a preplant burndown treatment.
Table 2. 

Postemergence chemical weed control in beet

Active ingredient

lb. a.i./A

(Trade name)

amount of product/A

Weeds controlled / remarks

Carfentrazone

Up to 0.31

(Aim®) 2 EC or 1.9 EW

Up to 2 oz.

Emerged broadleaf weeds. Apply as hooded application to row middles only. Use crop oil concentrate (COC) or nonionic surfactant (NIS) at recommended rates. May be tank mixed with other herbicides. Do not exceed 6.1 fl. oz. per cropping season. PHI 0 days.

Clethodim

0.09–0.13

0.07–0.13

(Select®, Arrow®) 2 EC

6–8 fl. oz.

(Select Max®) 1 EC

9–16 fl. oz.

Perennial and annual grass weeds. In fields with heavy grass pressure or larger grass weeds, use higher rates or repeat applications 14 days apart. Use a COC at 1% v/v in the finished spray volume. NIS with Select Max®. PHI 30 days.

Ethofumisate

0.16–0.33

(Nortron®) 4 SC

5.25–10.5 fl. oz.

Annual broadleaf and grass weeds. Consult label for rate based on table beet stage of growth. Do not exceed 96 fl. oz./A in a single growing season.

Pelargonic Acid

(Scythe®) 4.2 EC

3%–10% v/v

Emerged broadleaf and grass weeds. Direct spray to row middles. Product is a contact, nonselective, foliar-applied herbicide with no residual control. May be tank mixed with several soil residual compounds.

Phenmedipham

0.5–1.0

(Spin-aid®) 1.3 EC

3–6 pt.

Apply after the four to six true leaf stage. May be applied as a split application. PHI 60 days.

Phenmedipham + desmedipham

0.24–0.73

(Betamix®) 1.3 EC

1.5–4.5 pt.

Sequential application should be used at 5–7 day intervals. Consult label for rate based on weed size. Do not exceed 0.96 lb. a.i./A per season of desmedipham and phenmedipham. PHI 14 days for tops. PHI 50 days for roots.

Pyrazon

1.95–2.28

(Pyramin® DF) 65 DF

3.0–3.5 lb.

Apply after beets have two expanded true leaves and before any weeds have more than two true leaves.

Sethoxydim

0.28–0.47

(Poast®) 1.5 EC

1.5–2.5 pt.

Emerged grass weeds. A maximum of 5 pt./A applied in one season. Include a COC. Unsatisfactory results may occur if applied to grasses under stress. PHI 60 days.

Footnotes

1.

This document is HS951, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date August 2003. Revised April 2013. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Peter Dittmar, assistant professor, and William Stall, emeritus professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee or warranty of the product named, and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others of suitable composition.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.